Phil Lister's story doesn't begin with a reunion — it begins with a foundation. A founding member of the original Country Masters back in 1970, Phil helped build the band from the ground up, playing the outdoor venues and dance halls of the Carolinas at a time when live country music was the heartbeat of the region. More than five decades later, he's the reason the band is back.

In 1982, Phil and his brother Mark Lister transformed the Country Masters into Dixiana — a group that would go on to become one of the most recognized acts to ever come out of upstate South Carolina. The band served as the host act for Carolina Country, a television program on CBS affiliate WSPA out of Spartanburg, SC, and quickly outgrew its regional roots. Their debut nationally released record, "Dixie Anna," appeared on Grand Prize Records of Nashville, and the momentum never slowed.

Dixiana signed with Sony/Epic Records in 1991. Their self-titled debut for the label produced two singles — "That's What I'm Workin' On Tonight" and the fan favorite "Waitin' for the Deal," which stayed on the charts for 22 weeks. The national stage followed. Dixiana toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada, performing at prestigious venues including the Roxy in Los Angeles, the Houston Astrodome, Billy Bob's in Fort Worth, and Farm Aid 5 — along with multiple appearances on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

When the band disbanded in 1995, Phil and Mark Lister took their talents to Music Row, where they opened a studio and publishing company and continued writing and performing. Phil never stopped playing — and he never stopped thinking about where it all started.

In June 2023, Dixiana was honored with induction into the South Carolina Entertainment and Music Hall of Fame. That milestone rekindled something. Phil reached out to his old friend Jimmy Pittman, dusted off the Country Masters name, and set about rebuilding the band that started it all.

On stage, Phil is the musical anchor — switching fluidly between lead guitar, fiddle, and mandolin with the ease of a player who has spent his life in the craft. Whether he's bending a blues note or sawing through a fiddle break, the experience is unmistakable.

Phil Lister didn't just bring the Country Masters back. He brought them back better.