Remembering Jim - Harris Scheuner

I'm reprinting this visitor's post that Harris Scheuner wrote Saturday about Jim. Here's what I believe Jim would say about it: "Not just yes, but HELL, YES!!!" "World boogie is coming!" Harris Scheuner: As I begin to write about Jim Dickinson on the anniversary of his just being dead, not being gone, in my head I am listening to him playing, "There's No Place Like Home" which he played and sung with such an emotion......As soon as I could understand and speak words, I found my truths, my morality, my my strength, my solace on 70's AM radio...WHBQ and WMPS, my theme song, at age six was Sunshine by Jonathon Edwards....." He can't even run his own life, I'll be damned if he'll run mine" I would later in life understand that the song was about our government, but to me it was about my home life. To say the least, there was no positive role model at our house, and so, it went for years, messages about right and wrong, and fairness, and such came from my only true and respectable friend, Rock-n-Roll. Then, on Halloween 1985 at Handy Park on Beale Street, I saw Mudboy and the Neutrons for the first time, and had my life's one true epiphany. Jim was Rock-n-Roll and truth and justice all wrapped up in a brutal Rock-n-Roll rage, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was in church the way church is supposed to be on it's best day, and for the first time in my life, I felt at home....Standing in awe in Handy Park, I felt at home for the very first time in my life.....and I felt that all this time, I had been right.....right to find what is right through Rock-n-Roll, and that there were others, and that of it all, Jim was the leader. That is Jim Dickinson's Legacy, Shouting truth with songs and with speech, and encouraging others to do so, not by asking them to, but by powerful example. Jim was not shy about what he had to say, he meant it, and he said it loud and clear. Going to see/hear him was the food for my spirit, for my soul. He was the closest thing to a pastor or rabbi I ever had, he never ever failed to talk about some injustice or wrong, or right both through speech and song, and it kept my spirit full and satisfied. Maybe it is the loneliest, most empty people....people with less love and family than need there church and there pastor the most. On August 15th 2009, I was set to have a pretty good night, I when to the Antenna for the Antenna Reunion the night before, and it was like the best high school reunion ever, and was set to reunite, after 20 years, with my band Los Pimpin' that night.....hadn't played out in a long while, and was excited to play, then Linda Heck gave me the news, and the bottom fell out. No words.....If you don't know who Jim was, he would say that you were better off, but if you have know idea of him, just think; he was the Perry Mason of Rock-n-Roll.....he is to Rock-n-roll what Moses was to the Jews......he was the king of goodness through Rock-n-Roll.....the wisest of wise men.....So after a few hours of no words, then I became enraged, like Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump up on top of the pole screaming at God that he had pushed me just too far, and that if he wanted to come fight for it just outside of Murphy's, that I was ready and not in the mood to wait.....and in a fist fight with God on that day, I would have won.....easily. So with that spirit we played our stupid little gig, and in honor of our fallen leader, we played "I've Had It" a song he is known for, or rather a song that is known because of him, with Greg Cartwright sitting in and singing it. Needless to say further, but I will, I wanted to be him when I grew up....He was and still is my role model. Sometimes when I speak up for or against something, I am often viewed as a jerk. I don't have the "it" that Jim had nor the grace, but when I get weak and think about not speaking up, I think of the video of him that I saw at his tribute. To paraphrase, he said when "they" don't like it, or "they" disagree, and they tell you to stop, he said don't tell them no, tell them HELL NO! So as I feel like George Bailey standing on the bridge, I'll use the same words he did; Dear Lord, if you are up there, and you can hear me.....please help us cultivate and grow that which Jim planted in us.....show me the way, Lord, show us the way. World Boogie is coming if it kills me!