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This is Matthew Carney. He was 42 years old. An ILLEGAL was stealing tools from Carneys pickup truck outside of the restaurant he owned. Carney came out confronted him and attempted to stop him. He then proceeded to drive into Matthew, who was critically injured and later died. The ILLEGAL was also wanted on an outstanding auto theft warrant. These are the people Democrats protest FOR. They don't care about their victims. And sadly, these defenders of those who are here illegally also include Catholic bishops and pastors.
Carney was beloved in Nashville by patrons of his restaurant and everyone who knew him.
From WZTV in Nashville: "ICE confirms a man accused of killing a popular restaurant owneris an illegal immigrant. Court records show he has had a previous run in with the law in Davidson County, but somehow his immigration status failed to raise red flags.
"Ulises Raigoz-Martinez was charged with the death of Smokin Thighs owner Matthew Carney after he died on July 4 from a hit-and-run crash at his restaurant. That hit and run happened on June 19, according to police.
It isn't often these days that a show comes to Broadway with an original story and original music and lyrics -- not the musicalization of a book or a movie or a previously produced play. No, we're talking something completely original. And that's exactly what Shucked is -- a show which was in development for many years and was finally brought to Broadway where it was always meant to be.
We saw a recent performance and absolutely loved it! Featuring a book by Tony Award winner Robert Horn (Tootsie), a score by the Grammy® Award-winning songwriting team of Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, and directed by Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien (Hairspray), this corn-fed, corn-bred American musical says it's "sure to satisfy your appetite for great musical theater." And it must be doing something right because it's enjoying a successful run at the Nederlander Theater (through January 14) and will soon be touring throughout the country.
Shucked is about a small town that depends totally on its vibrant corn crop -- until the crop, mysteriously, stops producing the town's lifeblood. What happened and why? And how does Shucked get it mojo back? Well, that's what this corn huskin' tale is all about.
Yeah, Shucked is corny. But it's also clever, surprising, timely and laugh out loud funny. You'll have to listen closely because the one-liners (even in the songs) come at you faster that a road runner. If you saw the scene from Shucked on the recently televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade you know what we're talking about. And Alex Newell totally brings the house down when she sings the defiant, tuneful "Independently Owned." In fact, all of the members of the young, exuberant Shucked cast are wonderful.
And here's the thing we loved most about this show -- Shucked is not overly impressed with itself. It doesn't pretend to be delving into the meaning of life. It doesn't try to be slick or sophisticated. It aims for down home authenticity, and it succeeds. But please don't get the idea that Shucked is dim witted -- far from it! The production values are first rate and this show provides a good dose of social commentary while managing to nonetheless serve it all up with a plenty of heart.
Be sure to get tickets when it some to a city near you!
I can tell by the way
That you’re stirring your drink
Oh we’re already playing with fire
Said that you had to go
Bout an hour ago
Baby you’re such a beautiful liar
Feels like a movie I’ve already seen
So right now I’m begging you please
Why don’t you save me the trouble
Keep those pretty blue eyes to yourself
Why don’t you save me the trouble
Give that heartache to somebody else
If you’re the kinda girl that’s only gonna wanna love and leave
A guy like me
Alone in this bar drinking double
Why don’t you save me the trouble
Save me the trouble baby
Now the closer I get
To the red on your lips
I can feel myself falling all crazy
Cuz just a little kiss and I could never get you out of my mind
So before you go wreck my whole life
I know you know that I ain’t strong enough
To tell girls like you no, no it ain’t in my blood so just save me the trouble#DanAndShay#BiggerHouses#SaveMeTheTrouble
"I Will Be Home Again" was released on the album Elvis Is Back!. It was written by Bennie Benjamin, Raymond Leveen, and Lou Singer, in 1944. It was the first song that Elvis' army buddy (at the time,) Charlie Hodge, sang harmony with Elvis.
Grand Ole Opry members Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton will serve as co-hosts for "Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Country Music," honoring the iconic Nashville show and the incredible country stars that call it home. The two-hour special is set to air Sunday, February 14 at 9/8c on NBC. Later that same week, Paisley will celebrate his 20th anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member. Shelton is marking 10 years as a member.
