Jessy Dixon had a long and successful career as one of gospel music’s true innovators.
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San Antonio-born Jessy Dixon started singing and playing piano at age 5. By the time he was a teen-ager, he was living in Chicago and recording with the Rev. James Cleveland. It was a beginning a long and amazing career. Dixon was one of the first contemporary gospel artists, but really, he could do anything and eventually had dozens of hits for most of the major gospel labels.
Before his death at age 73 in 2011, Dixon had performed on Saturday Night Live, at Radio City Music Hall and on the Bill Gaither Homecoming series. He toured and recorded with Paul Simon for eight years – and even sang Andrae Crouch’s “Jesus is the Answer” on Paul’s “Live Rhymin’ Simon” LP.
I had the great pleasure of interview Dixon in 2009 – he was ageless, witty, urbane and still talking about new music. This track, “Hello Sunshine,” was recorded with his Chicago Community Choir in 1969 and still sounds like something the Band and Mavis Staples could have joyfully performed together.
MUSIC: “Hello Sunshine,” 45, “Jessy Dixon and the Chicago Community Choir
I’m Robert Darden … “Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU, the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project at Baylor University Libraries and is funded by generous support from the Prichard Foundation.