Jimmy Dean: Friend of Phil Harris Weekend dies
A friend of the Phil Harris Weekend -- now known as the Greene County Foundation Festival -- passed away Sunday.
Jimmy Dean made several appearances in Linton to help his friend Harris raise money for scholarships that would be given to Linton-Stockton High school graduates.
Dean, 81, died at his home in Henrico County, Va., located near Richmond, Va.
"I met him for the first time in '81, and we went backstage at one of his shows to talk with him," Phil Harris Weekend founder Don Steward of Lyons recalled.
"It was already too late for that year, but I told him 'I'm here to see if you would consider coming to the Phil Harris event.' We're going to do it next year, he said."
Dean and his group The Four Guys had their own dinner theatre in Nashville, and he brought them and his band to Linton.
"They backed him up the entire show," Steward recalled.
Dean's first visit to Linton was 1982, and "he was here seven or eight times. The last time he was here was Phil's last year (1994)," Steward noted.
Dean was known as an entertainer and entrepreneur. He starred in his own television show, "The Jimmy Dean Show" and started his Jimmy Dean sausage brand in 1969. He sold the brand to Sara Lee Corp. in 1984.
He may be best known for his song "Big Bad John," which is about a coal miner who saves fellow workers when a mine roof collapses. It became a hit in 1961 and won a Grammy. Dean has said many times that it took him less than two hours to write.
"Jimmy was well aware of the significance that his song Big John correlated with the lives of miners in the Linton area," Steward said.
Dean was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in February, and was to be inducted in October.
"He came here and wanted to go fishing with Phil, which he did," Steward recalled. "Without question he had an impact on our event.
"He was a great entertainer by anybody's estimation."
Steward said Roy Clark -- now the headliner for the Greene County Foundation Festival -- worked for Dean early in his career.
"Actually, Roy Clark started out in Jimmy's band. It's common knowledge that Jimmy fired him," Steward said. "Roy was late to a few of the shows, and Jimmy told Roy he was going to be a big star, but not with him. Those were their younger days. They remained close friends. They were here together a lot, probably three or four times."
Dean also got the idea for his song "Drinking From A Saucer" while at a Linton restaurant.
"Jimmy found part of this written on a card he saw at Stoll's in Linton. He changed a few words, and another verse or two and later recorded it," Steward explained.
"He did this song on many of his subsequent TV appearances, always giving credit to Linton. Each time he did the station would be flooded with requests for the words."
Steward said Dean was big into helping students. At his home school district in Virginia, he offered incentives to help students strive toward a good education.
"He started giving away a car to the highest scholastic average students in high school," Steward said. "Someone told him that the grades were all done by then, and he needed to influence the students when they were younger. He started giving bicycles to students in late elementary and junior high. He gave a lot of them. He figured it was better to start early in their education career. He gave a lot of money to charity."
I remember when Dean used to come to Linton for the Harris show.
One time I interviewed him Saturday morning on the day of the show. We had breakfast at The Lodge Restaurant, and he talked about his early days in the business.
During our conversation I mentioned that my wife and friend Susie Russell were planting a garden together. Dean asked if he could see it, so I drove him to the Russell home west of Linton.
If I recall correctly (this was 20-to-25 years ago) Susie wasn't outside in the garden, but my wife was and she was either planting or weeding.
When I introduced her to Dean she was polite as usual, but I received the "Wrath of Deb" when I saw her later.
We were newlyweds and I hadn't quite figured out that if I was going to bring a celebrity to meet her, I probably should give her plenty of warning. She was dressed to work in the garden, not to meet Jimmy Dean.
But Dean didn't care. He offered some advice on gardening, and then I drove him back to the Park Inn.
Chris is the general manager/editor for the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at 847-4487 or by e-mail at cpruett79@gmail.com .
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