Jimmy Dean photo courtesy of the CMA.

Jimmy Dean, named this year as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, never quite got to witness his official induction. The singer, best known for his dramatic coal-miner recitation “Big Bad John,” died Sunday at his home in Virginia, according to the Associated Press.

He was one of country’s TV pioneers, hosting a local show in Washington, D.C., during the 1950s and picking up his own prime-time variety series during the ‘60s. In fact, “The Jimmy Dean Show” televised the Hall of Fame inductions of Eddy Arnold, Uncle Dave Macon, Grand Ole Opry founder George D. Hay and music publisher Jim Denny in October 1966.

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George Strait photo by Danny Clinch, courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Some of the biggest stars in country music history — George Strait, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson and Tammy Wynette — are among a slew of Country Music Hall of Fame members who’ve made their way into the headlines of late.

George set an unprecedented mark on the country charts, Hank earned a prestigious honor and Willie went to a Texas courtroom, where he could have been called on to testify in a trial involving a shooting outside a bar.

Here’s a roundup of Hall of Famers who continue to make an impact in a variety of ways:

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Keith Urban photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

With the 45th annual Academy of Country Music Awards a dozen days away, the ACM dropped a long list of trophy recipients Tuesday that’s tattooed with a few publicly recognizable names — including Keith Urban and Mel Tillis — as well as a bunch of significant songwriters, musicians and executives. The off-camera winners, as they’re called, will be formally recognized when the West Coast-based Academy presents its annual ACM Honors in Nashville Sept. 21.

Keith is being honored with the Jim Reeves International Award for bringing global attention to country. Born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, he’s done that somewhat naturally by connecting the dots between his homeland, the U.S. and Canada. Named for one of the first country stars to establish a strong presence overseas, the International Award has previously gone to such figures as Garth Brooks, Roy Clark, Dick Clark and Dolly Parton.

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The 2010 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees, clockwise from upper right: Don Williams, Ferlin Husky, Billy Sherrill and Jimmy Dean. Photos courtesy of the CMA.

Don Williams, Jimmy Dean, Ferlin Husky and record producer Billy Sherrill are the latest additions to the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Country Music Association announced the honor Tuesday via press release, with a formal induction ceremony promised later this year.

“I thought I was already in there!” Jimmy joked. “Seriously, it brought a huge grin to my face. I am honored.”

Each of the four has contributed significantly to the genre. Jimmy, whose name is synonymous with a line of sausage, gave country music plenty of TV exposure as the host of several different programs, most notably “The Jimmy Dean Show,” a 1960s ABC variety series. He often featured the likes of Roger Miller, Buck Owens or Faron Young. One 1964 episode aired live from the Grand Ole Opry, while a 1965 installment captured Eddy Arnold’s recording session for “Make The World Go Away.” The CMA also used “The Jimmy Dean Show” as a vehicle to announce the Hall of Fame inductees in 1966. As a recording artist, Jimmy is best known for “Big Bad John,” a recitation about a coal-mining accident that sold a million copies after crossing into the pop charts.

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Carl Smith photo courtesy of Marty Martel.

Country Music Hall of Fame member Carl Smith, one of the genre’s dominant stars in the 1950s, died Saturday at his home in Franklin, Tenn., according to The Tennessean.

Carl, 82, operated his career in a much different manner than many of his peers. While most country stars continue to record and tour as long as they’re able to find a market, he rather quietly retired from the music business once his hit-making prowess cooled in the late 1970s and lived off his investments with wife Goldie Hill, who had her own recording career in the ‘50s.

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Billy Dean photo courtesy of billydean.com.

When Billy Dean first appeared in country music in 1990, he made his mark with an easy delivery and a handsome visage on his way to winning a pair of trophies at the Academy of Country Music Awards. He was, in essence, country’s version of the boy next door, but he’s now decided to put on a black suit and spiff up his sound a bit.

He quietly released an album this year titled Billy Dean Sings Richard Leigh, and it endeavored to add supper-club sophistication to Billy’s act through the invention of “Hank Sinatra.” Billy brings a big band to Florida for a New Year’s Eve show this week, and it marks only the second time he’s appeared in the Sinatra format, according to The Tallahassee Democrat.

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