For almost a century, the Grand Ole Opry has celebrated the past, present and future of country music, showcasing a mix of country legends and the contemporary chart-toppers who have followed in their footsteps. In that same spirit, the anniversary special brings together artists from across generations who share a passion and reverence for the Opry. With country music stars not only performing their biggest hits but also covering classics from some of the Opry’s most famous members, it will be an unforgettable night of music. In addition to the incredible performances, the Opry will open its archives that span a period of over nine decades and include interviews, performances and appearances by country artists in all stages of their careers.
Loretta Lynn. The name alone is synonymous with country music. And when you think of Loretta, you think of America and all that it entails. Her story is really the story of the American Dream. This extraordinary woman recently celebrated her 86th birthday! Loretta Lynn predates the women's movement. But it's doubtful she would have availed herself of it at the start of the movement or anytime between then and now. She didn't need the women's movement. She just put one foot in front of the other and went out and did it. That's the mark of a true pioneer -- and honest-to-goodness trailblazer. Here's a review we gave of a Loretta Lynn concert that we had the pleasure of experiencing in 2009:
On Friday evening we journeyed up to the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank to see country music legend Loretta Lynn in concert.Loretta appeared with 11 musicians including her son and twin daughters in a program that was at times inspiring, curious, and surprisingly spontaneous.Through it all, Loretta was Queenly in the sort of gown, makeup and jewelry that you'd expect from a country music great.For over four decades Loretta Lynn has fashioned a body of work as artistically and commercially successful—and as culturally significant—as any female performer you’d care to name. Her music has confronted many of the major social issues of her time, and her life story is a rags-to-riches tale familiar to pop, rock and country fans alike. The Coal Miner’s Daughter—the tag refers to a hit single, an album, a best-selling autobiography, an Oscar-winning film, and to Lynn herself—has journeyed from the poverty of the Kentucky hills to Nashville superstardom to her current status as an honest-to-goodness American icon.Of course, Loretta Lynn will soon celebrate her 77th birthday. In 2006, Lynn underwent shoulder surgery after injuring herself in a fall. And since she's had back problems she sings part of her set seated in a comfortable chair.No matter. Because when the full-throated Loretta is performing one of her classic tunes there's no one quite like her, even now. She sang many fan favorites on Friday including [When You're Lookin At Me] You're Looking At Country, You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man, Don't Come Home 'A Drinkin [With Lovin On Your Mind], I'm A Honky Tonk Girl, The Pill, One More On The Way and of course Coal Miner's Daughter.Yes, there were times when this legendary country music sensation seemed all too human during her performance but she's still got the makings of a star and she kept the legend alive once more.The country music greats don't simply fade away. They keep doing what they do best: taking their shows on the road and performing just as they are. Loretta's still on the road with her bus, her family and her accompanists. That's what she does. That's who she is. And that's what makes country music stars genuine; that's what makes them country.No, we wouldn't have missed Loretta Lynn for the world.Because, when you're lookin at her, you really ARE looking at country!
