Jimmy Dean (1928-2010)

I'm sad to note the passing of Jimmy Dean, a name I have known all my life. When I was a kid I always thought Jimmy Dean sausages were named after the iconic actor James Dean. The 1982 movie "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" did not help in my understanding at all.

Then when I saw him on commercials and on "Hee Haw", I started realizing that Jimmy Dean was a real person.

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After WW2 ended he joined the Air Force at age 18. Some of the men at the base worked after hours playing music at a local nightclub near where they were stationed. After his service, he joined a band called the "Texas Wildcats", then pursued a solo career, right around the same time as the actor with the same name started making a name for himself on TV and in films. "Jimmie" Dean's sound was country, and was a big hit with fans. He cut several record albums beginning in the early 1950s, but his biggest radio hit was the phenomenal "Big Bad John" which hit #1 on the country and Pop charts. He wrote the song, a fictional tale about a miner from New Orleans, in less than 2 hours.

"Big Bad John" was the #1 song on the US Pop Charts for 5 weeks, starting the week of November 6, 1961 (Source: Billboard Book of #1 Hits by Fred Bronson). 5 weeks later, "Please Mr. Postman" knocked it from the top of the charts.

Week of November 6, 1961

1. Big Bad John, by Jimmy Dean
2. Runaround Sue, by Dion and the Del-Satins
3. Bristol Stomp, by The Dovells
4. Hit the Road Jack, by Ray Charles
5. Fool #1, by Brenda Lee

Week of December 11, 1961

1. Please Mr. Postman, by The Marvelettes
2. Big Bad John, by Jimmy Dean
3. Goodbye Cruel World, by James Darren
4. The Twist, by Chubby Checker
5. Walk on By, by Leroy Van Dyke

Other favorite songs: "The Cajun Queen", " PT 109" (#1 Country/#8 Pop) about "Big" John Kennedy and his war service, and "The First Thing Every Morning" (1965) - #1 Country.

He was The Jimmy Dean Show, an hour-long variety show which ran from 1963 to 1966 on ABC. His sidekick on the show was Muppet "Rowlf the Dog", performed by Jim Henson.

In 1969 he got into the sausage business, and I've had my fair share of them. But I have not had the new chocolate chip pancake sausage sticks (see photo). Next time I'm at the grocer I'm gonna pick some up and enjoy them in his honor.

His only motion picture credit was in Diamonds Are Forever, where he played opposite 007 as a billionaire casino owner.


In 1990, a rather unmemorable TV movie was made based on his hit song, also titled "Big Bad John". Dean co-starred in the film alongside Ned Beatty, Jack Elam, and Bo Hopkins.

It was announced in February of 2010 that Dean would be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.



"Taste that country goodnes!!"



Jimmy and Rowlf