Jimmy Dean facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jimmy Dean
Dean in 1966
Background information
Birth name	Jimmy Ray Dean
Born	(1928-08-10)August 10, 1928 Seth Ward, Texas, U.S.
Died	June 13, 2010(2010-06-13) (aged 81) Varina, Virginia, U.S.
Genres	Country, rockabilly
Occupation(s)	Singer television host actor businessman philanthropist
Instruments	Vocals accordion piano
Years active	1953–2010
Labels	Columbia Records RCA Victor

Jimmy Ray Dean (born August 10, 1928 – died June 13, 2010) was a famous American country music singer, TV host, actor, and businessman. He was well-known for creating the popular Jimmy Dean sausage brand and appearing in its TV commercials.

Jimmy Dean became a national TV star on CBS in 1957. He became very famous with his 1961 country music hit song, "Big Bad John". His TV show, The Jimmy Dean Show, which started in 1963, also helped puppeteer Jim Henson become known across the country with his puppet character, Rowlf.

Jimmy Dean also had an acting career. He appeared in the TV series Daniel Boone as a sidekick. Later, he played a billionaire named Willard Whyte in the James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever (1971), starring Sean Connery.

He lived near Richmond, Virginia, for many years. In 2010, he was nominated for the Country Music Hall of Fame. Sadly, he passed away at age 81 before he could be officially inducted.

About Jimmy Dean's Life

Early Years and Music Beginnings

Jimmy Dean was born on August 10, 1928, in Seth Ward, Texas. He grew up in Plainview. His mother, Ruth Taylor, taught him to play the piano when he was 10 years old. He said his love for music came from the Seth Ward Baptist Church.

After serving in the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, he left high school to become a professional entertainer. In 1950, when he was 22, he married his first wife, Mary Sue.

Becoming a Star: TV and Music

Jimmy Dean had his first hit song, "Bumming Around", in 1953. He signed with Columbia Records in 1957. He also had some smaller pop hits like "Little Sandy Sleighfoot" and "Sing Along".

In 1954, Dean hosted a popular radio show in Washington, D.C., called Town and Country Time. He and his band, the Texas Wildcats, became very popular. Famous singers like Patsy Cline and Roy Clark got their start on his show.

In 1957, Dean hosted a TV show called Country Style. CBS then picked up his show for national TV for eight months, calling it The Morning Show. From 1958 to 1959, CBS aired The Jimmy Dean Show on weekday and Saturday afternoons.

Jimmy Dean became most famous for his 1961 song "Big Bad John". This song was about a brave miner. It became a number one hit on the Billboard pop chart and sold over one million copies. The song also won Jimmy Dean a Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording in 1962. He had more top 40 songs, including "PT-109" in 1962. This song honored President John F. Kennedy's bravery during World War II.

In the early 1960s, Jimmy Dean sometimes hosted The Tonight Show. He was the first guest host during Johnny Carson's time on the show. In the mid-1960s, Dean helped bring country music to a wider audience with his TV variety series The Jimmy Dean Show (1963–1966). This show featured many country music stars. It also had comedy sketches with Rowlf the Dog, one of Jim Henson's famous Muppets. Jim Henson was so thankful for this chance that he offered Dean a share in his company, but Dean politely said no.

Acting and More Music Hits

After his TV series ended in 1966, Dean started acting more. His most famous acting role was as a rich, private billionaire named Willard Whyte in the James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever (1971). He also appeared in 14 episodes of Daniel Boone and on other TV shows like Fantasy Island.

Dean's singing career stayed strong into the mid-1960s. In 1965, he had another number one country hit with "The First Thing Ev'ry Morning (And the Last Thing Ev'ry Night)". He also had a top 40 hit that year with "Harvest of Sunshine". In 1966, he signed with RCA Victor and had a top 10 hit called "Stand Beside Me". Other hits included "Sweet Misery" (1967) and "A Thing Called Love" (1968).

In 1976, Dean had another million-selling song called "I.O.U.". This song was a special tribute to his mother and all mothers. It became a top 10 country hit and a top 40 pop hit.

Starting a Business: Jimmy Dean Sausage

In 1969, Jimmy Dean started the Jimmy Dean Sausage Company with his brother, Don. The company became very successful. This was partly because of Dean's funny and natural commercials where he promoted the sausage.

The company's success led to it being bought by Consolidated Foods (later Sara Lee Corporation) in 1984. Dean continued to be the spokesman for the company. In 2004, he said that Sara Lee stopped using him as their spokesman because they felt he was too old. Years after his death, the sausage company started showing some of his classic commercials again.

Later Life and Legacy

From 1990, Jimmy Dean lived in Virginia. In 1997, he was inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame. He was also appointed to the Virginia Board of Game and Inland Fisheries. Dean owned a large yacht named Big Bad John. He often hosted President George H. W. Bush on his yacht.

In 2004, he released his autobiography, 30 Years of Sausage, 50 Years of Ham. Dean lived in semi-retirement with his second wife, Donna Meade Dean. She is a singer and songwriter whom he married in 1991. They lived on their property in Virginia. In 2009, their main house was damaged by a fire, but they rebuilt it.

Jimmy Dean, who left high school in 1946 to help his mother, made a generous donation of $1 million to Wayland Baptist University in Plainview in 2008. This was the largest gift ever from one person to the university. He said he was proud to give back to his hometown.

On February 23, 2010, Jimmy Dean was nominated for the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was supposed to be inducted in October 2010, but he passed away before that date.

Jimmy Dean had three children, Garry, Connie, and Robert, with his first wife, Mary Sue. He also had two granddaughters. He married his first wife in 1950, and they divorced in 1990. He then married Donna Meade in 1991.

Jimmy Dean died on June 13, 2010, at his home in Varina, Virginia, at the age of 81. His wife, Donna, said his death was unexpected as he was in good health. He was eating while watching TV, and when she returned to the room, he was not responsive. His estate was worth over $50 million.

He was buried in a 9-foot-tall piano-shaped tomb on his property. His epitaph, or tombstone message, reads "Here Lies One Hell of a Man". This is a line from his song "Big Bad John".

The Jimmy Dean Museum in Plainview, Texas, is located on the campus of Wayland Baptist University.

On June 24, 2014, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Jimmy Dean Museum. It opened two years later at Wayland Baptist University in his hometown of Plainview, Texas. The museum holds many of Jimmy Dean's belongings and a large bronze statue of him. The museum was funded by a gift from the Dean Family Foundation.

Jimmy Dean's Film and TV Appearances

Music Recordings

Fun Facts

The Swedish girl band Troll had a hit song in 1989 called "Jimmy Dean".

See also

In Spanish: Jimmy Dean para niños