Anyone Else Get Their Little Jimmy Dickens Ballad Fix On the

GaryHoetker · Post by **GaryHoetker** » 20 May 2001 10:31 am

Don't you agree that at 80 or so Jimmy just keeps singing better and better? Like he displayed last night,he has an uncanny knack of pulling those long forgotten ballads out of the trunk that will send chills down anybody's back. His passion for music,and phrasing are what makes traditional country endure.I could listen to him hour on hour and what a stage presence.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 20 May 2001 12:18 pm

I'm amazed that he can still do it and smoke the way he does. I did a package show at Silver Springs park (Ocala, Fl) back in February and he stayed around the bus until it was time for him to go on (he was the last act) and everytime I saw him he had a cigarette. But, he knocked them out on his part of the show.

I like to say Little Jimmy Dickens closed for us, rather than we opened the show.

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 21 May 2001 11:10 am

If he don't quit smoking it's gonna stunt his growth!!!
Ray

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Steeling is still legal in Arizona

Roger Miller · Post by **Roger Miller** » 21 May 2001 2:35 pm

I played for Tator for a while and One night we forgot to bring the doll to the stage, so he borrowed one from a girl in the front row and did Raggedy Ann and brought tears to everyones eyes. He can deliver a balled like no one else.

Steven Welborn · Post by **Steven Welborn** » 22 May 2001 6:34 pm

what would you guys suggest to get of his music to begin with? im a little ignorant here. he sounds like somebody i'd love. spine chilling ballads are my biggest weakness. who are the steelers? thanx guys.

Eddie Lange · Post by **Eddie Lange** » 22 May 2001 6:51 pm

Start out with a compliation called Take An Old Cold Tater and Wait which just scratches the surface of his hits. The cuts on here are the newer,hipper recuts that feature twin guitars(Spider Wilson, Leon Rhodes) and BE rippin at his best. For the originals, go with the Razor and Tie compilation I'm Little But I'm Loud. This stuff goes way back and has some fantastic Walter Haynes early pedal stuff including Take Me As I Am and his classic playing on We Could which I believe he had a high F#(modern first string) in the low F#(7 string)position?

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The Young Steelkid

Tim Rowley · Post by **Tim Rowley** » 23 May 2001 8:11 pm

Pee Wee Rogers, Dickens' long-time steeler, always sounds great to my ear. Nice strong tone, and his playing compliments Tater's songs very well. Nice guy too!

Tim R.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 24 May 2001 2:53 am

Pee Wee does seem to fit in well with Little Jimmy. He "underplays" - and I mean that as a complement - rather than doing more backup than is necessary.

Ric Nelson · Post by **Ric Nelson** » 24 May 2001 6:53 am

Ray:
One night backstage at the Opry, Hank Snow said just that to Little Jim as he was puffing away. "Cut it out or it'll stunt your growth."

We all fell apart since it was so out of character for Hank to say something like that to Little Jim and it sounded like the pot calling the kettle black anyway.

I agree, that I could listen to Jim sing the ballads forever.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ric Nelson on 24 May 2001 at 07:55 AM.]</p></FONT>

Frank · Post by **Frank** » 28 May 2001 8:26 pm

This is to Ric, but open to anyone.
I saw Hank on a cruise in Baltimore in about
1953. It appeared he had a tooled leather case around the sound box of his guitar,But my question is , what make and model guitar did he play. The sound was unique.
Thanks Much, FGB.

Roger Miller · Post by **Roger Miller** » 2 Jun 2001 7:46 am

I had a ball playing with Tater, until the night he about got us arrested. One night in Boston Gardens he was telling the Rent a cops to let us park and the wouldn't let us so Tater more or less us his weight(hehe) and The cops almost arrested us, we had to park off the grounds, Hanks band covered the first song for us.

Leigh Howell · Post by **Leigh Howell** » 2 Jun 2001 10:21 am

I'm pretty sure Hank Snow Played a Gibson. The model above the hummingbird.
Leigh

Carson Leighton · Post by **Carson Leighton** » 2 Jun 2001 12:15 pm

Leigh, I thought I had heard one time that Hank Snow played Martin guitars. I know his guitar sounded different than anyone else's, whatever he was playing. It certainly did sound good. People around here still talk about the sound of Hank Snow's guitar......Carson

Al Johnson · Post by **Al Johnson** » 2 Jun 2001 5:32 pm

I agree with all the praise to Jimmy Dickens.
Hank Snow usually played Martin guitars and
the guitar with the leather on was a Martin,
Rick Nelson also had one. But Hank could
really pick a guitar. Al

Frank · Post by **Frank** » 2 Jun 2001 9:36 pm

Ok, you guys are right, it was a Martin D28
that he had inlayed to look like a D45 by Martins Mike Longworth.
Thanks for the Help. Frank.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 3 Jun 2001 5:52 am

I went back and reread this thread to be sure I didn't miss it but no one has said anything about Lil' Jimmy's Big sense of humor. Our band crossed paths with his in europe when he was playing for the GI Guys.
He had a commedy routine that was a cross between Rod Brasfield and Minne Pearl. It was a really big part of his act and had us all laughing. He is one of the Best Entertainers and isn't that what it's all about ? Best Regards to Jimmy, Paul

Quesney Gibbs · Post by **Quesney Gibbs** » 3 Jun 2001 1:58 pm

To Paul Graupp...

You ain't laughed till you have been on a show with Justin Wilson.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 3 Jun 2001 3:07 pm

Quesney: Exactly right on that one. I worked with Justin and Jerry Clower at a place called Daniel Boone Park somewhere west of Durham, NC. But the funniest guy I ever worked with wasn't really a comedian.

We backed Kenny Price at a High School in NC and he showed up in a purple suit. We kicked
off his first number but he started laughing before he could sing. When he got control
he asked us to start over but he lost it again so we stopped and waited for him.

He tried to explain to the audience: "Did you .....Did you.....Did you ever in your life, see a 300 pound Grape?" Then we lost it too. He just had the whole place, Band and all laughing with him and it was contagious. My sides actually hurt from laughing so hard but I couldn't help it. That was a once in a lifetime thing.

Best Regards, Paul

: (Can't help myself !)

Randy Hess · Post by **Randy Hess** » 12 Jun 2001 2:47 pm

I heard him do "We Could" Fri. at the Opry. I know he had been sick, but you couldn't tell. He sang great. You don't always think of "Little" Jimmy & ballads but he's still one of the best.

Roger Miller · Post by **Roger Miller** » 14 Jun 2001 2:56 pm

Paul, speaking of Taters sense of humer, He had a carney routine about BowWow the Dog faced Boy and a giant tenderloin at the fair. He also used to talk about Miss Honalulu Lou. Bring it up to him if you ever see him again.