James Cecil Dickens (December 19, 1920 – January 2, 2015) better known as Little Jimmy Dickens, was an American country music singer famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size, 4'11" (150 cm), and his rhinestone-studded outfits. He started as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1948 and became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983. Before his death he was
the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Born in Bolt, West Virginia, Dickens, who is related to
Charles Dickens, began his musical career in the late 1930s, performing on a
local radio station while attending West Virginia University. He soon quit
school to pursue a full-time music career, and travelled the country performing
on various local radio stations under the name "Jimmy the Kid."
In 1948, Dickens was heard performing on a radio station
in Saginaw, Michigan by Roy Acuff, who introduced him to Art Satherly at
Columbia Records and officials from the Grand Ole Opry. Dickens signed with
Columbia in September and joined the Opry in August. Around this time he began
using the nickname, 
Little Jimmy Dickens, inspired by his short stature.
Little Jimmy Dickens, inspired by his short stature.
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 Jimmy he needed a hit, Williams penned
"Hey Good Lookin'" specifically for Dickens in only 20 minutes while
on a Grand Ole Opry tour bus. A week later Williams cut the song himself,
jokingly telling him, "That song's too good for you!"
 |
| Hank Williams and Jimmy |
In 1962 Dickens released "The Violet and the
Rose," his first top ten single in 12 years.
During 1964 he became the
first country artist to circle the globe while on tour, and also made numerous
TV appearances including The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. In 1965 he
released his biggest hit, "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your
Nose," reaching number one on the country chart and number fifteen on the
pop chart.
In the late 1960s he 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.
He 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 on the CD released on Sonlite and MGM/UA
for one of the most popular Christmas releases of 1991 and 1992 with Southern
retailers.
Toward the end of his life, Dickens made appearances in a
number of music videos by fellow country musician and West Virginia native 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.
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 is also known as "Willie Nelson after taxes," playing on his
resemblance to Nelson in his later years and his own short stature. At the 2011
CMA Awards, Jimmy was dressed up as Justin Bieber, and made fun of Bieber's
then-current paternity scandal.
Dickens was hospitalized after a stroke on December 25,
2014, days after his last appearance on the Opry to mark his birthday. He died
of cardiac arrest on January 2, 2015, at the age of 94. He is survived by his
wife, Mona Dickens, who he married in 1971, and two daughters, Pamela Detert
and Lisa King. After his funeral on January 8, 2015 at the Grand Ole Opry
House, Dickens was entombed in the Cross Mausoleum at Woodlawn Memorial Park
Cemetery in Nashville. (Info Wikipedia)
