Jim Dickinson Is Gone, Amy LaVere Returns

Amy LaVere @ Twangfest | Photo by Jason Baldwin

Amy LaVere @ Twangfest | Photo by Jason Baldwin

Amy LaVere is no stranger to Saint Louis, though she’s only had a handful of shows in town. This past June she opened up the first night of Twangfest, filling the cavernous space of the Pageant with her alluring voice, a uniquely Memphis blend of grit and delicacy, and her rhythmically supple (she’s an underrated slap bass player) jazz, blues, soul and rockabilly songs. If Hot Club of Cowtown and Alejandro Escovedo hadn’t been waiting in the wings, I could have listened to her all night.

It’s safe to say she would have found her voice on her own, but the voice she did find owes much to Jim Dickinson, the legendary (adjective not used lightly) Memphis producer, session man and mentor to many, who passed away on August 15. I spoke to Amy on the phone the day before, and she was hopeful for his recovery, saying that Jim seemed to be getting better as he was greeting visitors by flipping them off. She desperately wanted to record another album with Jim (who produced her first two LPs). My full interview with Amy will run in the August 27 Riverfront Times, but here’s a salient quote:

“[Jim] encouraged me to take risks, to make mistakes, and to experiment. He reminded me that music is about being spontaneous and youthful and not agenda driven.”

You can hear that in nearly every recording Dickinson produced, played on, or inspired. The list is long and essential: Big Star’s Third, The Replacements’ Pleased To Meet Me, Aretha Franklin’s Spirit In the Dark, Ry Cooder’s Into the Purple Valley, Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind, and a little record called Sticky Fingers. That’s Jim’s piano on “Wild Horses.”

Jim is gone now, but Amy LaVere will be coming back to Saint Louis, playing a full night at Off Broadway on Sunday, August 30. I wouldn’t miss that evening for all the soul food in Memphis.

Amy LaVere “Killing Him” (produced by Jim Dickinson)

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Posted by | August 20, 2009 | Music | Comment 

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