Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon

Subject: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: olddude
Date: 16 Mar 09 - 06:09 PM

So many people come to mudcat for reference. From the high school kid looking up information about traditional music or one of us folkies who have a song in our head and can't remember where it came from ... Well Jim can tell us! I believe if a person said I don't remember the song Jim could say hum a few bars as you type and he would have the answer for us.

A scholar of traditional music he is virtually the one who finds the answer to so many of our questions. Just wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you Jim for your contibutions. An author, scholar and a wizard.

God Bless You Jim

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: Peace
Date: 16 Mar 09 - 06:12 PM

Jim, you are indeed more than worthy of a thread like this. I have often written to you because I am in awe of your research skills and your dedication to the task of 'leaving no question' to do with music unanswered. You're kinda like the Maytag repairman/woman of yore. It's a lonely job. BUT, you always seem to get it done.

Many thanks to you, Jim.

Bruce

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 05:54 PM

Precisely. What Olddude and Peace said.
Thanks Jim.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: Alan Day
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 07:22 PM

Pretty good Festival organiser as well.
Thanks for your hard work over the Years.
Al

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 07:50 PM

There are ten to twenty people like Jim who do large amounts of quiet, steady, accurate research work to post at Mudcat - but Jim deserves every good word that can be said about him.

I hope some day to meet Jim in person. He's a good man, and it's always a pleasure to work with him.

I think I'm pretty good at finding songs, but in recent years Jim has surpassed me by a long shot. If Jim has posted a song, you can be sure it's an absolutely accurate transcription, with complete documentation.

Thanks a lot, Jim.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 02:44 PM

Folks, your kind words are very much appreciated.

Finally, I have an excuse to talk about myself!

Mainly I want to clear up some misconceptions.

For one, although I've been a fan of folk music for many years, I don't have a big repertoire of tunes in my head. In fact, tunes, as such, are my area of weakness. I can barely read music, and I gave up trying to learn an instrument years ago. I deal exclusively with lyrics and with textual information about music, such as names of performers, songwriters, album titles, dates. The information I provide is mainly what I can find on the Internet. Over the years, I've built up some skill at finding things. I have bookmarked around 75 music-related web sites, and I have had lots of practice at using Google. Lately, Google Books has been a rich mine of information.

Strange as it may seem, I also enjoy transcribing lyrics from recordings. I used to do this for my own amusement long before I ever used a computer. I would transcribe my own albums, if they didn't come with a lyrics sheet. Again, I don't have a particularly big library of CDs and music books—nowadays, I mainly transcribe what I can find on the Internet.

From my first encounter with Mudcat, I was impressed by the Digital Tradition database and with the vast collection of information stored in Mudcat's discussion threads. I have been thrilled to have the chance to add to it.

Also, I enjoy the challenge of tracking down obscure songs. I'd much rather be doing this than, say, solving crossword puzzles or Sudoku. Although it's nice to be thanked for my work, I, like a solver of crossword puzzles, would probably continue doing it even if no one else noticed. It is its own reward.

Although what I do may seem obsessive, it's not very different from what musicians do. The computer is my instrument. You, my fellow Mudcatters, and music lovers and Internet users in general, both current and future, are my audience. This thread is my Grammy. And I guess this message is my acceptance speech.

Thank you.

Jim Dixon

p.s. Alan Day—I think you have confused me with someone else. I have never organized a festival.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: ard mhacha
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 02:07 PM

A great man to have on any Site, Jim you are a marvel, I have the highest regard for you brilliant research.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 02:25 PM

Folks, don't let Jim play down any of his accomplshed abilities. I've been around here over 10 years and Jim is most certainly worthy of the praise this thread brings. Granted, Jim's expertise is different than Masayo's for instance, but he and as Joe said, about 20 or so others, are the brain of the Mudcat animal.

It pains me to agree with Joe here, as he's a knee-pad Catholic who drinks mushroom tea and this makes him pretty much of a dork, but in this case, he's right.


Spaw

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: Art Thieme
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 11:39 PM

I'll second all of the grand previous emotions!

Thanks so much, Jim!

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: GUEST,ZSR
Date: 19 Mar 16 - 04:03 PM

Mr. Dixon just helped me find an unreported music copyright case from eons ago for an article I'm working on. So I figured I'd give a thank you.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Mar 16 - 05:38 PM

It was nice to re-read this thread and see posts from missing friends.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: keberoxu
Date: 19 Mar 16 - 05:51 PM

Anybody who regards the Bert Williams repertoire, and Williams himself, as a treasure to be recalled and archived for future generations, is all right with me. Great Work, Sir.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Master Scholar - Jim Dixon
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 19 Mar 16 - 06:33 PM

I never saw this thread the first time around, or I'd have added to it at once. Glad it came up again!

Hearty congratulations to Jim for this much-deserved recognition. I can't tell you how many times I have profited by Jim's impeccable scholarship, knowledge and just plain good sense. I have enjoyed his posts for their good humor and endless informativeness. They're a model of what a good Mudcat post ought to be.

Jim, you're an ace. Many thanks!

Bob Coltman