As many times as we've been to the legendary Grand 'Ole Opry in Nashville (and that's a lotta times) that's how many times we remember seeing Little Jimmy Dickens there. Little Jimmy was a fixture at the Opry. Some nights he acted as the emcee. Some very memorable evenings he introduced new Opry inductees. Some nights he simpy performed. But he was always, always there. He was not the type of entertainer to ever miss a performance. And he rarely if ever did. Little Jimmy rose in the world of entertainment the old-fashioned way - he earned it. His songs were hokey. His humor was corny. But always, he was the complete antithesis of phony. Little Jimmy was the essence of country music: approachable, down-to-earth, hard-working, unassuming, thoroughly American and ultimately, beloved. James Cecil Dickens (born on December 19, 1920 was a true American country music star who became famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size, 4'11" (150 cm), and his rhinestone-studded outfits. He started as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1948 and became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983. He was Father Confessor, mentor and guiding light to countless country music performers -- many of whom went on to become great stars. He was the touchstone -- one of the last links to earliest days of a unique music form that has enriched our nation and added humor, hope and inspiration to the lives of tens of millions of people not just in America but all over the world. Little Jimmy (who died earlier today at 94) was a true American Original who was able to trace his role in country music back to the days of Hank Williams, Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl. Born in Bolt, West Virginia, Dickens began his musical career in the late 1930s, performing on WJLS radio station in Beckley, West Virginia 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 WKNX, a radio station in Saginaw, Michigan by Roy Acuff, who introduced him to Art Satherly at Columbia Recordsand officials from the Grand Ole Opry. Dickens signed with Columbia in September and joined the Opry in August. Around this time he began using the nickname, Little Jimmy Dickens, inspired by his short stature. Dickens recorded many novelty songs for Columbia, 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". Later, telling Jimmy he needed a hit, Williams penned "Hey Good Lookin'" specifically for Dickens in only 20 minutes while on a Grand Ole Opry tour bus. A week later Williams cut the song himself, jokingly telling him, "That song's too good for you!"
Dickens in 1955.
In 1950, Dickens formed the Country Boys with musicians Jabbo Arrington, Grady Martin, Bob Moore and Thumbs Carllile. It was during this time that he discovered future Country Music Hall of Famer Marty Robbins at a Phoenix, Arizona television station while on tour with the Grand Ole Opry road show. In 1957, Dickens left the Grand Ole Opry to tour with the Philip Morris Country Music Show. In 1962, Dickens scored his first top-10 country hit since 1954 with "The Violet and the Rose". In 1964, Dickens became the first country artist to circle the globe while on tour, and also made numerous TV appearances, including on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In 1965, he released his biggest hit, "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose", reaching No. 1 on the country chart and No. 15 on the pop chart. In the late 1960s, Dickens 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. Dickens joined producers Randall Franks and Alan Autry for the In the Heat of the Night cast CD “Christmas Time’s A Comin’”, performing "Jingle Bells" with the cast (the CD was released on Sonlite and MGM/UA and was one of the most popular Christmas releases of 1991 and 1992 with Southern retailers). Toward the end of his life, Dickens made appearances in a number of music videos by fellow country musician and West Virginia native Brad Paisley. He was also 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 death of Hank Locklin in March 2009, Dickens became the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry at the age of 90. He made regular appearances as a host at the Opry, often with the self-deprecating joke that he is also known as "Willie Nelsonafter taxes." At the 2011 CMA Awards, Jimmy was dressed up as Justin Bieber, and made fun of Bieber's then-current paternity scandal. Dickens was hospitalized after a stroke on December 25, 2014. He died of cardiac arrest
Rebuilding rural America Today, President Donald J. Trump travels to Nashville, Tennessee, to deliver a major address at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting. It will mark the first time since 1992 an American president has spoken at the event. That symbolism is important. From his earliest days on the campaign trail, President Trump has highlighted the difference in prosperity between rural America and the country’s wealthiest coastal enclaves.
One sentence explains why this message resonatedacross America’s interior. It comes from the opening lines of a report from President Trump’s Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force, which the President will share during his speech today: “While other sectors of the American economy have largely recovered from the Great Recession, rural America has lagged in almost every indicator.”
Council of Economic Advisers: 2017 was a ‘banner year’ This week, the President’s Council of Economic Advisers weighed in on why “2017 was a banner year for the United States labor market.” In the Council’s own words:
“The economy added 2.1 million jobs and reversed job losses in critical sectors, most notably in manufacturing.”
“Unemployment rates for America’s veterans, African-Americans, and Hispanics . . . reached historic lows in 2017.”
“The first wave of tax reform job and wage gains should produce continued tightness in the labor market and thus bigger take-home checks for workers.”
