Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDEAN, Jimmy(b 10 August 1928, Plainview TX; d 13 June 2010, Henrico County VA) Enormously popular country singer in the 1960s, also TV host and actor. With Tennessee Haymakers while in USAF, then with Texan Wildcats in the Washington DC area; his first hit was 'Bummin' Around' '53 on the Four Star label. He pioneered country music on TV, hosting weekday, Saturday-evening shows on WMAL (Virginia), then a networked CBS show '60; signed with Columbia and had his biggest hit 'Big Bad John' '61: no. 1 both country and pop, won Grammy as Best Country and Western Performance. Followed with 'Dear Ivan', 'P.T. 109' '62; 'The First Thing Ev'ry Morning (And The Last Thing Ev'ry Night)' '65. Switched to RCA for more hits 'Stand Beside Me' '66, 'A Thing Called Love' '68, 'Slowly' '71 (duet with Dottie West). Albums included Big Bad John '62, Jimmy Dean's Hour Of Prayer '64 on Columbia; Speaker Of The House '67, These Hands '72 on RCA. |