Jimmy Dean, R.I.P.

Classic country music legend and sausauge mogul Jimmy Ray Dean died today at the age of 81. Jimmy is best known for his country hit "Big Bad John." He also was a breakfast sausage entrepreneur. Jimmy was born into poverty in Plainview, Texas and died a legend in Virginia.

The following is from the AP:

Jimmy Dean, a country music legend for his smash hit about a workingman hero, "Big Bad John," and an entrepreneur known for his sausage brand, has died. He was 81.

His wife, Donna Meade Dean, says her husband died at 7:54 p.m. Sunday at their Henrico County, Va., home, south of Richmond.

She tells The Associated Press that he had some health problems but was still functioning well, so his death came as a shock.

Born in 1928, Dean was raised in poverty in Plainview, Texas, and dropped out of high school after the ninth grade. But he went on to a successful entertainment career in the '50s and '60s.

In 1969, Dean went into the sausage business, starting the Jimmy Dean Meat Co. He sold the company to Sara Lee Corp. in 1984.

To visit the Jimmy Dean family website, copy and paste this: http://www.deancountry.com/

To listen to "Big Bad John", click on the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://s0.ilike.com/play#Jimmy+Dean:Big+Bad+John:24897:s45765900.12165635.21667255.0.2.165%2Cstd_c08984b0ce9c43eba3f73aa278828b09

Jimmy Dean, American country legend, R.I.P.

How About A Sausage?

This is not the way I want to die. I am glad that the maintenance man made it. Next time you bite into a sausauge and get a piece of something unidentifiable, you might think of this story.

Police: Man Sucked Into Sausage Seasoning Machine

DANVERS, Mass. – Police said a cleaning man was taken to a hospital after being sucked into a machine at a sausage-making company in Danvers. The accident happened Thursday night as the man was cleaning the vacuum-type machine that is used to season the meat at DiLigui Sausage Co. Police said the man's head and shoulders became stuck in the machine after it somehow activated while being cleaned.

Lt. Carole Germano told The Salem News that the man — whose name was not released — was freed from the machine and showed no obvious sign of trauma, but was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the mishap.