Jimmy Dean Net Worth

Publish date: 2024-06-24

Contents

What is His Net Worth and Salary?

Jimmy Dean was an iconic country singer, television host, entrepreneur, and actor whose net worth was $50 million. His career spanned decades, and he was one of the most successful artists in the country music industry during the 1960s and 70s. He earned his net worth through his music career, appearance on television, and entrepreneurial ventures.

Early Life and Education

Jimmy Dean was born in Olton, Texas, on August 10, 1928. He was raised in Plainview, Texas, and learned to play the piano and guitar when he was a child. Dean’s mother taught him to play the piano, and he learned to play the guitar from a neighbor. After finishing high school, he attended college at Wayland Baptist University, where he studied music.

Career

Dean’s music career began in the early 1950s when he became a disc jockey in Texas. He moved to Washington, D.C., in the mid-1950s, where he hosted his radio show. In 1957, he signed a recording contract with Columbia Records and released his first single, “Bumming Around.”

Dean’s most successful hit was “Big Bad John” which reached number one on both the country and pop charts in 1961. He won a Grammy award for that song and went on to release several other hits, including “The First Thing Ev’ry Morning (And The Last Thing Ev’ry Night)” and “Little Black Book.”

Dean was also an entrepreneur. In 1969, he introduced Jimmy Dean Sausage. In 1976, he sold the sausage company to Consolidated Foods, now known as Sara Lee Corporation, for $80 million.

Personal Life

Dean was married twice. In 1950, he married Mary Sue Wittauer, and they had three children. They divorced in 1951. In 1960, he married Donna Meade, and they remained married until his death. They had three children together.

Moreover, Dean was also the host of The Jimmy Dean Show, which aired from 1963 to 1966 on ABC. He starred in several movies, including Diamonds Are Forever and Rio Lobo.

Illness and Death

Jimmy Dean died on June 13, 2010, at his home in Varina, Virginia. He was 81 years old. The cause of his death was attributed to natural causes. Dean was laid to rest at the Grove Avenue Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.

Real Estate

Jimmy Dean owned a 200-acre estate in Varina, Virginia, which he called “Big Bad John’s.” The estate included a 7,500 square-foot mansion. In 2003, he sold the property for $6.9 million to David A. Napier, CEO of the National Advisory Council for Farm Animal Welfare.

Legacy

Jimmy Dean’s legacy lives on in his music and his entrepreneurial achievements. He was a pioneer in the country music industry and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010, shortly after his death.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Was Jimmy Dean ever nominated for a Grammy award?

Yes, Jimmy Dean was nominated for four Grammy awards and won one for his hit “Big Bad John” in 1962.

2. Did Jimmy Dean have any siblings?

Jimmy Dean had three siblings: Don, Ruth, and Billy.

3. What was Jimmy Dean’s first hit song?

Jimmy Dean’s first hit song was “Bumming Around,” released in 1953.

4. Was Jimmy Dean a smoker?

Yes, Jimmy Dean was a smoker, and the cause of his death was attributed to natural causes.

5. Did Jimmy Dean have any children?

Yes, Jimmy Dean had six children: Garry, Connie, Robert, Jimmy, Hannah, and John.

6. What other movies did Jimmy Dean star in?

Jimmy Dean starred in several movies, including Diamonds Are Forever and Rio Lobo.

7. What was the name of Jimmy Dean’s first wife?

Jimmy Dean’s first wife was Mary Sue Wittauer.

8. How did the Jimmy Dean Sausage Company get its start?

Jimmy Dean started the sausage company in 1969 as a sideline business to his music career.

9. Was Jimmy Dean inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame?

Yes, Jimmy Dean was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010, shortly after his death.

10. What was the name of the television show that Jimmy Dean hosted?

Jimmy Dean hosted The Jimmy Dean Show, which aired from 1963 to 1966 on ABC.

11. Was Jimmy Dean a Christian?

Yes, Jimmy Dean was a Christian and hosted a religious television program, Songs of Inspiration, in the 1970s.

12. Did Jimmy Dean ever retire from the music industry?

No, Jimmy Dean never officially retired from the music industry, but he slowed down his music career in favor of his entrepreneurial ventures.

13. Did Jimmy Dean ever receive any awards for his sausage products?

Yes, Jimmy Dean Sausage Products won numerous awards, including the Grand Champion Award at the American Royal Livestock Show in Kansas City, Missouri.

14. What was the name of Jimmy Dean’s 200-acre estate?

Jimmy Dean’s 200-acre estate was called “Big Bad John’s.”

15. Who did Jimmy Dean sell his estate to?

Jimmy Dean sold his estate to David A. Napier, CEO of the National Advisory Council for Farm Animal Welfare, in 2003, for $6.9 million.

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