Julius Edward Dixson, sometimes spelled Dixon, was an influential African-American songwriter and record company executive, born on May 20, 1913, in Barnwell, South Carolina. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he was stationed in England and France. After the war, he re-enlisted and was assigned to Special Services, hosting a live weekly radio show, "Variety Jive," for the forces in Germany and the Middle East.

In 1949, Dixson returned to the United States and moved to New York City to pursue a career as a professional songwriter. He is best known for his successful collaboration with Beverly Ross, a pioneering partnership between an African-American man and a white woman in the 1950s. Their first major hit, "Dim, Dim The Lights," was recorded by Bill Haley in 1954 and became the first R&B or rock and roll song by a white artist to cross over to the R&B chart.

Dixson co-wrote the hit song "Lollipop" with Ross for the duo Ronald and Ruby, which faced challenges due to the interracial composition of the group. The song gained further popularity through a cover by The Chordettes, reaching high positions on the pop and R&B charts globally.

He also co-wrote several other notable songs, including "It Hurts to Be in Love" with Rudy Toombs, "Begging, Begging" with Rudy Toombs for James Brown, and "Love, Life and Money" with Henry Glover for Little Willie John. Additionally, Dixson founded Alton Records, an independent label that achieved a number one hit on the R&B chart with "The Clouds" by The Spacemen, marking a milestone as the first number one released by an African-American owned independent label.

Julius Dixson passed away on January 30, 2004, in Manhattan, at the age of 90. His family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital, alleging negligence. His legacy lives on through his contributions to the music industry, particularly in the realm of rock and roll and R&B.