Little Jimmy Dickens and Trace Adkins on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. Copyright Grand Ole Opry® Photo by Chris Hollo, Hollo Photographics.
Oct. 30, 2008 — Little Jimmy Dickens’ 60th anniversary on the Grand Ole Opry gets a huge celebration on Saturday, but it’s not the only honor the show’s ambassador will receive.
The city of Nashville and the state of Tennessee both plan to observe Dickens Day. Fans are being encouraged to sign a huge congratulatory card at the Country Music Hall of Fame — where Jimmy’s been a member since 1983 — or to post messages at opry.com.
"I never dreamed I'd be there this long, really," Jimmy told The Tennessean, speaking about the anniversary. "It's hard for me to tell you what's going through my mind, I am so excited about it."
Little Jimmy was friends with some of the Opry’s greatest stars, including Minnie Pearl and Roy Acuff, and he was on hand when Hank Williams made his fabled Opry debut in which he played seven encores at the Ryman Auditorium.
"We were a family, especially when we were at the old Ryman," Jimmy said. "We were limited on space down there, and there were no dressing rooms. Everybody came to work in costumes. It was a wonderful time."
Opry officials are hoping Little Jimmy has a wonderful time on Saturday as he marks 60 years since his start with the institution. Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins and George Jones are taking part in the tribute, which airs on Opry Live, beginning at 9 p.m. ET on GAC.