Jim Dickinson - I’m Just Dead, I’m Not Gone

IM JUST DEAD, IM NOT GONE

American Made Music Series

ADVISORY BOARD

David Evans, General Editor

Barry Jean Ancelet

Edward A. Berlin

Joyce J. Bolden

Rob Bowman

Susan C. Cook

Curtis Ellison

William Ferris

John Edward Hasse

Kip Lornell

Bill Malone

Eddie S. Meadows

Manuel H. Pea

Wayne D. Shirley

Robert Walser

IM JUST DEAD,
IM NOT GONE

Jim Dickinson

Edited and with an Introduction by Ernest Suarez

University Press of Mississippi Jackson

www.upress.state.ms.us

Designed by Peter D. Halverson

The University Press of Mississippi is a member of the Association of American University Presses.

Portions of this work have previously appeared in Oxford American

(Issue 83, Winter 2013).

All photos courtesy of the Dickinson family unless otherwise stated.

Copyright 2017 by Mary Lindsay Dickinson

All rights reserved

Manufactured in the United States of America

First printing 2017

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Dickinson, James Luther | Suarez, Ernest, editor.

Title: Im just dead, Im not gone / Jim Dickinson ; edited and with an introduction by Ernest Suarez.

Description: Jackson : University Press of Mississippi, [2017] | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016036375 | ISBN 9781496810540 (cloth : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Dickinson, James Luther. | Sound recording executives and producersUnited StatesBiography. | LCGFT: Biographies.

Classification: LCC ML429.D526 A3 2017 | DDC 781.64092 [B]dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016036375

British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available

About Jim Dickinson

Bob said to me, If youve got Dickinson, you dont need anybody else.

DANIEL LANOIS, Harp magazine

Hes this This genius from down around Memphis. The mans a damn resource. Jim Dickinsons always been a fabulous producer. Its just that most of what hes done has been invisible to the naked eye.

RY COODER

You see, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have always suspected that Jim has visited this planet several times before. How else could he be so intuitively creative and knowledgeable?

TOM DOWD, producer/engineer, Atlantic Records

Jim Dickinson is an improbable recombinanta demonic original Sun Records rocker who reads Faulkner and Robert Penn Warren. He can play the shit out of his National Steel and then jump on the piano and lay down the no doubt best key of C picking youre ever going to hear.

JERRY WEXLER, Atlantic Records

First time I met Jim Dickinson, he rented the studio. Man, he like to scare me to death. Id just come off the road with Jerry Lee, and you know, hes kicking over piano stools. Jim, he was wildern Jerry Lee. But I loved his music.

ROLAND JANES, engineer and session guitarist, Sun Records

Dickinson had a very spontaneous approach to recording and showed me a lot about making truly untamed music.

ALEX CHILTON, Box Tops/Big Star

Dickinson is great. I tried to get him to play on my solo album but he had moved and nobody had his current phone number.

BILL WYMAN, the Rolling Stones

In his book, Country, Nick Tosches calls Jim Dickinsons debut album one of the most bizarrely powerful musics of this century.

ROBERT PALMER, author of Deep Blues

When I think of Jim, I cant help but think of the work hes done for my pictures with Ry Cooder. I certainly cant imagine anyone Id rather sit down with and talk about the very brief era when rock n roll was something other than pop music. His tastes agree with mine, which proves I must know something about music, because he knows more than anyone.

WALTER HILL, director

My father is a treasure. His presence inspires my respect, creativity, and love. I love playing his music and playing my music for him. He is a master

LUTHER ANDREWS DICKINSON, North Mississippi Allstars

When I think of my father, I think of a hard but sensitive man, youthful but wise. As a producer he shows me how to bring the best out of my music. As a father, he helps me to bring the best out of my person. Jim Dickinson will always be my greatest mentor and Jim Dickinsons music will always be my greatest influence. Ill always be proud when I think of my father.

CODY TAYLOR DICKINSON, North Mississippi Allstars, producer of Take Me to the River

I no longer think of Jim Dickinson as a guy who makes music like no one else, though that is sure enough true. I think of him and the music he makes as something a lot bigger. Sort of like the sky: dark one moment, full of light another, thundering and blowing you away awhile then sending breezes of ramshackle-rigged transcendent grace to raise and deliver you from it all.

NICK TOSCHES, from the liner notes to Dinosaurs Run In Circles.

ODE TO JIM D.

SHADES OF ANTICIPATION IS THE EVER PRESENT GLINT IN JIM DS EYE.

HEARING STRANGE NOISES THAT OTHERS LET PASS BY.

MUSIC THAT MAKES YOU SHOUT WALK THE BACKS OF GOSPEL BENCHES,
MAKES YOU MOAN YES, EVEN CRY

IT COULD BE- IT MAY BE- IT IS

JIM DS SOUL OF SOUND BOUNCING OFF THE SKY.

SAM PHILLIPS

ONWARD AND UPWARD

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

James Luther (Jim) Dickinson described his handwriting as resembling that of a schizophrenic six-year-old boy or Beethoven. Dickinsons widow Mary Lindsay and his son Luther spent months transcribing Jims handwritten manuscript of Im Just Dead, Im Not Gone. Son Cody was the go-to guy if there were any questions.

Before he passed, Jim chose Birdman Records David Katznelson to work with Luther and Mary Lindsay on the manuscript. Thank you, David, for your brilliant contributions. Im Just Dead, Im Not Gone would not be the same book without you.

Our friend and colleague Robert Gordon introduced Mary Lindsay to Microsoft Word. Its the industry standard, said Robert. The manuscript must be in Microsoft Word before you can submit it. Thus began one of the worst years of Mary Lindsays life. Word seemed crazy, headstrong, erratic, and uncontrollable. Many thanks to Andrew Paslay. With your patient tutoring, we did it!

Jims working title for Im Just Dead, Im Not Gone was The Search for Blind Lemon. When Mary Lindsay decided to prepare a compilation of music, film, video, and text to present it to the public, John Fry made the full facilities of his Ardent Recording Studios, Memphis, Tennessee, available to her. John, you left us too soon and are sadly missed. You and Jim must be smiling down on us from Heaven. Production in absentia is the highest art.

The efforts of Elizabeth Montgomery-Brown, Jody Stephens, Adam Hill, Chris Jackson, and others at Ardent were invaluable. Rachel Hurley put together the presentation and a gorgeous Facebook page, Jim Dickinsons Legacy. Thanks to you all. Your loving care for us is never-ending.

The Search for Blind Lemon program had a rousing start. With Dr. William Ferriss nod of approval, Mary Lindsays intern Reed Turchi put together a fantastic day celebrating Jim Dickinsons genius, beginning with Mary Lindsays presentation of