JIMMY "LITTLE JIMMY" DICKENS - CONTRACT SIGNED 03/09/1967 CO-SIGNED BY: SMOKEY SMITH - HFSID 56350

JIMMY "LITTLE JIMMY" DICKENS, CO-SIGNED BY: SMOKEY SMITH
The country singer signs this contract dated 1967 to appear at KRNT Theatre in Des Moines, Iowa
Contract signed: "Jimmy Dickens" in black felt as leader of Jimmy Dickens and the Country Boys and "Smokey Smith" in blue ink as Employer. 2 pages, 8¼x15¾, 1 sheet, front and verso. March 9, 1967. Moeller Talent, Inc. contract. Dickens signed this contract to appear at the KRNT Theatre in Des Moines, Iowa September 10, 1967 at 3pm and 8pm for $800. Jimmy Dickens (1920-2015), born James Cecil Dickens, was an American country music singer. He performed at the Grand Ole Opry since the 1940s and was known as much for his funny novelty songs and flamboyant, rhinestone-encrusted outfits as much for his short size - four feet 11 inches. The 13th child of a farmer, he began performing professionally while a student at the University of West Virginia in the late 1930s, singing on a local radio station. Originally known as Jimmy the Kid, he first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in 1948 and became a permanent performer there in 1949, when he changed his nickname to Little Jimmy. He's released at least one hit every decade between the 1940s and 1970s, including "Take a Cold Tater and Wait" - his first single, released in 1949 - as well as "Out Behind the Barn" (1954), "The Violet and the Rose "(1962) and his biggest hit, "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose" (1965). He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983. Smokey Smith (1922-2014) was a radio producer and country music singer. He started out as a recording artist and ballroom singer during the 1940s then later went on to become a radio personality at KRNT Radio in Des Moines. In 1955 KRNT-TV aired and he had the region's first live primetime country music television show. His tenacity earned him recognition as one of the premier promoters in the country, hiring every name act of the era. He also provided significant leadership in 1953 during creation of the Country Music Disc Jockeys Association, and by 1958 was the serving treasurer of the group. Smith's many awards includes the Johnny Cash Award of Merit; induction into both Nashville's Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame and the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; and the International Media Award presented by the Reunion of Professional Entertainers (ROPE) in Nashville. Lightly creased. Staple holes in top left corner. Folded once down middle. Otherwise, fine condition.