Little jimmy dickens biography

Grand Ole Opry Stardom

Shortly after joining the Grand Ole Opry, Dickens took over Paul Howard’s band, which included crack guitarists Jabbo Arrington and Grady Martin (later, Jimmy “Spider” Wilson and Howard Rhoton), as well as bassist Bob Moore. Named the Country Boys, Dickens’s band became known for its topflight musicianship and for its pioneering twin-lead-guitar sound. Later, Dickens added young steel guitarist Buddy Emmons and guitarist Thumbs Carllile to the group.

“Jimmy wanted a specific tone from the guitars,” Rhoton recalled in 1997, for the liner notes of a Bear Family boxed set, Country Boy. “Jimmy was keenly aware of what was going on all the time. He liked the single-string, hot-licks type of backup, while he was singing the up-tempo stuff. He was the only artist back in those days that you could play that way with.”

Dickens and the Country Boys’ innovative, instantly identifiable sound drew plenty of radio liste

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Little Jimmy Dickens in Saginaw

It’s been 65 years since Little Jimmy Dickens made his debut on the WSM “Grand Ole Opry” barn dance. While the “Opry” has changed over the years, the 92-year-old Dickens seems as spry and witty as ever. While living in stad i usa, Michigan, in 1947-48, Dickens was invited by none other than Roy Acuff, the King of the Hillbillies, to be his guest on the show, after Dickens impressed Acuff during a Michigan appearance.

Dickens’ time in Saginaw revolved around a new radio station, WKNX, where he performed with his grupp, served as a radio announcer, and assisted with programming. Fiddler Casey Clark worked in similar capacities for the station managers, and Clark and Dickens often shared musicians in the days before they organized their own bands. Tex Ferguson arrived a few months later, and all three groups played shows tillsammans in schools, social halls, and a roller rink in Bad Axe. After his guest appearance at the

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Little Jimmy Dickens

American country music singer-songwriter (1920–2015)

Musical artist

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).^[1] He started as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1948 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983.^[2] Before his death he was the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Early life

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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.^[3] On the radio station, he got his experience with performers like Mel Steele, Molly O'Day and Johnnie Bai