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The Homer Dever Band keeps classic country music alive
By Ashley Bone/Staff Writer
The Homer Dever Band’s album titled “Leipers Fork Standard Time” is a tribute to the tight-knit Williamson County community and it embraces classic country music.
 | This photo taken in 1949 is the album cover for the Homer Dever Band’s “Leipers Fork Standard Time” album. Some people believe Homer Dever is the man standing in the center with the guitar.
|  | The Homer Dever Band during a performance at Green’s Grocery in Leipers Fork. Photo by Rod Daniel
|  | Lester Deal dances on a table wearing his rhinestone boots made by Manuel. Known as “Uncle Lester,” a song on the newly released album is named after Deal who attends every performance of the Homer Dever Band.
Photo by Anthony Scarlati
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Released in December, it brings listeners to the 1940s and 1950s to the peak of the Grand Ole Opry and WSM. Leipers Fork Standard Time keeps country classics alive with Hank Williams’ “Hey Good Lookin” and “Your Cheatin Heart” as well as Lefty Frizzell’s “Always Late.” The album also features original country tunes reminiscent of that era.
Formed in 2002, the Homer Dever Band consists of seven members; Richie Albright (drums); Steve Hinson (steel guitar), Aubrey Preston (guitar/vocals), Ron Rigsby (banjo/guitar/vocals), Hank Singer (fiddle/mandolin), David Smith (bass/background vocals) and Reggie Young (guitar).
The album cover, however, doesn’t feature any of them. It’s a black and white photo of three shirtless men. There’s a lot of mystery behind it but some believe a man named Homer Dever is standing in the center with his guitar.
Aubrey Preston, the lead singer and guitarist, is a hobby musician who helped form the Homer Dever Band.
Preston says the photo, taken in 1949, is the only known picture of Dever.
“He was a singer with some success who got frustrated,” Preston says of Dever in the 1950s. “Homer wanted me to put this band together and he told me ‘the purpose of a band is a band with a purpose’.”
Though many bands today strive for No. 1 hits and fame, the Homer Dever Band is unique through its inception and goals of the members.
“Our main goal is to keep the culture of music and dance alive along the Leipers Fork valley and throughout Natchez Trace communities and have a lot of fun doing it,” Preston says. “Through the years people have asked us for a recording so we went in the studio and made the project available as a fundraiser for the Kids on Stage Foundation.”
All proceeds from the album sales go to the Kids on Stage Foundation, a Williamson County based not-for-profit which gives kids the opportunity to perform and learn the behind the scenes of stage performances.
The album tracks feature original tunes such as “Leipers Fork Standard Time” written by Preston. The lyrics are about the town residents and make reference to Hank Williams former home in Leipers Fork.
“Hank Williams is our hero and he had a farm out here over the hill,” Preston says.
The lyrics also make reference to the Christmas lights out all year long on Main Street in Leipers Fork.
“Which we’re really proud of,” Preston says with a smile, adding, “it’s kinda like Christmas all year long around here.”
The final line “our jailhouse is the biggest industry” makes reference to the group of volunteers in “Jailhouse Industrys” based in Leipers Fork. Another song titled “Uncle Lester” is written about Lester Deal, a Williamson County native who attends every performance wearing his Manuel made rhinestone boots.
Deal likes the group because they play great songs for the two-step.
“I’ve heard a lot of good bands, but the Homer Dever Band is the best I’ve ever heard,” Deal says.
The final tract, “Homer’s Therapy Song: Prozac TV” was co-written by Preston and Dever, according to the album credits.
Preston says the real cornerstone of the band is the quality of the team. Steve Hinson tours with Randy Travis and Hank Singer is currently on tour with George Jones. Reggie Young is known as one of the top session guitar players of all times and Richie Albright was Waylon Jennings drummer and right hand man.
“They are part of classic country history,” Preston says, adding Albright was part of the outlaw movement.
Albright remembers the 1960s when long hair was not acceptable in the country music industry.
“People tried to beat us up for having long hair,” Albright recalls.
He remembers the country music era, which their album encompasses. It’s what he remembers about first hearing country music.
“We lived in the mountains in Arizona and on Saturday nights, only two houses could get the Opry stations and we’d go to one of those houses and listen to the Opry,” he says. “To be able to play on and make this album, Im really proud of it.”
Young, whose legendary guitar skills are featured on Elvis’ “Suspicious Minds” and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” made appearances at both the Grand Ole Opry and Louisiana Hayride. He toured all over the country with Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis.
As a studio sessions player, Young says this is the only band he’s been in “where I know all the songs.”
The group performs between 10 and 15 shows a year with three being free public events.
“Everyone in the band has had enough bus rides in their lifetime,” Preston says of keeping the group local. “We love to get together and play good music. Our band really features the musicians. ”
Through their album sales, the Homer Dever Band has raised several thousand dollars for Kids on Stage.
“I expect this to be an ongoing fundraiser for Kids on Stage,” Preston says.
Rober Hicks, author of “A Separate Country” gave praise to the group.
“If this place we love- the hollows and hills of Williamson County and of Middle Tennessee ever have a voice, it surely will be the Homer Dever Band,” Hicks says. “Rooted, respectful, with authenticity, they celebrate the richness of everyday life. Homer Dever has emerged as an essential and integral part of this communitys musical heritage.”
The next Homer Dever Band performance is scheduled for Saturday, February 13 at Potts Auction Barn in Fly, Tenn. The concert begins at 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
The Homer Dever Band’s album “Leipers Fork Standard Time” album may be purchased at Leipers Fork merchants, on cdbaby.com or visit homerdever.com.
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