Post by Rob Durkee on Jun 14, 2010 21:16:23 GMT -5
By ROCKIN' ROBIN
Jimmy Dean, the multi-talented businessman, actor and performer whose hit records included the most successful spoken word record, a plea for world peace, a novelty salute to President Kennedy and one of the greatest mom salutes of all time, died at his home in the Richmond, Virginia, area on Sunday, June 13, 2010. He was 81.
According to the Associated Press, his wife, Donna Meade Dean, said he was eating in front of the television when she went into another room in the house. When she returned, he was unresponsive and was pronounced dead at 7:54 p.m. local time.
According to writer Fred Bronson, Jimmy Dean was born Seth Ward on August 10, 1928, a day when two other prominent people were also born. "American Top 40" co-founder Don Bustany was born on that day as was singer Eddie Fisher. Thus, Dean and Fisher possess that rare distinction of being born on the same day and going on to have solo #1 hits on the Cash Box pop chart. Fisher, in fact, had three chart-toppers with "I'm Walking Behind You" in 1953 and in 1954 with "(Oh My Papa) Oh Mein Papa" and "I Need You Now."
Dean's only #1, "Big Bad John," came in late 1961. It was about a big man who "stood 6-foot-6 and weighed 245" and saves the lives of many fellow miners before a mine collapse kills him. Dean wrote the song in an hour and a half while on a plane ride to Nashville. He only had three songs ready to be recorded. Since most recording sessions in those days involved four songs, he wrote "Big Bad John" because "I had to do something."
Dean mistakenly felt that "Big Bad John" would be the B side of his next single release. He felt the A side, "I Won't Go Huntin' With You, Jake, But I'll Go Chasin' Women" would be the hit song. Instead, DJ's chose "Big Bad John" for spins. It became the most successful spoken word record of all time with its five weeks at #1. Plus, it won a Grammy award.
For Dean, one good spoken record led to another. His followup release, "Dear Ivan," reached #21 in early 1962. The record was in the form of a letter to a Russian named Ivan...and how Dean wanted to meet Ivan...and how Dean was hoping the USA and Russia would learn to get along...so we could have world peace. After the two-sided hit ,"Ode To A Sleeping Beauty" (#58) / "The Cajun Queen" (#9), Dean had a #7 hit with "P.T. 109," a salute to the World War II heroics of then-President John F. Kennedy. Dean would have another minor top 40 hit in 1962 with the #31-peaking "Little Black Book."
Dean would have one more Top 40 hit in 1976...and it would become one of the greatest mom salute recordings ever. Around 1958, Dean had written a salute to his mom on a piece of paper, but then stuffed it into a desk drawer. A secretary would discover that piece of paper while going through that desk drawer about 17 years later. She was so moved by what Jimmy had written, she encouraged him to turn it into a record. He did...and although "IOU" only reached #33 on the Cash Box pop chart, it sold over a million copies. In about six minutes, Dean goes through a series of IOU's he owes his mom...like "night watchman...for services like short order cook...for cleaning services...and as a bodyguard. And I'll never forget how when there two pieces of pie left and three hungry people, you suddenly decided you didn't like apple pie that much."
The climax to "IOU" was classic. "The greatest thing, Mom, is that you've marked all my IOU"s paid in full...in exchange in one kiss and four little words."
"Mom, I love you."
Dean's mom taught him how to play the piano while he learned how to play accordion and harmonica on his own. He became a high school dropout but his itch for music continued during his Air Force years in the late 40's, when he joined a nightclub band as a fiddle player. He DJ'ed at WARL/Arlington, Virginia in the early 50's and released his first single, "Bumming Around," in 1953. He would join Columbia Records in 1957. Ironically, Columbia released "Big Bad John" after failing to renew his contract...but he eventually re-signed with the label.
Among Dean's TV and movie roles were his own "Jimmy Dean Show" that aired on ABC and CBS; "The Tonight Show," where he was the first guest host; "Daniel Boone," "Fantasy Island" and the James Bond movie, "Diamonds Are Forever."
According to Wikipedia, Dean got into the food business when he and his brother, Don, formed the Jimmy Dean Sausage Company in 1969. Jimmy Dean restaurants and Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches would follow. In 1984, his company would be acquired by Consolidated Foods, which would become the Sara Lee Corporation.
In 2003, Sara Lee dropped Dean as a spokeman. "The company told me that they were trying to attract the younger housewife," said Dean, "And they didn't think I was the one to do it. I think that's the dumbest thing. But you know, what do I know?"
