RIP Jim Dickinson

I've always belittled the morons who slap 'RIP Dale' on the back window of their pickup truck. Seems ridiculous to me that anyone would honor a total stranger rather than memorialize a family member or friend. You know damn well that redneck SOB has lost a parent or an uncle or somebody closer to him than freakin' Dale Earnhardt! Then again, maybe public displays of love for deceased family members is crass as hell. Everyone's lost somebody dear to them. I know I don't want to cheapen a loved one's memory by sticking decals expressing my love for them on my vehicle. So perhaps I've been too hard on the owners of the many trucks I see down here slathered with tributes to Mr. Earnhardt. I doubt I'll ever use this forum to express deep feelings for ones I love who have taken the ol' dirt nap. Family, friends, pets all leave us. I can't say anything that would come close to what I feel when death occurs, so I won't try. All that said, allow me to mention a stranger who passed away Saturday morning.

I picked up my Sunday Birmingham News as per my usual weekend morning behavior. I read the sports, did the crossword puzzle (kicked its ass!), then turned to the real world shit. Oh man. Jim Dickinson was gone. Mr. Dickinson was the man behind a crapload of great albums. You've no doubt listened to stuff he did, but you probably never paid attention to his name. He produced, played on, or was involved with albums by the Stones, The Replacements, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder, and many, many other artists, prominent and not so prominent. I first noted the man in the early 70s when I bought a 1972 LP of his. On Dixie Fried he covered Paul Siebels' 'Louise', so I had to have it, as I love that song. I liked the album a lot and still have it (it and some 500 others).

Much later in life, I was doing my little bit to help promote a North Mississippi Allstars show at the Blount Shakespeare Festival facility in Montgomery, Alabama. The Allstars had just released their first album. I remember that the band was blown away by the beauty of the building...they mentioned how nice it was several times. After the concert, I spoke briefly with Luther Dickinson, the band's guitarist. Seemed like a very nice kid. His brother Cody plays drums and Chris Chew plays bass in NMAS. One of R.L. Burnside's sons, DeWayne, (I think I've got that right) played guitar with them that night. Great concert.

Years later, on a trip to Memphis, I dropped some friends' CD off at Ardent Studios, in the hopes it would find its way into the great Jim Dickinson's hands. I don't guess it ever did 'cause I never received my $1,000,000 check as the band's manager.

Anyway, in June of 2006, my wife and I met my brother and his wife in Memphis again, as we had begun doing a couple years previously. After devouring a pile of ribs at Blues City Cafe, we made our way down Beale Street. When we got to the New Daisy Theater, I saw that Jim Dickinson and the NMAS were playing that evening to celebrate the release of Jim's new album. I asked some guy at the theater if any of the band was around and was told they were doing a soundcheck. After bullshitting my way in, I saw Dad Dickinson and his sons onstage with Chris Chew and some roadies. I meandered down there and mentioned the Montgomery concert to Luther. He remembered it well. He still seemed quite impressed with that building. I asked if I could shoot some photos and he said sure. When I walked over to the elder Dickinson, seated at his keyboard, I told him that I owned a copy of his 'Dixie Fried' album. Without looking up, he muttered, "So you're the guy who bought it."
Since that first album of northern Mississippi hill country blues, I've been a fan of the North Mississippi Allstars and their side projects. Their's and their dad's music is real...not over-produced crap as so much of what is passed off as music is now...just good in the gut real music. Rest in peace, Mr. Dickinson.

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