Many people have wondered if the country singer Billy Dean is related to the late Jimmy Dean, who was also a country singer, as well as a television host, actor, and businessman. The two share the same last name and both have roots in the South, but are they really family? The answer is no, they are not related by blood or marriage. Here are some facts that prove that Billy Dean and Jimmy Dean are not kin.
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Different Birthplaces and Family Backgrounds
According to Wikipedia, Billy Dean was born on April 2, 1962, in Quincy, Florida. His father, William Harold Dean Sr., was also a musician who played in a band called The Country Rocks. His mother’s name is not known. He has a sister named Donna and a brother named Charles. He grew up in a musical family and learned to play piano, guitar, fiddle, and banjo at an early age.
Jimmy Dean, on the other hand, was born on August 10, 1928, in Seth Ward, Texas. His father was George Otto Dean, a farmer, and his mother was Ruth Taylor Dean, a teacher. He had two brothers, Don and Ralph. He also learned to play piano and accordion as a child, but he dropped out of high school to pursue a career in music.
Different Career Paths and Achievements
Billy Dean started his career as a contestant on the talent show Star Search in 1986, where he won the Male Vocalist category. He then signed with SBK Records and released his debut album Young Man in 1990. He had several hit singles on the country charts, such as “Only Here for a Little While”, “Somewhere in My Broken Heart”, “If There Hadn’t Been You”, and “We Just Disagree”. He also appeared in some movies and TV shows, such as Maverick, One Life to Live, and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
Jimmy Dean had a more diverse and successful career than Billy Dean. He started as a radio host and singer in the 1950s and had his first hit with “Bumming Around” in 1953. He then moved to television and hosted his own variety show The Jimmy Dean Show from 1963 to 1966. He also had a smash hit with “Big Bad John” in 1961, which won him a Grammy Award. He later became an actor and played roles in Daniel Boone, Diamonds Are Forever, and Fantasy Island. He also founded the Jimmy Dean sausage company in 1969 and became its spokesman until his death.
Different Marital Statuses and Children
Billy Dean has been married twice. His first wife was Catherine Massie, whom he married in 1982 and divorced in 1995. They have two children together: William Eli Dean (born in 1989) and Hannah Marie Dean (born in 1992). His second wife is Stephanie Paisley, whom he married in 2005. They have no children together.
Jimmy Dean was also married twice. His first wife was Mary Sue Wittauer, whom he married in 1950 and divorced in 1990. They have three children together: Garry Dean (born in 1951), Connie Dean (born in 1954), and Robert Dean (born in 1961). His second wife was Donna Meade Dean Stevens, whom he married in 1991 until his death in 2010. They have no children together.
Conclusion
As you can see, Billy Dean and Jimmy Dean have very little in common besides their last name and their genre of music. They are not related by blood or marriage, nor did they ever collaborate or interact with each other professionally or personally. They are simply two different men who happened to share a surname and a passion for country music.