Conversation so far:
What was Dixon like in adulthood?
A man of considerable stature, standing 6 and a half feet tall and weighing over 250 pounds.
What was his profession?
he took up boxing.
Was he good at boxing?
at which he was successful, winning the Illinois State Golden Gloves Heavyweight Championship (Novice Division) in 1937.
What happened with his boxing career?
He became a professional boxer and worked briefly as Joe Louis's sparring partner, but after four fights he left boxing in a dispute with his manager over money.
What did he do next in his life?
Dixon met Leonard Caston at a boxing gym, where they would harmonize at times.
Dixon performed in several vocal groups in Chicago, but.
Was he a musician?
but it was Caston that persuaded him to pursue music seriously.
Caston built him his first bass, made of a tin can and one string.
Did he play any musical instruments?
Caston built him his first bass, made of a tin can and one string.
Dixon's experience singing bass made the instrument familiar.
He also learned to play the guitar.

Question: Was he a solo artist or ever part of a group?
Self-contained rewrite: Was Dixon a solo artist or ever part of a group?