The country music industry has lost a star — Grand Ole Opry legend Little Jimmy Dickens has passed away at the age of 94, Us Weekly can confirm. The “Out Behind the Barn” singer died of cardiac arrest after suffering from a stroke on Christmas Day.
“The Grand Ole Opry did not have a better friend than Little Jimmy Dickens,” Pete Fisher, Opry Vice President & General Manager, said in a statement to Us. “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.”
Dickens, who was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983, was the longest running member of the Opry, joining in 1948 and performing up until this past month.
He is survived by his wife Mona Dickens and daughters Pamela Detert and Lisa King.
