Jimmy Bedford
Encyclopedia
James Howard "Jimmy" Bedford (January 30, 1940 – August 7, 2009) was responsible for overseeing the production of Jack Daniel's
Tennessee whiskey
and ensuring the consistent flavor of the product in his 20 years serving as the distillery's sixth master distiller.
and grew up on a farm in Lynchburg, Tennessee
. There he attended Moore County High School
. He attended Tennessee Technological University
, where he met his future wife, graduating from the school in 1962.
, he had "what he considered one of the most enviable jobs imaginable — making sure Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey tasted just the way it had since 1866". Bedford would compare new batches with old by sipping, but not swallowing, samples of the product to ensure that "it never changes" and that Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 remained "the biggest constant in Lynchburg".
As part of his position, Bedford appeared in advertisements describing his role and did promotional tours and tasting seminars worldwide. Bedford oversaw the introduction of two brand extension
s: Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, which was less sweet and smoky than the original; and Gentleman Jack
, introduced in 1988 as a "superpremium" brand. He left the distillery in 2008 after being the subject of a $3.5 million sexual harassment lawsuit. His successor, as the seventh master distiller at Jack Daniel's, was Jeff Arnett.
Bedford was recognized with the Icons of Whisky Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 by Whisky magazine.
Four racers at the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen run on August 10, three days following his death, ran the race in Bedford's memory, with driver Casey Mears
riding with a specially designed decal reading "In Memory of Jimmy Bedford" on his #07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet Impala SS, with the decal also being placed on the cars of drivers Clint Bowyer
, Jeff Burton
and Kevin Harvick
.
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...
Tennessee whiskey
Tennessee whiskey
Tennessee whiskey is Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced in the state of Tennessee. This definition is legally established under the North American Free Trade Agreement and at least one other international trade agreement that require that Tennessee whiskey be "a straight Bourbon Whiskey authorized...
and ensuring the consistent flavor of the product in his 20 years serving as the distillery's sixth master distiller.
Early life
Bedford was born on January 30, 1940 in Franklin County, TennesseeFranklin County, Tennessee
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 41,052. Its county seat is Winchester.Franklin County is part of the Tullahoma, Tennessee, Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and grew up on a farm in Lynchburg, Tennessee
Lynchburg, Tennessee
Lynchburg is a city in the south-central region of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is governed by a consolidated city-county government unit whose boundaries coincide with those of Moore County. Lynchburg is best known as the location of the Jack Daniel's distillery, whose famous whiskey is...
. There he attended Moore County High School
Moore County High School
Moore County High School is a six-year public high school in Lynchburg, Tennessee, serving students in gardes 7–12 from Moore County, Tennessee, as part of the Moore County School District....
. He attended Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University, popularly known as Tennessee Tech, is an accredited public university located in Cookeville, Tennessee, US, a city approximately seventy miles east of Nashville. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute , and before that as Dixie College, the...
, where he met his future wife, graduating from the school in 1962.
Career
He and his wife moved back to the Lynchburg area following graduation from college and took a job in 1968 at the Jack Daniel's Distillery there. He learned the various details of the production process and was named as the company's sixth master distiller in 1988, where he was responsible for supervising the "milling, yeasting, fermenting and distilling" involved in making the whiskey using a network of fermenters, stills and vats. According to his obituary in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, he had "what he considered one of the most enviable jobs imaginable — making sure Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey tasted just the way it had since 1866". Bedford would compare new batches with old by sipping, but not swallowing, samples of the product to ensure that "it never changes" and that Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 remained "the biggest constant in Lynchburg".
As part of his position, Bedford appeared in advertisements describing his role and did promotional tours and tasting seminars worldwide. Bedford oversaw the introduction of two brand extension
Brand extension
Brand extension or brand stretching is a marketing strategy in which a firm marketing a product with a well-developed image uses the same brand name in a different product category. The new product is called a spin-off. Organizations use this strategy to increase and leverage brand equity...
s: Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, which was less sweet and smoky than the original; and Gentleman Jack
Gentleman Jack
Gentleman Jack is a brand of Tennessee whiskey produced by the Jack Daniel Distillery. It was introduced to the American market in 1988 as a "superpremium" brand, a step above the company's regular Jack Daniel's, which is a premium brand....
, introduced in 1988 as a "superpremium" brand. He left the distillery in 2008 after being the subject of a $3.5 million sexual harassment lawsuit. His successor, as the seventh master distiller at Jack Daniel's, was Jeff Arnett.
Bedford was recognized with the Icons of Whisky Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 by Whisky magazine.
Personal
Bedford died of a heart attack at age 69 on August 7, 2009, at his farm near Lynchburg. He was survived by his wife Emily, née Gregory, and by their one daughter and one grandson.Four racers at the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen run on August 10, three days following his death, ran the race in Bedford's memory, with driver Casey Mears
Casey Mears
Casey James Mears is the driver of the #13 GEICO Toyota for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He is a former winner of the Coca-Cola 600....
riding with a specially designed decal reading "In Memory of Jimmy Bedford" on his #07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet Impala SS, with the decal also being placed on the cars of drivers Clint Bowyer
Clint Bowyer
Clint Bowyer is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #15 5 Hour Energy Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series for Michael Waltrip Racing. Early in his career, he drove for Richard Childress Racing. He won the 2008 Nationwide Series championship....
, Jeff Burton
Jeff Burton
Jeffrey Brian "Jeff" Burton , also referred to as JB or The Mayor, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala for Richard Childress Racing. Burton is the younger brother of Ward Burton, who is a former Sprint Cup driver...
and Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...
.