Behind the scenes at Camp David President Trump spent the weekend at Camp David, hosting bicameral Congressional Leadership for a small-group discussion of 2018 legislative priorities that will build on the success of tax reform. The President specifically mentioned national security, infrastructure, the federal budget, and opioids as major topics of conversation. “We have a lot of things to work on, a lot of things to accomplish,” the President said before boarding Marine One on Friday. Behind the scenes: See photos and remarks from the President’s weekend with Congressional leaders at Camp David.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
President Donald J. Trump listens to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, during a dinner with legislative leadership at Camp David | January 5, 2018 (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
POTUS TODAY
After President Trump delivers remarks at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, he will attend the NCAA National Championship football game in Atlanta.
COMING UP
On Wednesday morning, President Trump will hold a meeting with his Cabinet. Later, the President will welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the White House. The two will discuss the bilateral ties between the United States and Norway, and how to jointly advance regional and global security, and economic prosperity.
Another enormous crowd turned out for President Trump last night, this time in Nashville.
People waited in line for five hours and many had to be turned away as he once again filled a tremendous arena, rousing his supporters and making news on all fronts.
Don't let the pollsters trick you, folks. Don't let them tell you that the President is not scoring high with the public. Remember how wrong they were on election day. They blew it! And, apparently, they STILL haven't learned.
The following statement is from the Thompson family, following the passing on November 1, 2015 of former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson following a recurrence of lymphoma:
It is with a heavy heart and a deep sense of grief that we share the passing of our brother, husband, father, and grandfather who died peacefully in Nashville surrounded by his family.
Fred once said that the experiences he had growing up in small-town Tennessee formed the prism through which he viewed the world and shaped the way he dealt with life. Fred stood on principle and common sense, and had a deep love for and connection with the people across Tennessee whom he had the privilege to serve in the United States Senate. He enjoyed a hearty laugh, a strong handshake, a good cigar, and a healthy dose of humility. Fred was the same man on the floor of the Senate, the movie studio, or the town square of Lawrenceburg, his home.
Fred believed that the greatness of our nation was defined by the hard work, faith, and honesty of its people. He had an enduring belief in the exceptionalism of our country, and that America could provide the opportunity for any boy or girl, in any corner of our country, to succeed in life.
Our nation has lost a servant, Tennessee has lost a son, and our family has lost its rock. In the days ahead, we ask for prayers of comfort, assurance, and peace.
“Fred once said that the experiences he had growing up in small-town Tennessee formed the prism through which he viewed the world and shaped the way he dealt with life. Fred stood on principle and common sense, and had a deep love for and connection with the people across Tennessee whom he had the privilege to serve in the United States Senate. He enjoyed a hearty laugh, a strong handshake, a good cigar, and a healthy dose of humility. Fred was the same man on the floor of the Senate, the movie studio, or the town square of Lawrenceburg, his home.
“Fred believed that the greatness of our nation was defined by the hard work, faith, and honesty of its people. He had an enduring belief in the exceptionalism of our country, and that America could provide the opportunity for any boy or girl, in any corner of our country, to succeed in life. “
As an attorney, he helped lead to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. As a politician, he served the state of Tennessee for eight years as a conservative Republican in the U.S. Senate and briefly as a possible GOP presidential nominee. As an actor, he stared in some of the most prominent films and television series of his time.
At 6’5″ with a booming voice, Mr. Thompson and his larger-than-life persona played a role in several key moments that shaped the U.S. and Tennessee political landscape.
Early life
Born in Alabama, Fred Dalton Thompson grew up across the state line in Lawrenceburg, Tenn. Known then as “Freddie,” Mr. Thompson was described as a “class cut-up” and “clown” by a high school basketball teammate in a Boston Globe article.
Although he was a well-respected athlete, his high school banned him playing basketball after he married then-wife Sarah Lindsey at the age of 17. Not a particularly impressive student, he struggled with school and his future until his father-in-law gave him the autobiography of Clarence Darrow, the famed attorney from the Scopes trial in Dayton, Tenn.
“I just knew it, I was 17 and I wanted be a lawyer, it’s the only thing I considered for five minutes,” Mr. Thompson told the Globe in 2007. “Until I was 17, it never occurred to me I had to be anything, but at 17 I knew I wanted to be a lawyer.”
