Joe "Dixie" Fuller, center
Whether you love Riverbend or hate it, this is a feel-good story that shows people do care and do matter. It involves Joe “Dixie” Fuller, Talent Director and Production Director at Riverbend. As Talent Director, he is responsible for booking the acts that perform at the festival. As Production Director, he is responsible for producing the event, which includes stage construction, lighting, sound, and video.
90 percent of the time, tour managers for the various performers at Riverbend just defer to Dixie, as his reputation in the industry is stellar.
He spent 8 years on the road with the band Alabama, then moved on to Clint Black, the Oak Ridge Boys, and many other nationally known touring bands. He has managed shows from Red Rocks to the White House, and from Madison Square Garden to the June Jam in Ft. Payne. He has been at Riverbend for more than 30 years, both as stage manager and in his current capacities.
Dixie’s crew at Riverbend is one of the most experienced in the industry. These crew workers plan their time off with the biggest tours in the world to come home to the 21st Century Waterfront in Chattanooga during the festival. Many have been on the very biggest of tours – Aldean, Strait, Gibb, and even the Rolling Stones. But for two weeks in June, they come home to work with Dixie and Riverbend. They respect his experience and also know he won’t sacrifice safety for a show.
No matter how complicated the tour is for a particular performer, they always rely on Dixie to get it on stage and get it right. He’s just that good. Not much scares Dixie Fuller. This year, however, he encountered his first really big obstacle. A big Rock act that Dixie was trying to get for the 2015 Riverbend show forwarded their production rider, which details the technical aspects of the show. This act uses obscene amounts of lighting effects. They included engineering drawings for the light package and that is what caught Dixie’s experienced eye. This act uses “old school” lighting – heavy par cans by the dozens, instead of the newer, and lighter, LED lighting. One look and he could tell it was an extremely heavy package, with multiple steel trusses, motors, and all sorts of technical stuff.
Dixie immediately began to question if the Coke Stage roof could hold the weight. He sought out engineers, rigging professionals, and lighting experts. (It should be noted that a company that Dixie once managed himself designed this performer’s lighting package) The very FIRST thing that Dixie emphasized to each of the people he contacted was that he would NOT compromise safety just to get the show. He would turn down the opportunity to have the show if the setup was one ounce over the limit. Everyone told him that there was always a margin of error and that it would probably be ok. Probably doesn’t get it when it comes to safety with Dixie Fuller. It is either within the design specs or it isn’t. If it isn’t, then there will be no show. “I am not taking a chance with one person getting hurt. Not one crew member, not one performer, and certainly not one Riverbend fan.”
So, there he was, just one phone call away from having one of the biggest Rock acts in Riverbend history – all he had to do was give it his OK. Joe “Dixie” Fuller made that call. He made the call to turn down the show in accordance with the specifications in the rider. He gave them the alternative of a lighter package or no deal. They wanted their package and declined Dixie’s counter offer.
Dixie was pretty upset that the show wouldn’t play at Riverbend. If the fans knew, they would probably also be upset with Dixie. Odds are he could have done the show and had nothing go wrong. Many promoters would have just “gone along to get along” and done the show. It probably would have gone on without a hitch. BUT, suppose a big wind came along, like at the Indiana State Fair a couple years back. 7 people died and 59 were injured when a wind came up and blew over a stage roof.
As Dixie said, you don’t take chances when it comes to safety. Not everything is about the almighty dollar. I am very proud of my friend, Joe “Dixie” Fuller for turning that show down. As of today, Dixie, not to be defeated, is working on an even bigger rock act. He’s a real pro and even more than that, he’s a good person.
Bob Payne grew up in Chattanooga and graduated from Baylor School. He is the Entertainment Editor for the Chattanoogan.com.
Email Bob Payne at davrik2000@yahoo.com or catch him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/davrik2000.