Thirty Years of Sausage, Fifty Years of Ham [Paperback]

Jimmy Dean (Author), Donna Meade Dean (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 6, 2006

From "one of the great icons of country music" (Mel Tillis) comes an inspiring American success story filled with anecdotes about the legends who crossed his path, including Patsy Cline, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Roy Rogers, and George W. Bush. It's also Dean's incredible story of the multimillion-dollar venture that made him a household name-and the "deal from hell" with the Sara Lee company that became one of the most challenging periods of his life. Brimming with good will, folksy humor, nuggets of wisdom, and down-home philosophy, this is a story of a life well-lived that will charm, enthrall, and surprise Jimmy Dean's legion of fans.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This mainly pleasant memoir covers the author's life from hardscrabble West Texas childhood through success as a country and western entertainer to fulfillment as a sausage mogul voted "the number one meat spokesperson of all time." Dean has a "jillion" anecdotes about touring with the band, playing rodeos and state fairs, his recurring gig on The Daniel Boone Show, hosting and guesting a slew of 1960s variety shows and encountering a galaxy of fellow celebrities, from the hard-drinking, foul-mouthed Patsy Cline to Elvis himself, on whose advice he unwisely took some "energy" pills during a fatiguing stint in Vegas. Decorated with folksy aphorisms (one carousing associate was "so high he could go duck hunting with a rake") and sentimental lyrics from his trademark "recitation" ballads, his reminiscences are happy-go-lucky and detached, with a minimum of rancor against agents ("a necessary evil") and network suits ("they had bent me and changed me"). The book comes alive when Dean gives up the songs for the sausage, which brought him riches but also precipitated a wrenching break with his business-partner brother and led to a disillusioning betrayal by the "liars, turncoats, cutthroats" at the Sara Lee Corporation after they bought his company. Who knew that pork processing could be even crueler than showbiz? Photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Jimmy Dean's first hit single sold close to one million copies, two additional singles went gold, and Big Bad John won Dean a Grammy Award. He also hosted the popular The Jimmy Dean Show on ABC, and in 1969, he and his brother, Don, opened the Jimmy Dean Meat Company, marketing their special "pure pork" sausage to the country.

Donna Meade Dean is a singer, songwriter, and former Mercury-Polygram recording artist. They live in Varina, Virginia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade (June 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 042521026X
• ISBN-13: 978-0425210260
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,530,408 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A conversation with Jimmy, June 14, 2010

By 

G. Spragins (TN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Thirty Years of Sausage, Fifty Years of Ham: Jimmy Dean's Own Story (Hardcover)

I read this delightful memoir in one sitting. It was like chatting with Jimmy Dean. His recall of dates and names is unbelievable. Whether you are a fan of country music or sausage or self-made success, you will be glad you spent the time to read this book. Well done, Jimmy and Donna Dean!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A walk down memory lane, February 6, 2009

By 

Douglas Mcdonough "West Texas scouter" (Plainview, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Thirty Years of Sausage...Fifty Years of Ham (Hardcover)

Quite a story from quite a guy. Wonderful walk down memory lane in a no-holds barred account of his life in West Texas and beyond. Jimmy Dean has too long been overlooked as one of the early Country Music pioneers and once its biggest star. And, he makes some pretty good sausage.

5.0 out of 5 stars Big fan, great book, September 1, 2011

By 

Denni Faircloth "Denni" (Albany NY) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Thirty Years of Sausage...Fifty Years of Ham (Hardcover)

I've always been a fan of Jimmy Dean. I wish for celebrities like we had in the good old days. I was so glad to find this book. It was delivered so quickly. Thanks