Post by Kelly on Jun 21, 2009 10:01:39 GMT -6
James Cecil Dickens (born December 19, 1920), better known as Little Jimmy Dickens, is an American country music singer from Bolt, West Virginia. A regular at the Grand Ole Opry for sixty years, Dickens is famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size, 4'11", and his rhinestone-studded outfits.
Dickens' musical career began in the late 1930s, when he began performing on a local radio station while attending University of West Virginia. He soon quit school to pursue a full-time music career, and traveled 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 Grand Ole Opry in August. Around this time he began using the nickname, Little Jimmy Dickens, inspired by his height of 4'11".
Dickens recorded many novelty songs for Columbia around this time, 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."
In 1950 he formed the "Country Boys" with musicians Jabbo Arrington, Grady Martin and Bob Moore. In 1957 he left the Grand Ole Opry to tour with the Philip Morris Country Music Show.
In 1962 Dickens released "The Violet and the Rose," his first top ten single in twelve 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. Around this time he released his biggest hit, "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose," reaching number one in the country charts and number fifteen in the pop charts.
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.
Recently Dickens has made appearances in a number of music videos by fellow country musician and West Virginia native Brad Paisley. He has also been featured on several of Paisley's albums in bonus comedy tracks along with other Opry mainstays such as George Jones and Bill Anderson. They are collectively referred to as the Kung-Pao Buckaroos.
With the passing of Hank Locklin in March 2009, Dickens is now the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry at the age of 88.
Contents [hide]
1 Discography
1.1 Albums
1.2 Singles
2 External links
Discography
[edit] Albums
Year Album US Country Label
1954 Old Country Church Columbia
1957 Raisin' the Dickens
1960 Big Songs
1962 Out Behind the Barn
1964 Little Jimmy Dickens' Best Harmony
Alone with God
1965 Handle with Care Columbia
May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose 4
1966 Greatest Hits
1967 Ain't It Fun Harmony
1968 Big Man in Country Music Columbia
Sings Decca
1969 Comes Callin'
Greatest Hits 39
Singles
Year Single Chart Positions Album
US Country US
1949 "Take an Old Cold 'Tater (And Wait)" 7 singles only
"Country Boy" 7
"Pennies for Papa" 12
"My Heart's Bouquet" 10
1950 "A-Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed" 6
"Hillbilly Fever" 3
1954 "Out Behind the Barn" 9 Raisin' the Dickens
1962 "The Violet and a Rose" 10 Out Behind the Barn
1963 "Another Bridge to Burn" 28 Handle with Care
1965 "He Stands Real Tall" 21
"May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose" 1 15 May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose
1966 "When the Ship Hit the Sand" 27 103 Greatest Hits (1966)
"Who Licked the Red Off Your Candy" 41 Big Man in Country Music
1967 "Country Music Lover" 23
1968 "How to Catch an African Skeeter Alive" 69 Comes Callin'
1969 "When You're Seventeen" 55 Greatest Hits (1969)
1970 "(You've Been Quite a Doll) Raggedy Ann" 75 singles only
1971 "Everyday Family Man" 70
1972 "Try It, You'll Like It" 61