In the mid-60's Jimmy brought a group of muscians to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, for a community concert held at the local university. I had the opportunity to talk with him, his wife Cleda, Buckmiller Shannon (banjo Player), et al, at some length before the concert. I bought a number of his albums which he autographed and wrote notes on ("Come down to Timbo and visit"). I had the thrill of being handed his old guitar and strumming it a little!!!

At the concert I was in the front row and was mouthing the words to many of the songs as Jimmy sang. After his opening part of the show, he came down and sat beside me, noting that he had seen me singing along. He did a running commentary as various other performers of his troop continued the program. When he returned to the stage to open the second half of the show, he sang the "Butterbean Song", and when he came back down to sit with me the second half, I asked him to repeat the verses (3 of them) and I memorized them on the spot. Those verses, along with some I've added are contained in a thread somewhere here on the 'cat.

Early in his career he was contracted to Eddie Keys in Kansas City. Eddie's wife, Vi, played fiddle on Jimmy's first record, a 78 rpm. I heard that record at the music store that Vi once owned in Cape Girardeau.

Jimmy and his wife were delightful people. I treasure the memory of that concert and take pride in having learned the song dircetly from Jimmy himself, in person.
Jim Hickam