Little Jimmy Dickens, Grand Ole Opry Ambassador, Passes Away At 94

Country Music Hall of Famer Jimmy Dickens, the Grand Ole Opry's most beloved and diminutive ambassador, died Friday from cardiac arrest at a Nashville area hospital. He was 94.

Little Jimmy Dickens starred for decades on the Opry, where he was a vital part of the scene both onstage and backstage. His dressing room was an essential stop for performers on the show, and it was there that he held court for a variety of artists, some of whom came to the Opry more than a half century after Dickens' 1948 debut.

He remained a vital performer throughout his life, last playing the Opry on Dec. 20, a day after his 94th birthday and five days before he would be admitted to the hospital after suffering a stroke on Christmas Day.

When the spotlight shone on him, Jimmy would often make fun of his size with comments such as "I'm Little Jimmy Dickens, or Willie Nelson after taxes". Dickens' tiny frame, colorful personality and outlandish suits drew plenty of attention, and he quickly became one of country music's most recognizable entertainers. Throughout the 1950s and '60s, his records were released under the name "Little" Jimmy Dickens. Never afraid to play his size for laughs, Dickens climbed a kitchen ladder to invite Trace Adkins into the Opry family in 2003. Adkins and Paisley were among those who came to the "Opry" in November 2008 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of his induction.

As the sun sets on this planet tonight, for the first time in 94 years it is without my hero, Little Jimmy Dickens. Much will be said and written about his incredible and unique place in Country Music history. Which could fill a book. But that isn't how I'll remember him. I will remember the human being that best check-marked all the boxes of a complete and wonderful life. My hero.

 

Do not mourn Little Jim. Celebrate him. Relive and share the memories. Aspire to be like him. And above all, laugh at the punchlines, the craziness, and the way he so gracefully made this planet a funnier, better, richer place while he was alive. And in doing so, will continue to for years to come.

"The Grand Ole Opry did not have a better friend than Little Jimmy Dickens,” Opry Vice President and General Manager Pete Fisher says. “He loved the audience and his Opry family, and all of us loved him back. He was a one-of-kind entertainer and a great soul whose spirit will live on for years to come."

Born in Bolt, W. Va., Dickens was the oldest of 13 children. He started his musical career in the late '30s, when he began performing on a local radio station while attending West Virginia University. James Cecil Dickens is survived by his wife, Mona, and two daughters, Pamela Detert and Lisa King. Funeral arrangements are pending, however a public visitation and a public service is being planned.