Obit: Jim Dickson RIP (1931-2011)

Subject: RE: Obit: Jim Dickson RIP
From: GUEST,Mary Katherine, sans cookie
Date: 02 May 11 - 03:57 PM

Birth: Jan. 17, 1931
Los Angeles
Los Angeles County
California, USA
Death: Apr. 19, 2011
Costa Mesa
Orange County
California, USA

James Thomas Buchanan Dickson ("Jim") passed away on April 19, 2011 at the age of eighty.

A native of Los Angeles, California, he had a life-long love of sailing. He grew up sailing with his father on the Jubilo and his passion for sailing continued throughout his life. In the 1955 Transpac race, Jim was 1st in class and 3rd overall on the Nalu owned by Peter Grant and in the 1959 Transpac race he sailed on the Constellation with Sally Blair Ames and was 1st in class. He retired to Hawaii, where he spent many years fishing and sailing. The last years of his life, Jim lived in Costa Mesa, California.

In 1945, Jim entered the U.S Army and served with the occupation forces in Japan under General Douglas McArthur.

After he returned from the army, he began his career in the music and became a music industry pioneer. A jazz buff and recording engineer, Jim was in the right place at the right time during the early '60s folk-rock boom of L.A. He began working as a part-time engineer at World-Pacific studios and by the time Jim met the fledgling Byrds he had already recorded hip comedian Lord Buckley as well as started his own publishing company.

Having access to World-Pacific at night, Jim began recording the folkies who played at the Troubador, people such as David Crosby, Gene Clark, and Roger McGuinn. Jim became the Byrds' manager and created a grass roots following around the band that was able to catch the attention of the radio and record industries. Jim remained loyal to the members of the group when the Byrds splintered, producing albums for the Dillards, Flying Burrito Brothers as well as both Gene Clark and Gram Parsons.

Jim is survived by his brother Bob Dickson, his sister Martha Church, his nieces Karen Hodges and Gayle Byrne.

Burial will be at sea.