Little Jimmy Dickens of Grand Ole Opry fame dies at 94

Born James Cecil Dickens in 1920 in Bolt, West Virginia, the beloved country music legend “Little Jimmy” Dickens died on Friday, January 2nd of cardiac, at the age of 92. Dickens suffered a stroke on Christmas day and remained in the hospital until his death. He is survived by his wife, Mona Dickens, and two daughters.

“The Grand Ole Opry did not have a better friend than Little Jimmy Dickens,” Opry vice president and general manager Pete Fisher said in a statement Friday. “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.”

Read the full story: Little Jimmy Dickens, beloved ‘Opry’ star, dies at 94

Jimmy was the son of a coal miner and one of 13 children, Dickens rose to fame after being discovered by Roy Acuff in 1948. At the time he was working in radio. He was given a record deal and invited to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. He joined the Opry and went on to perform there until shortly before his death. He adopted his nickname in reference to his height. Little Jimmy Dickens stood tall at just 4′ 11″. Dickens was well known for his flashy sequined suits and his novelty hits such as “Country Boy” and “I’m Little But I’m Loud.” He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983.