Jimmy Ray Dean[2] (August 10, 1928 – June 13, 2010)[1] was an American country music singer, television host, actor and businessman. Although he may be best known today as the creator of the Jimmy Dean Sausage brand, he became a national television personality in the 1960s, rising to fame for his 1961 country crossover hit “Big Bad John“. His acting career included a supporting role in the 1971 James Bond movie, Diamonds Are Forever. He lived near Richmond, Virginia and was nominated for the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010, although he died before being formally inducted.