Jimmy Dean was inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997 and the national Country Music Hall Of Fame on February 23 of this year.
Jimmy Dean, the multi-talented businessman, actor and performer whose hit records included the most successful spoken word record, a plea for world peace, a novelty salute to President Kennedy and one of the greatest mom salutes of all time, died at his home in the Richmond, Virginia, area on Sunday, June 13, 2010. He was 81.
According to the Associated Press, his wife, Donna Meade Dean, said he was eating in front of the television when she went into another room in the house. When she returned, he was unresponsive and was pronounced dead at 7:54 p.m. local time.
According to writer Fred Bronson, Jimmy Dean was born Seth Ward on August 10, 1928, a day when two other prominent people were also born. "American Top 40" co-founder Don Bustany was born on that day as was singer Eddie Fisher. Thus, Dean and Fisher possess that rare distinction of being born on the same day and going on to have solo #1 hits on the Cash Box pop chart. Fisher, in fact, had three chart-toppers with "I'm Walking Behind You" in 1953 and in 1954 with "(Oh My Papa) Oh Mein Papa" and "I Need You Now."
Dean's only #1, "Big Bad John," came in late 1961. It was about a big man who "stood 6-foot-6 and weighed 245" and saves the lives of many fellow miners before a mine collapse kills him. Dean wrote the song in an hour and a half while on a plane ride to Nashville. He only had three songs ready to be recorded. Since most recording sessions in those days involved four songs, he wrote "Big Bad John" because "I had to do something."
Dean mistakenly felt that "Big Bad John" would be the B side of his next single release. He felt the A side, "I Won't Go Huntin' With You, Jake, But I'll Go Chasin' Women" would be the hit song. Instead, DJ's chose "Big Bad John" for spins. It became the most successful spoken word record of all time with its five weeks at #1. Plus, it won a Grammy award.
For Dean, one good spoken record led to another. His followup release, "Dear Ivan," reached #21 in early 1962. The record was in the form of a letter to a Russian named Ivan...and how Dean wanted to meet Ivan...and how Dean was hoping the USA and Russia would learn to get along...so we could have world peace. After the two-sided hit ,"Ode To A Sleeping Beauty" (#58) / "The Cajun Queen" (#9), Dean had a #7 hit with "P.T. 109," a salute to the World War II heroics of then-President John F. Kennedy. Dean would have another minor top 40 hit in 1962 with the #31-peaking "Little Black Book."
Dean would have one more Top 40 hit in 1976...and it would become one of the greatest mom salute recordings ever. Around 1958, Dean had written a salute to his mom on a piece of paper, but then stuffed it into a desk drawer. A secretary would discover that piece of paper while going through that desk drawer about 17 years later. She was so moved by what Jimmy had written, she encouraged him to turn it into a record. He did...and although "IOU" only reached #33 on the Cash Box pop chart, it sold over a million copies. In about six minutes, Dean goes through a series of IOU's he owes his mom...like "night watchman...for services like short order cook...for cleaning services...and as a bodyguard. And I'll never forget how when there two pieces of pie left and three hungry people, you suddenly decided you didn't like apple pie that much."
The climax to "IOU" was classic. "The greatest thing, Mom, is that you've marked all my IOU"s paid in full...in exchange in one kiss and four little words."
"Mom, I love you."
Dean's mom taught him how to play the piano while he learned how to play accordion and harmonica on his own. He became a high school dropout but his itch for music continued during his Air Force years in the late 40's, when he joined a nightclub band as a fiddle player. He DJ'ed at WARL/Arlington, Virginia in the early 50's and released his first single, "Bumming Around," in 1953. He would join Columbia Records in 1957. Ironically, Columbia released "Big Bad John" after failing to renew his contract...but he eventually re-signed with the label.
Among Dean's TV and movie roles were his own "Jimmy Dean Show" that aired on ABC and CBS; "The Tonight Show," where he was the first guest host; "Daniel Boone," "Fantasy Island" and the James Bond movie, "Diamonds Are Forever."
According to Wikipedia, Dean got into the food business when he and his brother, Don, formed the Jimmy Dean Sausage Company in 1969. Jimmy Dean restaurants and Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches would follow. In 1984, his company would be acquired by Consolidated Foods, which would become the Sara Lee Corporation.
In 2003, Sara Lee dropped Dean as a spokeman. "The company told me that they were trying to attract the younger housewife," said Dean, "And they didn't think I was the one to do it. I think that's the dumbest thing. But you know, what do I know?"
Jimmy Dean was inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997 and the national Country Music Hall Of Fame on February 23 of this year.
