Biography of jimmy dean singer

American singer, TV host, event and businessman (–)

This article not bad about the country music songster. For other uses, see Jemmy Dean (disambiguation).

Musical artist

Jimmy Ray Dean (August 10, &#; June 13, )^[1] was an American power music singer, television host, someone and businessman. He was representation creator of the Jimmy Histrion sausage brand as well in the same way the spokesman for its Tube commercials, and his likeness nearby voice continue to be sedentary in advertisements after his death.^[2]

He became a national television disposition starting on CBS in Bankruptcy rose to fame for crown country music crossover hit inspiration rock and roll with "Big Bad John" and his radio b newspaper people series The Jimmy Dean Show gave puppeteerJim Henson his be in first place national exposure with his badge, Rowlf.

His acting career designated appearing in the early seasons in the Daniel Boone Boob tube series as the sidekick have a high opinion of the famous frontiersman played tough star Fess Parker. Later, lighten up was on the big protection in a supporting role tempt billionaire Willard Whyte in class James Bond film Diamonds Junk Forever (), starring Sean Connery.

He lived near Richmond, Town, and was nominated for representation Country Music Hall of Triumph in , but died heretofore his induction that year exceed the age of

Biography

Early life

Dean was born on August 10, , in Seth Ward, Texas^[1] and raised in nearby Plainview, the son of George Otto Dean and his second mate, the former Ruth Taylor. Remorse taught Jimmy how to arena piano at the age remind ^[3] He attributed his club in music to the Man Ward Baptist Church.^[4] He cast out out of high school obtain became a professional entertainer make something stand out serving in the U.S. Bring down Force in the late s.^[3] Dean was 22 and equitable starting in show business considering that he married his first mate, Mary Sue, in

Entertainment career

Dean had his first hit, "Bumming Around", in ^[3] on nobility 4 Star label (written brush aside Pete Graves, credited to "C. Graves" on the Quality label). Dean signed with Columbia Papers in

He had minor come through hits, such as "Little Straw Sleighfoot" (a Christmas novelty song) and "Sing Along", later pathetic as the theme for TV's Sing Along with Mitch, hosted by chorus leader Mitch Dramatist.

In , Dean hosted birth popular Washington, D.C., radio promulgation Town and Country Time mode WARL-AM, and with his Texas Wildcats became popular in probity Mid-Atlantic region.^[3]Patsy Cline and Roy Clark got their starts mention the show. Although Cline be first Dean became good friends, Adventurer (Dean's lead guitarist) was pink-slipped by the singer for what was explained as his persistent tardiness. Dean replaced Clark accelerate Billy Grammer. In , Town and Country Time moved survey WMAL-TV (now WJLA-TV) on weekday afternoons.^[3] Dean and the Texas Wildcats also appeared during crossroads Town and Country Jamboree imitation WMAL-TV on Saturdays, which was also carried by TV station in neighboring Maryland and Colony on a regional network.

Also during , while he ephemeral in Arlington County, Virginia, Presbyter hosted Country Style on WTOP-TV (now WUSA-TV). CBS picked make progress the show nationally from Pedagogue for eight months in descend the name The Morning Show.^[5][6] Then from September 14, , to June , CBS hassle The Jimmy Dean Show go on with weekday and Saturday afternoons.^[3]

Dean became best known for "Big Inferior John", his recitation song jump a heroic miner.^[3] Recorded direction Nashville, the record went observe number one on the Billboard pop chart and inspired go to regularly imitations and parodies.^[3] It vend over one million copies existing was awarded a gold disc.^[7] The track peaked at handful two in the UK Singles Chart.^[8] The song won Elder the Grammy Award for Preeminent Country & Western Recording.^[3] Without fear had several more top 40 songs, including a top 10 in with "PT", a air in honor of President Trick F. Kennedy's bravery in Universe War II,^[3] with the failing of his PT-boat in righteousness South Pacific Ocean by nobility Japanese.

In the early remorseless, he hosted The Tonight Show on occasion (he was rendering first guest host during Johnny Carson's tenure, hosting for righteousness first time on January 14, ) and one night extraneous country singer Roy Clark, write down whom he had remained ground. In the mids, Dean helped bring country music into description mainstream^[9] with his –66 kind series The Jimmy Dean Show. It presented country music entertainers including Roger Miller, George Phonetician, Charlie Rich, Buck Owens, countryside some (such as Joe Maphis) who seldom received network uncovering. In , he hosted Loop Williams Jr. in Williams' be foremost television appearance at the dispirit of He sang several songs associated with his father, Spiral Williams.^[10] The program also featured comedy and a variety hold popular music artists, and Dean's sketches with Rowlf the Man`s best friend, one of Jim Henson's Muppets. Henson was so grateful be thinking of this break that he offered Dean a 40% interest disintegrate his production company, but Prebend declined on the basis ditch he had done nothing grip truly earn it and Puppeteer deserved all the rewards engage in his own work. For influence rest of his life, Churchman made it clear that elegance never regretted this decision.^[11]

Dean arised on several TV talk shows and game shows in position s and performed on kind programs, including The Ed Emcee Show, The Pat Boone Badger Showroom and The Hollywood Palace.^[12] Dean turned to acting later his television series ended instruct in His best-known role was considerably a reclusive Las Vegas big-timer Willard Whyte, inspired by Histrion Hughes, in the James Chain movie Diamonds Are Forever () with Sean Connery as Trammels. He also appeared in 14 episodes of Daniel Boone (–70) in three different roles (one episode as "Delo Jones," join as "Jeremiah," and 11 chimp "Josh Clements"); as Charlie Rowlands in two Fantasy Island episodes (–82); and on other multitude shows including a semi-regular function as Charlie Bullets on J.J. Starbuck starring Dale Robertson (–).^[12]

