NashvilleHype!

“I should also mention that he sat at the merch table after the set, signing photos, cds and dvds, chatting with the fans, and demonstrating how country music is done, old-school.”

The quote above comes from a friend of mine I’ve known for probably 10 years or more - Todd Everett - speaking about a show he attended a few nights ago starring Little Jimmy Dickens.

Todd is about as knowledgeable on country music, and music in general, as anyone who ever lived.  His resume includes stints working for many major publications.  Todd has

“worked in, and written about, the entertainment industry from Hollywood for more than 30 years. In addition to staff positions at The Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, I have worked on staff or freelanced for numerous record labels. I reviewed theater in a regional edition of The Los Angeles Times for approximately ten years.

I have edited two magazines: Ampersand and Record Review, and have written for the internationally syndicated radio programs “Earth News” and “American Top 40.”

I have written liner notes for dozens of albums, and produced reissues by acts including John Stewart, Rick Nelson, and Dan Hicks & the Hot Licks.” 

As you can see, he’s a real professional.

On his blog Todd describes the show he attended and I wrote to him to ask if I could post a little of it here, as it says something I’ve been telling artist on NashvilleHype! for a really long time (actually, since the beginning).

But first, for those who don’t know about Little Jimmy Dickens and are wondering - here’s a little bio information from wikipedia:

James Cecil Dickens (born December 19, 1920) is an American country music singer from Bolt, West Virginia. A regular at the Grand Ole Opry for almost 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 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 Satherley 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,” a name inspired by his height of 4 feet 11 inches.

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 Moore 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.

But why care about a man who’s 87 years old and hasn’t a a ‘hit’ on the radio in a hundred years (or 1970, whichever is closer)?  That quote above should give a small indication.

“Dickens comes from the old tradition where it isn’t enough to be a singer, you have to be an entertainer, as well”

“All dolled up in his glittering Nudie suit (“Mighty Mouse in his pajamas,” is how he put it), eighty seven-year-old Dickens took the stages with the enthusiasm of a man half his age or less; spinning his acoustic guitar, and striking an immediate rapport with the audience. As one point early on, he stopped the action and struck a pose so a woman in the audience could take a picture.”

I’ve preached, and I apologize once again, about the importance of being an entertainer - taking time and good care of your fans, never taking yourself too seriously, remembering that there’s plenty of time in life to have a career, enjoying yourself (and making sure your fans are as well - even if you’re not singing! ie. making that connection) … these older artists, they’ve lived it - they know what it’s all about.

Take a look at Todd’s Blog - read the whole review.  It might help you more than you know.

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