Jimmy Dale Godwin
1952 - 2000
Jimmy Godwin's love for music
started early. He taught himself to play guitar as a young teen, and won a
contest in high school using a song he had written. After high school, he
spent two years with the Marine Corps, including a short tour of duty in
Viet Nam. He attended the University of North Texas, leaving after one
year to play music full-time, forming a band called Pecos with John
Early in 1975. Jimmy loved western swing, and he spent much of his career
playing it, starting in 1978 with the band Texas Moon. Besides Bob Wills, one of Jimmy's greatest musical
influences was Justus A. Bush, an elderly fiddle player he met at a
nursing home. After retiring from the road in 1997, Jimmy joined Hickory
Hill. He also played with a Mineola group called Cactus Jack.
An outstanding and prolific
songwriter and long-time friend of the band, Jimmy composed many of
Hickory Hill's most popular songs, including the James Boys and ME, Pecos Wind, Cadillac, Simple
Love Song, Old and Gray, Old Time Feelin', Hoedown, Good Times Again,
Kentucky Home, Old Fiddle Waltz, and
many more. After joining Hickory Hill in October, 1997, he wrote more
great songs, especially gospel songs, including Lost and Found,
Red Roses, and The Rock
In addition to his songwriting
talents, Jimmy was a fine singer and guitar player, and was rapidly
developing his skills on the fiddle. But his contribution to Hickory Hill
was much more than in music alone. Jimmy brought a new exuberance to
Hickory Hill, and a renewed interest in finding and working up unusual or
underutilized material, such as Sinner
Man, Where You Gonna Run, which he
found in a songbook in an old banjo case. He had a way of encouraging and
complimenting his fellow band members when they did something especially
well that made them feel really special. In the words of one of the
members of Cactus Jack, "When Jimmy paid me a compliment I felt as good as
if Paul McCartney had given me a compliment."
Jimmy had a love for music which
radiated out to others. He also had a wonderful stage presence and
gentlemanly style that just came naturally to him. His sweet spirit and
love for people were obvious to everyone, both on and off stage. He had a
hearty handshake and a broad grin for everyone he met.
Jimmy Godwin is, and will
continue to be dearly missed by everyone who knew him.
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