NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Little Jimmy Dickens, a diminutive singer-songwriter known for his sense of humor and as the oldest cast member of the Grand Ole Opry, has died. He was 94.
Dickens died Friday at a Nashville-area hospital of cardiac arrest after suffering a stroke on Christmas Day, Opry spokeswoman Jessie Schmidt said.
Dickens, who stood 4-foot-11, had performed on the Opry almost continuously since 1948. His last performance was Dec. 20 as part of his birthday celebration. He sang “Out Behind The Barn” and delivered his trademark comedy. He had turned 94 a day earlier.
“The Grand Ole Opry did not have a better friend than Little Jimmy Dickens,” said Pete Fisher, Opry vice president and general manager. “He loved the audience and his Opry family, and all of us loved him back. He was a one-of-kind entertainer and a great soul whose spirit will live on for years to come.”
Country legend Hank Williams Sr. nicknamed him “Tater” based on Dickens’ song “Take an Old Cold Tater (And Wait).”
His novelty songs, including his biggest hit “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose” about good and bad luck, earned him a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983.
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GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A 33-year-old man has pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in the shooting deaths almost three years ago of an East Tennessee couple.
The Greeneville Sun (https://bit.ly/1rM5MX5https://bit.ly/1rM5MX5 ) reports Christopher Allen Jones, formerly of Newport, pleaded guilty Friday in the deaths of 20-year-old Courtney A. Thompson and 21-year-old Terrence L. Stewart, both of Cocke County.
The newspaper said Judge John F. Dugger Jr. sentenced Jones to 35 years.
The bodies of Thompson and Stewart were found March 11, 2012, under a Nolichuckey (noh-lih-CHUK’-ee) River bridge in Greene County. Authorities said they had been shot.
Jones had faced first-degree murder charges.
Three others are charged in the case.
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EDDYVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A 7-year-old girl survived a plane crash that killed four people Friday night, and the disoriented little girl walked away from the wreckage and reported the crash to a local resident, authorities said.
The small Piper PA-34 reported engine trouble and lost contact with air traffic controllers as it was flying over the southwestern part of Kentucky about 5:55 p.m. CST, the FAA said.
About a half hour later, a Lyon County resident called 911 and told dispatchers that a 7-year-old girl had walked to his home and said she had been involved in a plane crash, said Sgt. Dean Patterson of the Kentucky State Police.
“This girl came out of the wreckage herself and found the closest residence and reported the plane crash,” Patterson said. “It’s a miracle in a sense that she survived it, but it’s tragic that four others didn’t.”
The girl was in emotional distress and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Patterson said. At that point, authorities launched a search for the crash site and also confirmed with the FAA that they had received a distress call.
About two hours later, authorities found the crash site in a heavily wooded area near Kentucky lake, a popular tourist attraction in the state. They discovered four bodies, including the pilot and the three passengers.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Republican Party spent $230,000 in the days leading up to the Nov. 4 election helping Senate candidates outside of the state.
The Tennessean (https://tnne.ws/1wKhQU9) cited federal election filings in reporting that the state GOP sent $108,664 on Oct. 17 to the Colorado Republican Party and $22,000 on Oct. 30 to the North Carolina Republican Party. The contributions came on the heels of a $100,000 donation to the Georgia GOP.
According to the newspaper, that’s more than the Tennessee Democratic Party spent on its own candidates in the days leading up to the election. Filing show it spent about $104,000 before and immediately after the election.
Tennessee GOP spokesman Brent Leatherwood says the party sought to help candidates in states that had competitive races for U.S. Senate. The Republican won in each race, ensuring GOP control of the Senate.
“Our top priority as the Tennessee Republican Party every cycle is our state legislative races. That said, we see it as a sign of strength and a sign that we are a well-run party that …we like to help our sister state parties around the country,” Leatherwood said.
“After we kind of make sure our priorities here at home are fulfilled, we try to help those other state parties where we can.”
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