Little Jimmy Dickens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Little Jimmy Dickens
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Dickens in 1971
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Cecil Dickens |
| Also known as | Little Jimmy Dickens Tater |
| Born | December 19, 1920 Bolt, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | January 2, 2015 (aged 94) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | singer and songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1936–2014 |
| Labels | Columbia Records Decca Records United Artists Records |
| Associated acts | Buddy Emmons, Kenneth Carllile, Hank Garland, Red Foley, Minnie Pearl, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard |
Little Jimmy Dickens was a famous American country music singer and songwriter. His real name was James Cecil Dickens. He was born on December 19, 1920, and passed away on January 2, 2015. He was known for his funny songs and his small height, which was about 4 feet 11 inches (150 cm). He also loved wearing flashy outfits covered in rhinestones. Many say he was the first to bring these sparkly costumes to country music shows!
Little Jimmy Dickens became a member of the famous Grand Ole Opry in 1948. This is a very important place for country music. Later, in 1983, he was honored by being added to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Before he died, he was the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Jimmy Dickens was born in a place called Bolt, West Virginia. He started his music journey in the late 1930s. He would perform on a radio station called WJLS in Beckley, West Virginia. At the same time, he was also going to West Virginia University.
Soon, he decided to leave school to focus completely on his music. He traveled around the country, performing on local radio stations. During this time, he was known as "Jimmy the Kid."
A Star on the Rise
In 1948, someone important heard Jimmy Dickens singing on a radio station in Michigan. This led to him meeting Roy Acuff, another country music legend. Roy Acuff then introduced Jimmy to people from Columbia Records and the Grand Ole Opry.
Jimmy signed a record deal with Columbia in September 1948. He then joined the Grand Ole Opry in August of that year. It was around this time that he started using the stage name "Little Jimmy Dickens." This name was inspired by his short height.
Funny Songs and Famous Friends
Little Jimmy Dickens recorded many fun and silly songs, which are called "novelty songs." Some of his popular ones were "Country Boy" and "I'm Little but I'm Loud." His song "Take an Old Cold Tater (And Wait)" gave him a nickname from Hank Williams. Hank called him "Tater"!
Once, Hank Williams told Jimmy that he needed a big hit song. So, Hank wrote the famous song "Hey Good Lookin'" in just 20 minutes! They were on a plane with Minnie Pearl and her husband at the time. A week later, Hank recorded the song himself. He joked with Jimmy, "That song's too good for you!"
In 1950, Jimmy formed his own band called the Country Boys. He also helped discover another future star, Marty Robbins. Jimmy saw Marty performing at a TV station in Arizona while on tour. In 1957, Jimmy left the Grand Ole Opry for a short time to tour with a show called the Philip Morris Country Music Show.
Big Hits and World Tours
In 1962, Jimmy Dickens had a top-10 country hit with "The Violet and a Rose." This was his first big hit since 1954.
In 1964, he became the first country artist to travel all the way around the world on tour! He also appeared on many TV shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In 1965, he released his biggest hit song ever, "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose." This song reached number 1 on the country music charts!
In the late 1960s, Jimmy changed record labels, first to Decca Records and then to United Artists in 1971. That same year, he married his wife, Mona. In 1975, he returned to the Grand Ole Opry. In 1983, he was officially welcomed into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Later Career and Legacy
In 1984, Jimmy Dickens appeared in a music video for Hank Williams Jr.. It was for Hank Jr.'s hit song "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight."
Later in his life, Jimmy Dickens often appeared in music videos with country star Brad Paisley. He also added funny comedy parts to some of Brad Paisley's albums. These comedy bits often featured other Opry stars like George Jones and Bill Anderson. They were known as the "Kung-Pao Buckaroos."
After Hank Locklin passed away in 2009, Jimmy Dickens became the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry. He was 90 years old at the time. He often hosted shows at the Opry and made jokes about himself. He would sometimes say he was "Willie Nelson after taxes," because he looked a bit like Willie Nelson in his later years. At the 2011 CMA Awards, Jimmy Dickens even dressed up as Justin Bieber and made a funny joke about him.
Personal Life
Jimmy Dickens was married three times. He first married Connie Chapman in 1944, but they divorced in 1955. Later that year, he married Ernestine Jones. Sadly, she passed away in a car accident in 1968. In 1971, he married Mona Evans. They had two daughters together, Pamela Detert and Lisa King.
Death
On December 25, 2014, just a few days after his birthday, Jimmy Dickens had a stroke and was taken to the hospital. This was after his last performance at the Grand Ole Opry. He passed away from heart problems on January 2, 2015, at the age of 94. His funeral was held at the Grand Ole Opry House. He was buried in the Cross Mausoleum at Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville.
Images for kids
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Dickens in 1971
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Dickens in 1955
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Dickens performing at the Grand Ole Opry House in 2004. Notice the six-foot circle of oak which was cut from the corner of the Ryman Auditorium's stage and inlaid into center stage at the Grand Ole Opry House
See also
In Spanish: Little Jimmy Dickens para niños
