Little Jimmy Dickens

James Cecil Dickens (December 19, 1920 – January 2, 2015), better known by his stage name Little Jimmy Dickens, was an American country music singer and songwriter famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size (4'10" [150 cm]), and his rhinestone-studded outfits (which he is given credit for introducing into live country music performances). He started as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1948 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983. Before his death, he was the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Early life Dickens was born in Bolt, West Virginia. He began his musical career in the late 1930s, performing on radio station WJLS in Beckley, West Virginia, while attending West Virginia University. On the radio station, he got his experience with performers such as Mel Steele, Molly O'Day, and Johnnie Bailes.

Dickens recorded many novelty songs for Columbia, including "Country Boy", "A-Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed", and "I'm Little but I'm Loud". His song "Take an Old Cold Tater (And Wait)" inspired Hank Williams to nickname him Tater. Later, telling Dickens he needed a hit, Williams wrote "Hey Good Lookin'" in only 20 minutes while on a plane with Dickens, Minnie Pearl, and Pearl's husband, Henry Cannon. A week later, Williams recorded the song himself, jokingly telling Dickens, "That song's too good for you!", to which Dickens replied, "Much obliged, Hiram."

In 1950, Dickens formed the Country Boys with musicians Jabbo Arrington, Grady Martin, Bob Moore, and Thumbs Carllile. During this time, he discovered future Country Music Hall of Famer Marty Robbins at a Phoenix, Arizona, television station while on tour with the Grand Ole Opry road show. In 1957, Dickens left the Grand Ole Opry to tour with the Philip Morris Country Music Show.

In 1962, Dickens had his first top-10 country hit since 1954 with "The Violet and a Rose".

In 1964, he became the first country artist to circle the globe while on tour. He also made numerous appearances on television, including on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In 1965, he released his biggest hit, "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose", which reached number one on the country chart and number 15 on the pop chart.

In the late 1960s, Dickens left Columbia for Decca Records, before moving again to United Artists in 1971. That same year, he married his wife, Mona, and in 1975, he returned to the Grand Ole Opry. In 1983, Dickens was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Dickens joined producers Randall Franks and Alan Autry for the In the Heat of the Night cast CD Christmas Time's a Comin’, performing "Jingle Bells" with the cast. The CD released by Sonlite and MGM/UA was one of the most popular Christmas releases of 1991 and 1992 with Southern retailers.

Later career

In 1984, Dickens appeared in Hank Williams Jr.'s music video for the hit single "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight".

Dickens performing at the Grand Ole Opry House in 2004: Notice the six-foot circle of oak cut from the corner of the Ryman Auditorium's stage and inlaid into center stage at the Grand Ole Opry House. Toward the end of his life, Dickens made appearances in a number of music videos by fellow West Virginia native and country musician Brad Paisley. He was also featured on several of Paisley's albums in bonus comedy tracks, along with other Opry mainstays such as George Jones and Bill Anderson. They were collectively referred to as the Kung-Pao Buckaroos.

With the death of Hank Locklin in March 2009, Dickens became the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry, at the age of 90. He made regular appearances as a host at the Opry, often with the self-deprecating joke that he was also known as "Willie Nelson after taxes", playing on his resemblance to Nelson in his later years, Nelson's highly publicized problems with the Internal Revenue Service, and Dickens' own short stature. At the 2011 CMA Awards, Dickens was dressed as Justin Bieber and made fun of Bieber's then-current paternity scandal.

Personal life Dickens married Connie Chapman in 1944; the marriage ended in divorce in 1955. Later that year, he married Ernestine Jones; she died in 1968 in an automobile accident while traveling in Texas. He married Mona Evans in 1971. They had two daughters, Pamela Detert and Lisa King.

Death Dickens was hospitalized after a stroke on December 25, 2014, six days after marking his birthday in what was his last appearance on the Opry. After his funeral on January 8, 2015, at the Grand Ole Opry House, Dickens was entombed in the Cross Mausoleum at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville.

Discography

Studio albums Year Album details Chart positions US Country 1954 Old Country Church Released: 1954 Label: Columbia — 1960 Big Songs by Little Jimmy Dickens Released: September 1960 Label: Columbia — 1962 Little Jimmy Dickens Sings Out Behind the Barn Released: September 1962 Label: Columbia — 1965 Handle with Care Released: February 1965 Label: Columbia — May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose Released: November 1965 Label: Columbia 4 1968 Big Man in Country Music Released: 1968 Label: Columbia — Little Jimmy Dickens Sings Released: March 1968 Label: Decca — 1969 Jimmy Dickens Comes Callin Released: February 1969 Label: Decca — "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Compilation albums Year Album details Chart positions US Country 1957 Raisin' the Dickens Released: November 1957 Label: Columbia — 1966 Little Jimmy Dickens' Greatest Hits Released: 1966 Label: Columbia 39 1969 Greatest Hits Released: 1969 Label: Decca — 1976 Hymns of the Hour Released: 1976 Label: Quantum — 1983 Historic Edition Released: 1983 Label: Columbia — "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

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1961

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1963

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1969

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B-sides Year Song Peak positions A-Side Single US Country 1949 "Pennies for Papa" 12 "Take an Old Cold 'Tater (And Wait)" 1962 "Honky Tonk Troubles" 25 "The Violet and a Rose"