He made good on his plans, earning a law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1967. Mr. Thompson started working as an assistant U.S. attorney, where he met current U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander. Alexander introduced him to longtime U.S. Sen. Howard Baker, according to the Globe profile.
Baker became a mentor for Mr. Thompson, in both his professional and political life. In turn, Mr. Thompson served as Baker’s campaign manager during his successful 1972 run. That relationship brought Mr. Thompson to Washington, D.C. and to a role within the Watergate investigation.
‘Oh shit, that kid’
Baker, the ranking Republican on the Senate Watergate Committee investigating President Richard Nixon, secured a job for Mr. Thompson as committee counsel. At the time, Nixon was none-too-pleased with the appointment of Mr. Thompson. who was 30 at the time. Mr. Thompson wasn’t “very smart” in the eyes of Nixon, according to a 2007 review by The Associated Press of White House tapes.
“Oh shit, that kid,” Nixon said when told by his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman, of Mr. Thompson’s appointment on Feb. 22, 1973, according to the review.
“Well, we’re stuck with him,” Haldeman said.
Although the same tapes showed Nixon thought Mr. Thompson would be friendly to his cause — Baker reportedly assured Nixon that Mr. Thompson was a “big mean fella” — it was Mr. Thompson’s knowledge of the tapes themselves that helped seal the president’s fate.
Lore says it was Mr. Thompson who helped phrase the famed Baker question, “What did the president know and when did he know it?” But the Associated Press accounting notes a different question from Mr. Thompson himself that truly spurred Nixon’s downward spiral.
Through GOP investigators, Mr. Thompson learned from former White House aide Alexander Butterfield about the recording system within the White House. Although Thompson told the White House that the committee knew about the tapes, a move that resulted in years of criticism from Democrats, he still was the first to bring up the matter of the tapes in a public hearing.
On July 16, Mr. Thompson asked Butterfield during a hearing if he was “aware of he installation of any listening devices in the Oval Office of the president.” As noted in the AP report, the question, and it’s answer, precipitated the president’s resignation nearly one year later.
“Legalisms aside, it was inconceivable to me that the White House could withhold the tapes once their existence was made known. I believed it would be in everyone’s interest if the White House realized, before making any public statements, the probable position of both the majority and the minority of the Watergate committee,” Mr. Thompson wrote in one of his books, according to the report.
Mr. Thompson worked as a lobbyist off and on roughly more than 20 years after serving as counsel to several legislative committees.
Hollywood
In 1977, Mr. Thompson found himself representing the whistleblower in on of Tennessee’s biggest political scandals. In her role as a parole administrator, Marie Rigghianti refused to release inmates granted pardons after paying then-Gov. Ray Blanton. Thompson successfully represented Rigghianti in a wrongful termination case, helping her win a settlement and return to her job in 1978.
That case eventually became the subject of a book and launched Mr. Thompson’s acting career. Mr. Thompson played himself in the 1985 version of the movie “Marie.” Critics praised his performance, and more roles soon followed.
Five years later, Mr. Thompson had roles in three of the biggest films of 1990: “Days of Thunder,” “The Hunt for Red October” and “Die Hard 2.” He also enjoyed a five-year run on NBC’s “Law and Order” as Arthur Branch from 2002-2007.
Though he took a break to run for Republican nomination for president in 2008, acting remained a constant in Mr. Thompson’s life.
He appeared in box-office hits as recently as 2012, with a role in the horror film “Sinister,” and had a recurring role on NBC’s short-lived 2015 series “Allegiance.”
Senate and the presidency
In 1994, Mr. Thompson successfully earned a seat in the U.S. Senate, in the race to serve out the remainder of then-Vice President Al Gore’s term in the Senate. He defeated current U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, by a wide margin.
While Cooper criticized Mr. Thompson for acting like a Tennessean while living the life of a Washington lobbyist and Hollywood star, Mr. Thompson argued in a New York Times article that “in many respects, I am an average Tennessean.”