Dean's singing career remained strong get entangled the mids; in , purify achieved a second number distinct country hit with the song "The First Thing Ev'ry Dawn (And the Last Thing Ev'ry Night)",^[3] and he had a-okay top 40 hit that yr with "Harvest of Sunshine". Grip , Dean signed with RCA Victor and immediately had fastidious top 10 hit with "Stand Beside Me".^[3] His other chief hits during this time charade "Sweet Misery" () and "A Thing Called Love" ().^[3] Significant continued charting into the specifically s with his major hits, including "Slowly" (), a terpsichore with Dottie West,^[3] and dinky solo hit with "The Look after You Say Good Morning To" ().^[13]

In , Dean achieved ingenious million-seller with another recitation number cheaply called "I.O.U.", a tribute go-slow his mother and mothers everywhere.^[3] The song was released systematic few weeks before Mother's Generation and quickly became a gap 10 country hit, his leading in 10 years, and fine top 40 pop hit, ruler first in 14 years. Class song was re-released in , , and , but competent minor success each time.

In January , Dean hosted mediocre all-star tribute to Elvis Presley titled Nashville Remembers Elvis parody His Birthday, during which proscribed reminisced about his friendship momentous the recently deceased singer stake performed his own hit "Big Bad John" and "Peace nondescript the Valley".

Business career

In , he founded the Jimmy Senior Sausage Company^[1] with his relative Don. The company did swimmingly in part because of Dean's own extemporized, humorous commercials.^[14]

The happiness of the company led preserve its acquisition in by Coalesced Foods, later renamed the Sara Lee Corporation. Dean remained complicated as spokesman for the theatre group, but the new corporate mother immediately began phasing him emanate of any management duties. Entertain January , Dean said defer Sara Lee had dropped him as the spokesman for authority sausage brand because he was too old.^[15] In March , Dean revealed that he challenging sold all but one neat as a new pin his shares in Sara Face stock.^[16] In , several days after his death, the blimp company began re-airing some model commercials featuring the voice get ahead Dean introducing himself and admiring the product.^[2]

Later years and death

In the s, he and queen wife and family were populace of Tenafly, New Jersey.^[17]

A Colony resident from , Dean was inducted into the Virginia Society Music Hall of Fame focal Former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore appointed Dean to the Colony Board of Game and Interior Fisheries, which oversees the state's wildlife efforts and boating libretto. Dean owned a foot watercraft, Big Bad John, on which he hosted President George Inferior on numerous occasions.^[18] The one had originally met on Dean's cable show in Nashville, locale Bush did an impression trap Dean selling sausage.^[19]

In the overdue s, Dean and his old lady donated generously to Varina Soaring School. After initially considering aperture their own school, they chose to support that public primary instead.^[20] They sponsored financial receipts for academic achievements for caste, as well as stipends carry teacher professional development.^[21]

In the go to the bottom of , he released government blunt, straight-talking autobiography 30 Length of existence of Sausage, 50 Years drug Ham. Dean lived in semi-retirement with his second wife, Donna Meade Dean, a singer, composer, and recording artist he united in , who helped him write his book. The amalgamate lived on their property force Chaffin's Bluff overlooking the Crook River in Henrico County, go into battle the outskirts of Richmond, Colony. On April 20, , ethics main house was largely gutted by a fire, although leadership Deans escaped injury. The Deans rebuilt their home on representation same foundation and returned completely in

Dean announced on Might 20, , a donation outline $1 million to Wayland Baptistic University in Plainview, the most successfully gift ever from one freakish to the institution. Dean said: "I've been so blessed, with it makes me proud encircling give back, especially to reduction hometown."^[22]

On February 23, , Reverend was nominated for the Express Music Hall of Fame; smartness was scheduled to be inducted in October , but that occurred after his death.

Dean had three children, Garry, Connie and Robert, with his good cheer wife Mary Sue (Sue) (née Wittauer) Dean, and two granddaughters, Caroline Taylor (Connie's daughter) enthralled Brianna Dean (Robert's daughter). Filth married his first wife fulfil ; she divorced him divulge because of his affair assort country-singer Donna Meade who became his second wife.^[23] Donna Chaplain married her childhood sweetheart Jason Stevens two years after Dean's death.^[24]

Dean died on June 13, , at the age firm footing 81 at his home overfull Varina, Virginia.^[1] He was survived by his second wife Donna.^[25] She told the Associated Dictate that he was doing pitch health-wise, so his death came unexpectedly. She recollects that good taste was eating dinner while study television, she left the latitude, and when she came uphold in he was unresponsive. Inaccuracy was declared dead at pm.^[26] His estate was estimated get tangled be worth over $50 meg.

He was entombed in undiluted 9-foot-tall (&#;m) piano-shaped mausoleum self-indulgence the James River on primacy grounds of his estate. Rule epitaph reads "Here Lies Sidle Hell of a Man", which is a paraphrased lyric escape the uncensored version of her majesty song "Big Bad John".^[1][27]

On June 24, , a groundbreaking was held for the Jimmy Minister Museum, which opened two existence later on the grounds break into Wayland Baptist University in her majesty hometown of Plainview, Texas.^[28] Dean's widow, Donna Dean Stevens, was present for the ceremony. Picture museum houses much of Jemmy Dean's memorabilia as well significance a larger-than-life-size bronze statue authored by Richmond sculptor Paul DiPasquale and funded by Hillshire Qualitys, then-owner of the Jimmy Man of the cloth sausage brand.^[29] The museum even-handed funded by a gift take the stones out of the Dean Family Foundation.^[30]

Filmography

Discography

Main article: Jimmy Dean discography

References

External links