Former Dillards Producer Jim Dickson dies!

20110503

Former Dillards Producer Jim Dickson dies!

FRONT PAGE BLUEGRASS NEWS reports that James Thomas Buchanan Dickson (better known as just "Jim") died earlier this month, he was 80. Jim produced the first four Country Gazette albums. He produced many West Coast acts over his career including the Byrds, Burrito Brothers, The Dillards, Clarence White, and even going back to Lord Buckley in the 50s.

A native of Los Angeles, California, Jim Dickson had a life-long love of sailing. He grew up sailing with his father on the Jubilo and his passion for sailing continued throughout his life. In the 1955 Transpac race, Jim was 1st in class and 3rd overall on the Nalu owned by Peter Grant and in the 1959 Transpac race he sailed on the Constellation with Sally Blair Ames and was 1st in class. He retired to Hawaii where he spent many years fishing and sailing. The last years of his life, Jim lived in Costa Mesa, California.

In 1945, Jim entered the U.S Army and served with the occupation forces in Japan under General Douglas McArthur. After he returned from the army, he began his career in the music and became a music industry pioneer.
Jim is survived by his brother Bob Dickson, his sister Martha Church, his nieces Karen Hodges and Gayle Byrne.

Jim Dickson Biography from Artists Direct
A jazz buff and recording engineer, Jim Dickson was in the right place at the right time during the early '60s folk-rock boom of L.A. A part-time engineer at World-Pacific studios, by the time Dickson met the fledging Byrds he had already recorded hip comedian Lord Buckley as well as started his own publishing company by launching Dino Valenti's "Get Together" into hit status. As a part-time engineer and having access to World-Pacific studios at night, Dickson began recording the folkies who played at the Troubador, people such as David Crosby, Gene Clark and Roger McGuinn. After the three singers assembled a backing band (Chris Hillman on bass and Michael Clark on drums) Dickson became their manager and, through his show business friends such as Jack Nicholson and Albert Grossman, created a grass roots following around the band that was able to catch the attention of radio and record industry heavies.

Acting as the Byrds producer for both Fifth Dimension and the 1970 untitled release, Dickson remained loyal to the members of the group when the Byrds splintered, producing albums for the Flying Burrito Brothers as well as both Gene Clark and Gram Parsons. The L.A. producer surfaced again in the early '80s playing bass and singing for the London-based band the Barracudas.

Production List from Jim Dickson