Died On This Date (January 2, 2015) Little Jimmy Dickens / Country Music Legend

James Dickens
December 19, 1920 – January 2, 2015

Little-Jimmy-DickensLittle Jimmy Dickens was a much-beloved American country music singer whose career spanned an astonishing 78 years.  At the time of his passing, he was the oldest member of the Grand Ole Opry, which he joined in 1948.  Launching his career during the late ’30s, Dickens initially performed at a local radio station while attending West Virginia University, but decided to quit school in order to focus on his career.  He went on to tour the U.S. playing at various radio stations until he caught the ear of Roy Acuff who helped him get a deal with Columbia Records while introducing him to the folks at the Grand Ole Opry who quickly welcomed him into the family.  Dickens scored his first Top 10 country hit in 1954 and then landed his second in 1962.  Two years later, he became the first country music act to tour the world.  In 1965, already a popular draw on television and across North America, Dickens landed his first #1 country hit with “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose.” The novelty song also crossed over to the pop charts and became Dickens’ signature song.  Even though he recorded his last album in 1969 (and single in 1978), Dickens continued to remain relevant through the rest of his career by making appearances on the Opry stage and guesting in music videos by the likes of Brad Paisley. Little Jimmy Dickens was 94 when he died of cardiac arrest on January 2, 2015.

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Died On This Date (July 15, 2010) Hank Cochran / Country Music Legend

Garland “Hank” Cochran
August 2, 1935 – July 15, 2010

Hank Cochran was a successful country singer as well as one of the genre’s most respected songwriters.  Besides charting several singles himself as a performer, Cochran penned countless hits as performed by the likes of Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Norah Jones, George Strait, Ella Fitzgerald, George Jones, Brad Paisley, Elvis Costello, and Merle Haggard, to name a few.  After a rough childhood in and out of orphanages, Cochran migrated to California while still a teenager to work in the fields.  It was there that he met Eddie Cochran and formed the Cochran Brothers even though they weren’t related.  By his mid ’20s, he was living and writing in Nashville.  Teaming up with Harlan Howard, the pair wrote “I Fall To Pieces” which became a #1 hit for Patsy Cline in 1960.   While working for a publishing company, Cochran reportedly helped Willie Nelson get signed on, thus giving Nelson’s early career a significant boost.   Cochran’s final years were riddled with significant health issues.  In 2008, he had cancerous tumors removed from his lymph node and pancreas, and in early 2010, he had an aortic aneurysm.  Hank Cochran was 74 when he passed away on July 15, 2010.  Actual cause of death was not immediately released.

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Hank Cochran