Stuart Hamblen (October 20, 1908–March 8, 1989), born Stuart Carl Hamblen, was one of American radio's first singing cowboys in 1926, and later became a Christian songwriter, temperance supporter and recurring candidate for political office.

Biography

From 1931-52, Hamblen had a series of highly popular radio programs on the West Coast of the United States. He composed music and acted in motion pictures with such other stars as Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and John Wayne. He was the first artist signed by Decca Records in 1934.

Hamblen didn't cope well with the pressures of his high profile career and sought relief in alcohol. Many times, his drinking landed him in jail for public brawling and other destructive behavior. The Texas State Historical Association reports that Hamblen identified himself as the "original juvenile delinquent.". Hamblen was hugely popular, and his radio sponsors regularly bailed him out of jail. For a while, he ventured into horse-racing as an owner. Inevitably, Hamblen's drinking and gambling problems severely affected his life and career. After years of struggle with alcohol, Hamblen, in 1949, underwent a religious conversion at a Billy Graham crusade in Los Angeles. He was fired from his radio career after he declined to continue with his radio sponsor's beer commercials. Hamblen subsequently gave up gambling and horse racing, and entered Christian broadcasting with his radio show, ''The Cowboy Church of the Air'', which ran until 1952.

During a 1963 crusade in Los Angeles, Graham called Hamblen's conversion "the turning point" in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's ministry, where before Hamblen accepted Christ the crowds were rather small. Graham said Hamblen was the No. 1 radio personality in Los Angeles, which drew in crowds. That evening, also Graham's first coast-to-coast television broadcast, Hamblen shared about his faith and sung/spoke his signature hymn "It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)". Graham attributed Hamblen's hunting skills as instrumental in capturing a wild panther in the Los Angeles area prior to the crusade.

Stuart Hamblen died March 8, 1989, in Santa Monica, California of brain cancer.

Music

"It Is No Secret" was written following his acceptance of Christ and a spiritual conversation with John Wayne. After accepting the Lord, Hamblen was fired from his position as disc jockey because he refused to do alcohol commercials. John Wayne offered him a drink shortly thereafter, Hamblen refused saying "It is no secret what the Lord can do." John Wayne said, "You should write a song by that title." The song would go on to be sung by popular singers Eddy Arnold, Pat Boone, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Hank Snow and Ernest Tubb.

"This Ole House" was inspired while on a hunting trip in the High Sierras with a friend. The two men came upon what looked like an abandoned shack, wherein they found the body of an elderly man, apparently dead of natural causes. Hamblen came up with the lyrics to the song while riding horseback down the mountain, and composed the melody within a week.

In 1955, Hamblen had a hit single with "Open Up Your Heart (And Let the Sunshine In)," along with his family under the name "Cowboy Church Sunday School." Hamblen was accompanied by wife Suzy, daughters Veeva Suzanne and Obee Jane (Lisa), and two of the girls' friends. The song was recorded at the 33 RPM speed so that it sounds like children singing at the normal 7-inch single phonograph speed of 45 RPM. The tune hit No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop charts in 1955. "Open Up Your Heart (And Let the Sunshine In)" was sung on an episode of the television cartoon series ''The Flintstones'' in the mid-1960s by characters Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm.

Awards

Jefferson, Texas (near Hamblen's birth home of Kelleyville, Texas) celebrates "Stuart Hamblen Days" each year, with a bronze plaque dedication taking place in the city park in 1998, sponsored by a local opera house.

Politics

Previously, Hamblen ran for California's 20th congressional district seat as a Democrat, losing to Carl Hinshaw in the 1938 election cycle. The race was a close one, with Hinshaw at 47 percent and Hamblen with 41 percent of the vote.

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Category:1908 births Category:1989 deaths Category:American Christians Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American country singers Category:California Democrats Category:California Prohibitionists Category:Decca Records artists Category:Four Star Records artists Category:Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees Category:Prohibition Party (United States) presidential nominees Category:RCA Victor artists Category:United States presidential candidates, 1952

Jimmy Ray Dean (August 10, 1928 – June 13, 2010) 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 starting in 1957, rising to fame for his 1961 country crossover hit "Big Bad John". His acting career included a supporting role as Willard Whyte 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 was formally inducted posthumously.

Biography

Early life

Entertainment career

In 1954, Dean hosted the popular Washington D.C. radio program ''Town and Country Time'' on WARL-AM, and with his Texas Wildcats became popular in the Mid-Atlantic region. Patsy Cline and Roy Clark got their starts on the show. Although Cline and Dean became good friends; Clark, Dean's lead guitarist, was eventually fired by the singer for what was explained as his chronic tardiness. Dean replaced Clark with Billy Grammer. In 1955, ''Town and Country Time'' moved to WMAL-TV on weekday afternoons. Dean and the Texas Wildcats also appeared during 1957 on ''Town and Country Jamboree'' on WMAL-TV on Saturdays from 10:30 p.m.–1:30 a.m. ET, which was also carried by TV stations in Maryland and Virginia on a regional network.

