Tenor, Mandolin and Guitar
Born March 8th in Marion County AL, Archie Dotson was destined to be involved in gospel and bluegrass music. His start began at age 3 and he received his own first mandolin at age 6. In 1952, he gave his heart to Jesus and music became his life. Archie states “It is my mission and profound joy and privilege to sing praises unto Him. I hope that my life will reflect his grace and help lead someone to the saving knowledge of Christ.”
One Feb day in 1961, Archie traveled to Brighton Church of God in Alabama to play guitar and mandolin with a group of singer/musicians for a singing as a “special guest.” A “beautiful lady” was playing piano as the church pianist. It was “love at first sight”. This lady turned out to be Christine Hannah, who became his best friend and three months later he stopped a "Singin'" long enough to get married to his partner for life. They have now been married 46 years and were blessed with two beautiful daughters, who performed with the group until they left for college, then marriage. Archie’s family now consists of daughter’s Chrysta Leigh and her husband Tommy Russell of Maplesville AL and Alicia Renae and her husband Wesley Bright of Gautier Mississippi. He has been well blessed with 3 grandchildren: Lauren and Evan Russell, and Luke Bright.
Archie provides balance to the harmony vocals, as well as a signature tenor that gives a full range of vocal capacities and styles to this group. He also has a sincere heartfelt love to share the gospel through his music. His years of singing gives him a broad range of gospel music experience to provide the group with hymn book songs arranged such that they sound like original material. Archie not only has hymn book songs under his hat, but also has a broad knowledge of writing his own Southern and Bluegrass Gospel songs, to add spice to his musical talents. He ties the instruments together by providing the steady rhythm. If anyone ever had an ear to hear the variations in a songs chord changes, and progressions, it is Archie. He picks up on the feeling of a song that makes an old one sound fresh and new again. He has an acoustic music flair with his traditional mandolin and guitar picking styles that Chet Atkins would be proud of. He also adds talent vocally to this group with his tenor voice, and a memory for words and arrangements that give this group its ability to provide a wide range of musical styles. Archie is an amazing self-taught musician that can play anything with strings on it, and has a knack for southern humor to add to the group’s presentation and style.
When Archie is not creating a mess or aggravating Christine, he enjoys writing new songs for the quartet to perform. He also enjoys eating Rib-eye steak at Logan’s Steakhouse or having buttermilk, cornbread and turnip greens at Golden Corral. When asked about the future of The Dotson Family, Archie replied,“ I want to travel as many miles I can for Jesus, spreading his word thru song”,
"Christine and I met at a singin', got married at a singin', and I guess we'll die at a singin'." Such devotion is rarely found.
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