Jimmy Dean dead aged 81
Written by admin on June 14, 2010 – 10:56 pm -| Country singer and sausage entrepreneur Jimmy Dean died of natural causes on Sunday at his home in Varina, VA. He was 81.
Jimmy Ray Dean was born in Seth Ward, just outside Plainview, at the base of the Texas panhandle, on August 10, 1928. He came to prominence as a country singer in 1953 with his song “Bumming Around,” but will be best remembered for his 1961 hit “Big Bad John.” The novelty song spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard charts and has been covered and parodied on many occasions. |
 |
Dean also had success with his US television series “The Jimmy Dean Show” from 1963 to 1966.
After Dean’s television show ended, he began a sporadic acting career, appearing in shows such as Daniel Boone and the James Bond movie “Diamonds are Forever.”
It was in 1969 that Jimmy Dean began the Jimmy Dean Sauasage Company and launched the breakfast sausage for which he would became so well known. Dean appeared in sausage commercials for 30 years and in America he became as well known for that as for his earlier chart success.
There was a return to the charts in 1976 with the song “I.O.U.” which was a top 10 country hit and went on to sell a million.
Rest in peace Jimmy Dean. Here’s “Big Bad John.”
Tags: Big Bad John, Jimmy Dean
Posted in Obituaries |