Also during 1957, Dean hosted ''Country Style'' on WTOP-TV on weekday mornings. CBS picked up the show nationally from Washington for eight months in 1957 under the name, ''The Morning Show''. Then from September 14, 1958–June 1959, CBS carried ''The Jimmy Dean Show'' on weekday and Saturday afternoons.

Dean became best known for his 1961 recitation song about a heroic miner, "Big Bad John". Recorded in Nashville, the record went to number one on the ''Billboard'' pop chart and inspired many imitations and parodies. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The track peaked at No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart. The song won Dean the 1962 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording. He had several more Top 40 songs including a Top 10 in 1962 with "PT-109", a song in honor of John F. Kennedy's bravery in World War II.

In the early 1960s, he hosted the ''Tonight Show'' on occasion and one night introduced Roy Clark, with whom he had remained friendly. In the mid-60s, Dean helped bring country music into the mainstream with his 1963–66 ABC-TV variety series, ''The Jimmy Dean Show''. It presented country music entertainers including Roger Miller, George Jones, Charlie Rich, Buck Owens and some, like Joe Maphis, who seldom received network exposure. The program also featured comedy and a variety of popular music artists, and Dean's sketches with one of Jim Henson's Muppets, Rowlf the Dog.

Dean appeared on several TV talk shows and game shows in the 1960s and performed on variety programs including ''The Ed Sullivan Show'', ''The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom'', and ''The Hollywood Palace''.

Dean turned to acting after his TV show ended in 1966. His best-known role was as reclusive Las Vegas billionaire Willard Whyte in the 1971 James Bond movie, ''Diamonds Are Forever''. He also appeared in fourteen episodes of ''Daniel Boone'' (1967–70) in three different roles (one episode as "Delo Jones", two as "Jeremiah" and eleven as "Josh Clements") and as Charlie Rowlands in two ''Fantasy Island'' episodes (1981–82), as well as on other TV shows including a semi-regular role as Charlie Bullets on ''J.J. Starbuck'' starring Dale Robertson (1987–88).

Dean's singing career remained strong into the mid-1960s; in 1965, he achieved a second number one country hit with the ballad "The First Thing Ev'ry Morning (And the Last Thing Ev'ry Night)", and he had a Top 40 hit that year with "Harvest Of Sunshine". In 1966, Dean signed with RCA Records and immediately had a Top 10 hit with "Stand Beside Me". His other major hits during this time included "Sweet Misery" (1967) and "A Thing Called Love" (1968). He continued charting into the early 1970s with his major hits including a duet with Dottie West, "Slowly" (1971); and a solo hit with "The One You Say Good Morning To" (1972).

In 1976, Dean achieved a million-seller with a recitation song as a tribute to his mother and mothers everywhere called "I.O.U." The song was released a few weeks before Mother's Day and quickly became a Top 10 country hit, his first one in a decade, and a Top 40 pop hit, his first in 14 years. The song was re-released in 1977, 1983 and 1984, but with minor success each time.

Business career

Its success led to its acquisition in 1984 by Consolidated Foods, later renamed the Sara Lee Corporation. Dean remained involved in running the company, but the new corporate parent eventually began phasing him out of any management duties, a period that took a toll on his health. In January 2004, Dean said that Sara Lee had dropped him as the spokesman for the sausage brand, saying that he was too old.

Later years and death

In the fall of 2004, he released his blunt, straight-talking autobiography ''30 Years of Sausage, 50 Years of Ham''. Dean lived in semi-retirement with second wife, Donna Meade Dean, a singer, songwriter, and recording artist he married in 1991, who helped him write his book. The couple lived on their property at Chaffin's Bluff overlooking the James River in Henrico County, on the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia. On April 20, 2009, the main house was largely gutted by a fire, although the Deans escaped injury. The Deans rebuilt their home on the same foundation and returned early in 2010.

Dean, who dropped out of high school in 1946 to work to help his mother, announced on May 20, 2008, a donation of $1 million to Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, the largest gift ever from one individual to the institution. Dean said: "I've been so blessed, and it makes me proud to give back, especially to my hometown."

On February 23, 2010, Dean was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was to have been inducted in October.

Dean had three children, Garry, Connie, and Robert, with his first wife Mary Sue (née Wittauer) Dean; and two granddaughters, Caroline Taylor (Connie's daughter) and Brianna Dean (Robert's daughter).

Dean died at the age of 81, on June 13, 2010, of natural causes at his home in Varina, Virginia. He is also survived by his second wife Donna and his nephew, country music singer Billy Dean.

He was entombed in a piano-shaped mausoleum overlooking the James River on the grounds of his estate. His epitaph reads "Here Lies One Hell of a Man".

Discography

References

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Category:1928 births Category:2010 deaths Category:American country singers Category:American film actors Category:American television personalities Category:American food industry businesspeople Category:People from Hale County, Texas Category:People from Plainview, Texas Category:People from Henrico County, Virginia Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Four Star Records artists Category:Starday Records artists Category:Mercury Records artists Category:Musicians from Texas Category:Apex Records artists Category:RCA Victor artists Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Baptists from the United States Category:Country Music Hall of Fame inductees