Another interview I did for my old website probably 10 years ago. It focuses mainly on the Deke’s collector side.
Do you remember the first record you bought ?
Deke Dickerson –The first records I OWNED were “hand-me-downs” from cousins. luckily for me they were 45’s of good stuff–50’s rock & roll and country.Stuff like Bill Haley, Johnny Cash, etc.–the good stuff!What if they had been Led Zeppelin records??? Anyway, the first record I BOUGHT was “Elvis’ Greatest Hits Vol. 1” which I bought the day after Elvis died. Some readers may think “Wow, he’s really young to have started his collecting in 1977” but some readers may think “Holy cow Deke is OLD!!!”
And the first one that really impressed you…
Deke Dickerson –Oh, Elvis impressed me…..I played that record over and over again until the grooves turned white.
Were you in a musical family?
Deke Dickerson –My grandmother was musical. She played autoharp, guitar & harmonica and did “shape note” singing. I have a picture of her on my website, along with my Grandpa who played guitar and my great-uncles who had anold-timey string band in the 1920’s called “the Webb Brothers.” So yes, I guess you could say I had a musical family.
Do you remember the first time you thought “Oh man,I’m becoming mad about records, I’m a COLLECTOR!!!” (you see like Robert Crumb)
Deke Dickerson –Well….by that point it was already too late. My dad was a collector, he was into antique cars and antique planes from the 1930’s and 1940’s. So by the time I was 13 I was already collecting comic books and records. I didn’t know I was a freak until too late!
Do you know the size of your collection?
Deke Dickerson –Roughly 50,000 LP’s, 20,000 45’s, 5,000 78’s and a thousand CD’s….give or take a few!?
Are you a vinyl “freak”, or the format isn’t important, it’s just the music?
IDeke Dickerson –t’s all about the music. Unfortunately like a lot of people I bought records to get the music and now kids can get the stuff on their ipod for free by trading files over the internet! I do love playing records, but I like playing CD’s and my ipod in the van set on “shuffle.” I find myself playing 78’s less and less…..maybe in 10 years I won’t even like my vinyl anymore!?
Did you ever buy records just for the cover or the name of the band?
Deke Dickerson –I go to garage sales all the time over here, and I have to admit that I constantly buy weird records just because the cover brings me joy. It doesn’t matter if it’s a monkey on the cover, or a pinup girl, or even a midget singing gospel music, I must have a thousand “weird covers” albums that I would never actually play!
Do you have a record that you are ashamed of, but you won’t sell for nothing?
Deke Dickerson –YES So ashamed of, you can’t tell what it is?Yes, that’s right, please don’t make me say it! ha ha!!!!
What is the weirdest one you have?
Deke Dickerson –That’s a hard question…..maybe the gospel midget!?
Is there a recording you are particularly looking for? Your “Holy Grail”…
Deke Dickerson –I have a few holy grail records left. Unfortunately about 15 years ago I traded off my copy of “Mr. Ducktail” by Uncle Buck Lipe… And the last one I saw on ebay sold for $866!!! So that one will probably have to STAY the holy grail for a while….that being said I hope to find a record that’s rumored to exist of “eefing” by Jimmie Riddle….a full LP…..I have the single of “Yaketty Eef” b/w “Wildwood Eef”…..I’m a sick man! Is there a record that was particularly hard to getIt took me forever to get a copy of the Fendermen “mule skinner blues” album, I had to go to Minneapolis to find one! And then in Green Bay this year I got to play with the Fendermen on “Mule Skinner Blues” and have them sign the album, so it all came full circle!
What is the one you are very proud to have, and / or the rarest one of your collection?
Deke Dickerson –I’m probably proudest of my collection of rockabilly records from Missouri (my home state). I have almost all of them, and several are really insanely rare, like “Hep cat” by Larry Terry and “Be My Baby” by F.D. Johnson…..obscure names unless you’re a hardcore rockabilly collector!
Your last great discovery?
Deke Dickerson –The last really amazing score I had was finding the Revels “On A Rampage” album at a record store in Fresno, CA. The Revels were from Fresno, it’s probably the only place this record ever turns up! I had to pay some good money for it, but I could turn around and double or triple my money if I had to.
Where do you find them? Flea markets, ebay, special stores?
Deke Dickerson –Yes to all of the above! Mostly I buy cheap records at garage sales and flea markets. most of my collection are “listening” records as opposed to ‘collectable” records. Many of them are in beat up condition, but I like them to listen to!
Do you find things when you’re on tour,especially in foreign countries?
Deke Dickerson –When i’m on tour in europe I always buy a big stack of records to take home.I just can’t seem to stop myself!
It’s a classic question, but what is your “desert island record”?
Deke Dickerson –Probably the one record I could listen to until the end of time would be “Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps” his second album for Capitol.
A last one, for all those who bought “Deke’s show-o-rama” and were frustrated : what is The Thing?
Deke Dickerson – I can’t tell you!You have to go there and see it yourself!!!!! That is the rule!
