On this day (December 19) in 1920, Little Jimmy Dickens was born in Bolt, West Virginia. He was a longtime member of the Grand Ole Opry and has been hailed as one of country music’s greatest entertainers. He had hits across multiple decades, introduced Nudie Suits to the country world, and was the first country singer to embark on a world tour.
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As a child, Dickens and his family spent Saturday nights gathered around the radio to listen to the Grand Ole Opry. Then, when he was in high school, he took his first steps toward being on the hallowed stage. His uncle hosted a morning radio show. He would open the show by crowing like a rooster, according to PBS.
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“Well, now, that rooster crow goes way back. That rooster crow was before they let me sing,” Dickens said. “My uncle and two of his buddies had a fifteen-minute program on WJLS, and they’d take me with ‘em. One day, the manager said, ‘We need somebody to crow like a rooster.’ I said, ‘You got him right here!’” he recalled.
He spent the next decade performing on radio stations throughout the Midwest. It was during this decade that T. Texas Tyler gave him the nickname “Little Jimmy.” Standing at only 4’10”, the moniker stuck with him for the rest of his life. Before long, Roy Acuff heard him perform and was impressed. Two years later, Acuff brought Dickens to Nashville and helped him land a deal with Columbia Records and a spot on the Grand Ole Opry.
Little Jimmy Dickens Had a Big Impact on Country Music
Little Jimmy Dickens released his first single, “Take an Old Cold Tater (And Wait),” in 1949. It peaked at No. 7 on the country chart, his first of three top ten hits that year. He had a pair of hits in the 1950s. “Hillbilly Fever” reached No. 3 in 1950, and “Out Behind the Barn” peaked at No. 9 four years later. The next decade saw him release his first No. 1 single. “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose” topped the chart in 1964 and became his signature song.
After the success of that song, he embarked on a world tour. He was the first country singer to do so. However, that wasn’t his only “first.” He was also reportedly the first to wear a Nudie Suit, the elaborate suits tailored by Nudie Cohn. Additionally, Dickens was the first to take the stage in a suit covered in rhinestones, introducing the glittering look that would be popular for decades.
While Dickens was famous for his novelty songs, he was not limited to them. He could also inject an incredible amount of emotion into love songs and ballads. Grand Ole Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs summed his talent up nicely. He called Dickens “one of the finest entertainers, showmen, masters of ceremonies, goodwill ambassadors, troupers, singers of novelty tunes, and interpreters of country ballads that the country music industry has ever known.”
When he died in 2015, Dickens had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 66 years, longer than any other artist in history. His final appearance on the Opry was one week before he died.
Featured Image by David Redfern/Redferns
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