“I worked in a factory. I drive a truck. I practice law. I was a Federal prosecutor. I’ve worked without health insurance. I’ve worked for minimum wage…Like a lot of people in Tennessee, I had to get with it to get by,” Thompson told the Times in 1994.
Mr. Thompson won re-election in 1996 by an equally wide margin, but chose not to run again in 2002.
He returned to acting, assuming his well-known role on “Law and Order” in 2002. However, he started to again move away from acting and back toward politics in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election. Eventually announcing as a candidate, Thompson underwhelmed. He never placed higher than third in any of the early primary states, and dropped out of the race in late January of 2008.
In his book “Teaching the Pig to Dance: A Memoir of Growing Up and Second Chances,” Mr. Thompson described his failed candidacy as the first time in his life he “couldn’t accomplish something I had set out to do.”
“It occurred to me that, to paraphrase one of Churchill’s comments, perhaps I had more to be humble about that I had realized. It also occurred to me that this was a pretty doggone expensive way to achieve a little humility,” Mr. Thompson wrote in the book, published in 2010.
“Maybe I needed to be reminded of what an old-timer told me years ago after I’d had some success: ‘Just remember, son, the turnout at your funeral is still going to depend a hell of a lot on the weather.’”
Family
Thompson is survived by son Fred Thompson Jr., who goes by Tony. His wife Jeri and their two young children.
Loretta Lynn. The name alone is synonymous with country music. And when you think of Loretta, you think of America and all that it entails. Her story is really the story of the American Dream. This week, this extraordinary woman will celebrate her 83rd birthday. Loretta Lynn predates the women's movement. But it's doubtful she would have availed herself of it at the start of the movement or anytime between then and now. She didn't need the women's movement. She just put one foot in front of the other and went out and did it. That's the mark of a true pioneer -- and honest-to-goodness trailblazer. Here's a review we gave of a Loretta Lynn concert that we had the pleasure of experiencing in 2009:
On Friday evening we journeyed up to the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank to see country music legend Loretta Lynn in concert.Loretta appeared with 11 musicians including her son and twin daughters in a program that was at times inspiring, curious, and surprisingly spontaneous.Through it all, Loretta was Queenly in the sort of gown, makeup and jewelry that you'd expect from a country music great.For over four decades Loretta Lynn has fashioned a body of work as artistically and commercially successful—and as culturally significant—as any female performer you’d care to name. Her music has confronted many of the major social issues of her time, and her life story is a rags-to-riches tale familiar to pop, rock and country fans alike. The Coal Miner’s Daughter—the tag refers to a hit single, an album, a best-selling autobiography, an Oscar-winning film, and to Lynn herself—has journeyed from the poverty of the Kentucky hills to Nashville superstardom to her current status as an honest-to-goodness American icon.Of course, Loretta Lynn will soon celebrate her 77th birthday. In 2006, Lynn underwent shoulder surgery after injuring herself in a fall. And since she's had back problems she sings part of her set seated in a comfortable chair.No matter. Because when the full-throated Loretta is performing one of her classic tunes there's no one quite like her, even now. She sang many fan favorites on Friday including [When You're Lookin At Me] You're Looking At Country, You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man, Don't Come Home 'A Drinkin [With Lovin On Your Mind], I'm A Honky Tonk Girl, The Pill, One More On The Way and of course Coal Miner's Daughter.Yes, there were times when this legendary country music sensation seemed all too human during her performance but she's still got the makings of a star and she kept the legend alive once more.The country music greats don't simply fade away. They keep doing what they do best: taking their shows on the road and performing just as they are. Loretta's still on the road with her bus, her family and her accompanists. That's what she does. That's who she is. And that's what makes country music stars genuine; that's what makes them country.No, we wouldn't have missed Loretta Lynn for the world.Because, when you're lookin at her, you really ARE looking at country!
Funeral arrangements have been set for
Grand Ole Opry Star Little Jimmy Dickens, 94 who passed away on January 2.
