born // 1923
hometown // little fork, elliot county
instruments // fiddle & guitar
died // 2001
Emma Lee Dickerson
in her first heaven
in her first heaven is a collection of recordings, songs, and stories about women musicians from Kentucky
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Blanche Coldiron
Dora Mae Wagers
Effie Pierson
Emma Lee Dickerson
Lella Todd
Lois Short
Emma Lee Dickerson -- 5. Looking Upwards
Near the end of her life, Emma Lee, in Carl’s words, “got saved.” A woman who hadn’t grown up particularly religious, she, as an adult was an active member of her church, which she helped found. As she grew older, she found new inspiration and dedication towards Christianity.
Once she was saved, Carl said, “She quit playing. I seen her play it one time, for those other people, just to please them. I don’t know, she never did tell me why she quit, whether she felt condemned or what it was.” His narrative connected, strongly, her quitting to play, and her being saved.
She did continue to play the guitar at church, as she had often done. She, with her husband, helped to found the Westwood Church of God, ministries first given from the garage, next door. They had no piano, or organ; Emma Lee accompanied singers, and sang songs herself. “My dad was proud. He loved to hear her play,” Sharon recalled. “He would carry her guitar into church.” Not musical himself, he “did what he could do, and he’d carry her guitar in.”
At church, said Sharon, Dickerson had none of the shyness or reticence that she attached to playing fiddle tunes. “She was playing for different reasons. It wasn’t to be seen then, really.” Instead, it was about accompaniment of the singer, the music used to express devotion. A performance that was never about the performer, but focused on the words and intent of the songs; spreading the gospel, and praising the Lord.
Emma Lee’s husband died in ’91, of a heart attack. She passed away, ten years later, a great-grandmother. She lived to hear her great granddaughter play Amazing Grace on the violin, said Sharon, a young woman who’s long played classical violin, and now wants to learn how to play the music her great-grandmother played.
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A wonderful remembrance
I remember well the talent and faithfulness of Emma Lee Dickerson. My grandfather was the pastor of Westwood Church of God, and as a youth and teenager, I would often walk down to her house and carry her guitar to the church after Wilson passed away. One thing I remember most is her ability to accompany absolutely anyone or play any song, whether she knew the song or not; quite often, she'd never heard the song at all, and if the answer to the question, "What key is it in?" was "I don't know," then her response would be, "Just start it, and I'll catch up." She never failed, and was always faithful to be there and contribute her gifts to worship. But for all the wonderful guitar playing, we just could never get her to play the fiddle, in my recollection only getting her to play once at church. But what a talent that was!
I've now been the full-time pastor of the Westwood Church of God for more than 9 years, and not a service goes by that I don't miss both her and her music. We had a stool on the platform area for her to sit in next to the piano, and that was always her place before she went down to her pew for the sermons. Even after all these years, the stool is still there. Others may occasionally use it, but no one will ever fill it like her.
Thanks so much for remembering this wonderful woman. I've really enjoyed reading.
Regards,
Chris Keeton, Pastor
Westwood Church of God
Ashland, KY
Emmal Lee Dickerson
Sharon, my sister, informed me today of your website and of the piece you published on our mother, Emma Lee Dickerson. I just finished reading your site and I want to thank you so much for keeping her fiddle playing alive. I often regret not realizing sooner the importance of preserving her music. It is true you never miss something until it's gone. I remember so clearly when Mom passed away one of my first thoughts was that her music was now gone out of my life for I took it for granted while she was alive.
I would like to add to what you have so eloquently written that our brother, Carl, began playing the guitar as a young man, but played it mainly for his enjoyment. He was very similar to Mom and didn't like to be in the limelight where his playing was concerned. Later in life, he shared with me that he would often have jam sessions with our Uncle Buel Dickerson and family, who live in Sandy Hook, Kentucky. Not long before Mom's passing, my brother with Mom as mentor was learning some of the old tunes she played. It is obvious to me now that he was realizing those mesmerizing tunes needed to be preserved. Sadly, he passed away in 2005.
Again, thank you so very much. Through your website her legacy continues on.
Emmal Lee Dickerson
Sharon, my sister, informed me today of your website and of the piece you published on our mother, Emma Lee Dickerson. I just finished reading your site and I want to thank you so much for keeping her fiddle playing alive. I often regret not realizing sooner the importance of preserving her music. It is true you never miss something until it's gone. I remember so clearly when Mom passed away one of my first thoughts was that her music was now gone out of my life for I took it for granted while she was alive.
I would like to add to what you have so eloquently written that our brother, Carl, began playing the guitar as a young man, but played it mainly for his enjoyment. He was very similar to Mom and didn't like to be in the limelight where his playing was concerned. Later in life, he shared with me that he would often have jam sessions with our Uncle Buel Dickerson and family, who live in Sandy Hook, Kentucky. Not long before Mom's passing, my brother with Mom as mentor was learning some of the old tunes she played. It is obvious to me now that he was realizing those mesmerizing tunes needed to be preserved. Sadly, he passed away in 2005.
Again, thank you so very much. Through your website her legacy continues on.
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