Water supply problems at burning Virginia home of country music legend Jimmy Dean. Take a “before” tour of the house on the James River.
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Watch WWBT-TV story on water supply issues
Watch raw video from a 1998 tour of the Dean’s home
As we reported early Tuesday morning, a fire late Monday night heavily damaged the waterfront home of country music legend and sausage company founder Jimmy Dean. The 80-year-old Dean and his wife, Donna Meade Dean, escaped without injury and were outside the home when firefighters arrived.
Three firefighters suferred minor injuries. The fire has been ruled accidental.
Firefighters were hampered by a lack of a water supply near the house. Water was shuttled from a landing on the James River about three-miles from the home.
Henrico County fire spokesman Capt. Chris Buehren said the blaze caused extensive damage to the basement, first floor and attic of the moderately sized farmhouse.
Besides the food products carrying his name Dean is best known for his 1961 recording of “Big Bad John,” a Grammy-winning mining tale performed in his spoken-word style. Another popular ballad, “PT 109,” was a homage to President John F. Kennedy’s heroism in World War II.
In the 1950s Dean did a daytime variety show for CBS broadcast out of Channel 9’s studios, then at 40th and Brandywine Streets, NW.
From 1963 to 1966, the entertainer starred in “The Jimmy Dean Show,” a country music show on ABC.
The sausage company he founded in Texas in 1969 was sold to Sara Lee Corp. in 1984.
In 1998, the Dean’s invited Channel 9 into their home. Executive producer Samara Martin Ewing did the interview and saved the raw video shot by photographer Frank McDermott. You can see that video using the link above.