Jimmy Dickens joined the Opry in 1948 and last performed on the Opry stage on
Saturday, December 20, one day after his 94th birthday.
A
public Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 7 at Woodlawn
Roesch Patton (660 Thompson Lane, Nashville, Tenn.) from 4-8 p.m. A
public Celebration Of Life Service will be held Thursday, January 8 at
11am at the Grand Ole Opry House (2804 Opryland Drive, Nashville,
Tenn.). Friends, family and the public are welcome to both.
As many times as we've been to the legendary Grand 'Ole Opry in Nashville (and that's a lotta times) that's how many times we remember seeing Little Jimmy Dickens there.
Little Jimmy was a fixture at the Opry.
Some nights he acted as the emcee. Some very memorable evenings he introduced new Opry inductees. Some nights he simpy performed. But he was always, always there.
He was not the type of entertainer to ever miss a performance. And he rarely if ever did.
Little Jimmy rose in the world of entertainment the old-fashioned way - he earned it.
His songs were hokey. His humor was corny. But always, he was the complete antithesis of phony. Little Jimmy was the essence of country music: approachable, down-to-earth, hard-working, unassuming, thoroughly American and ultimately, beloved.
James Cecil Dickens (born on December 19, 1920 was a true American country music star who became famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size, 4'11" (150 cm), and his rhinestone-studded outfits. He started as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1948 and became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983.
He was Father Confessor, mentor and guiding light to countless country music performers -- many of whom went on to become great stars. He was the touchstone -- one of the last links to earliest days of a unique music form that has enriched our nation and added humor, hope and inspiration to the lives of tens of millions of people not just in America but all over the world. Little Jimmy (who died earlier today at 94) was a true American Original who was able to trace his role in country music back to the days of Hank Williams, Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl.
Born in Bolt, West Virginia,
Dickens began his musical career in the late 1930s, performing on WJLS
radio station in Beckley, West Virginia 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 WKNX, 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 Opry in August. Around this time he began using
the nickname, Little Jimmy Dickens, inspired by his short stature.
Dickens recorded many novelty songs for Columbia, 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". Later, telling Jimmy he needed a hit, Williams penned "Hey Good Lookin'"
specifically for Dickens in only 20 minutes while on a Grand Ole Opry
tour bus. A week later Williams cut the song himself, jokingly telling
him, "That song's too good for you!"
Dickens in 1955.
In 1950, Dickens formed the Country Boys with musicians Jabbo Arrington, Grady Martin, Bob Moore and Thumbs Carllile. It was during this time that he discovered future Country Music Hall of Famer Marty Robbins at a Phoenix, Arizona television station while on tour with the Grand Ole Opry road show. In 1957, Dickens left the Grand Ole Opry to tour with the Philip Morris Country Music Show.
In 1962, Dickens scored his first top-10 country hit since 1954 with "The Violet and the Rose".
In 1964, Dickens became the first country artist to circle the globe
while on tour, and also made numerous TV appearances, including on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In 1965, he released his biggest hit, "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose", reaching No. 1 on the country chart and No. 15 on the pop chart.
In the late 1960s, Dickens 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.
Dickens joined producers Randall Franks and Alan Autry for the In the Heat of the Night
cast CD “Christmas Time’s A Comin’”, performing "Jingle Bells" with the
cast (the CD was released on Sonlite and MGM/UA and was one of the most
popular Christmas releases of 1991 and 1992 with Southern retailers).
Toward the end of his life, Dickens made appearances in a number of
music videos by fellow country musician and West Virginia native Brad Paisley. He was also 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 death of Hank Locklin
in March 2009, Dickens became the oldest living member of the Grand Ole
Opry at the age of 90. He made regular appearances as a host at the
Opry, often with the self-deprecating joke that he is also known as "Willie Nelsonafter taxes." At the 2011 CMA Awards, Jimmy was dressed up as Justin Bieber, and made fun of Bieber's then-current paternity scandal.
Dickens was hospitalized after a stroke on December 25, 2014. He died of cardiac arrest
