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BREAKING BARRIERS
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This openness extends to the singers' lack of snobbery on the road. Constant travel was the rule for more than a year; while breaks are more frequent now, the three rely on comforting rituals to keep them grounded while touring.
"We get up, we go to the gym," says Cook, "we come home, eat breakfast." Preferred stops include Waffle House and the International House of Pancakes. After meals, disagreements occasionally arise. According to Dixon, "It's not, nobody doesn't want to pay" the bill. "We have to beat each other to pay the bill. Thomas will try to sneak and go to the bathroom and pay the bill and get back [saying], 'I already ... took care of it.' And then, you know, Victor and I try to beat him to it [the next time]. So what we're going to eat and who's going to sneak and try to pay the bill first ... that becomes the game."
Another favorite part of their off-stage schedule in the cities where they perform is visiting stores like Sam's, Costco, Wal-Mart, and Target, as well as a trip to the local mall. For Dixon, the mall trips have become akin to advance work: "The malls tell you a lot about what your audience is going to be like that night."
But rest and relaxation are also vital, due to the demands of singing. "One of our concerts is like singing two operas," notes Dixon. "You do need to have a life," he says. "You're not a computer. You ... call home, speak to your family, your mother, see what's going on with other people's lives, stay plugged in. And just maintenance, just taking care of your personal responsibilities."
It's all in service of the music. This new Cook, Dixon, & Young show, recorded live in New York, expands on their impressive genre-hopping with new selections that include "Spoken Word," a nod to the historic musical roots of rap. There are also more R&B classics (originated by the likes of Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin), spirituals, and arias from "La Traviata," "Aïda," and "Il Trovatore." It's sure to win even more believers to their cause.
Top banner photos: Cook, Dixon, and Young in performance and the American Theater Orchestra. |
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In addition to performing, Thomas Young is a music professor at New York's Sarah Lawrence College. |
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The son of a preacher, Rodrick Dixon began singing and playing piano at his father's church. |
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This program is currently not available through Shop Thirteen or ShopPBS. |
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