Lotus Dickey

Lotus Dickey (b. Paoli, December 28, 1911 - November 23, 1989) – Guitarist, singer, and songwriter. The youngest of five children in a rural family in Southern Indiana, Lotus Dickey grew up singing traditional ballads, popular songs and church hymns with family members. After getting a guitar and a chord book, he and his brother Cyprian, a fiddle player, entertained at local dances and house parties in the 1920s and 1930s. As a father of eight children, Lotus only pursued music as a pastime, and he eventually drew from his musical roots to compose hundreds of original songs. Throughout the 1980s—after retiring from the work force—he made many appearances at folk festivals nation wide and was twice granted an Indiana Arts Commission Award for his recordings. Since 1993, Bloomington has paid tribute to Dickey with its annual Lotus Festival, a several-day world music event that attracts performers from around the world.