JIMMY DEAN - JIMMY DEAN GETS HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA DECADES LATE

Country star JIMMY DEAN is finally getting his high school diploma - 57 years after dropping out.

A friend of the 75-year-old star worked with Plainview school district officials in Texas to get him the diploma. And although the pal, Dean's wife, and district officials tried to keep the diploma a secret, the singer eventually figured it all out.

He says, "I didn't know a thing in the world, until I put two and two and two together, and when I ended up with three, I knew something was wrong."

Dean left school shortly before his 1946 graduation and says not getting his high school diploma hurt his mother a great deal.

He notes, "I know very well that she'll be watching at the little ceremony, where I'll say 'Mom, I got it.'"

Dean worked several odd jobs to support his mother before serving in the army for three years. Later, he turned to music and won a GRAMMY AWARD for BIG BAD JOHN. Dean also had his own TV show before launching a sausage company.