Jimmy Dean and friends sing 'Big Bad John'

Jimmy Dean, the country singer best known for the country-music classic "Big Bad John" and for the sausages he marketed, died Sunday at his home in Virginia at age 81. We'll have a full obituary soon from Times staff writer Dennis McLellan at www.latimes.com/obits. This video from YouTube is from 2008.

-- Claire Noland

Comments

[Mike Dudnikov]

Sad to hear about Jimmy Dean. I really liked his Big Bad John. Jimmy crossed paths in a sense with a number of other wonderful singers. Jimmy recorded Bumming Around which later was also a big hit for Dean Martin. He appeared on Daniel Boone with the recently deseased Fess Parker, a show that also featured another great singer in a dramtic role, Ed Ames. And Jimmy was born on August 10, 1928, the exact same day as the legendary singer Eddie Fisher, who is still going strong.

Sadly Jimmy will not be able to attend his own induction ceremony into the Country Music Hall of Fame later this year. However I loved his retort when informed earlier this year that he had been accorded that honor. He responded to the news saying, "Man, I thought I was already in there." Me too.