View source for Jimmy Hart

{{short description|American musician, professional wrestling manager, and sports businessman (born 1944)}}
{{for-multi|the baseball player|Jimmy Hart (baseball)|other people with a similar name|Jim Hart (disambiguation){{!}}Jim Hart}}
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{{Infobox professional wrestler
| name        = Jimmy Hart
| birthname   = James Ray Hart
| image       = Jimmy_Hart_2018.jpg
| caption     = Hart in 2018
| names       = '''Jimmy Hart'''<ref name=oww>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/j/jimmy-hart.html|title=Jimmy Hart profile|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=2009-09-04|archive-date=October 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002135450/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/j/jimmy-hart.html|url-status=live}}</ref><br />The Mouth of the South<br />The Colonel<br />The Memphis Chicken
| height      = {{convert|5|ft|10|in|m|sigfig=3}}
| weight      = 166 lb (75 kg)
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1944|1|1}}<ref name=oww/>
| birth_place = [[Jackson, Mississippi]], U.S.
| billed      = [[Memphis, Tennessee]]<ref name=oww/>
| debut      =
| retired    = 
}}

'''James Ray Hart''' (born January 1, 1944) is an American [[professional wrestling]] [[Manager (professional wrestling)|manager]], executive, composer, and musician. He is signed to [[WWE]] in a Legends deal.<ref name=oww/> He is best known for his work in the [[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF; renamed WWE in 2002) and [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW). He once used the nickname "'''the Mouth of the South'''" (also given to [[Ted Turner]]). He was the [[AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion]] for 5 days in 1981.

Hart has managed numerous prominent wrestlers, including [[Andy Kaufman]], [[The Honky Tonk Man]], [[Greg Valentine|Greg "the Hammer" Valentine]], [[Jerry Lawler|Jerry "the King" Lawler]], [[Ted DiBiase|"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase]], [[Mike Rotunda|Irwin R. Schyster]], [[Jacques Rougeau|The Mountie]], [[The Natural Disasters]], [[Dino Bravo]], [[The Nasty Boys]], [[Big Show|The Giant]], [[Hulk Hogan]], and [[Hart Foundation]] members [[Bret Hart]] and [[Jim Neidhart]].

Before becoming involved with professional wrestling, Hart was a member of the [[Rock music|rock]] band [[the Gentrys]]. He also composed theme songs for multiple WWE wrestlers and released his own album, ''Outrageous Conduct'', in 1985.{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}}

==Career==
=== Music ===
[[File:The Gentrys 1965.jpg|thumb|Hart, pictured on the left in the middle row, during his time in [[the Gentrys]]]]Hart was a vocalist in [[The Gentrys]], who found success with the release of "[[Keep on Dancing (The Gentrys song)|Keep on Dancing]]" in 1965, which sold over a million copies.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Murrells |first=Joseph |title=Million Selling Records from the 1900s to the 1980s: An Illustrated Directory |publisher=Arco Publishing Inc. |year=1985 |isbn=0668064617 |location=New York |pages=207 |language=en}}</ref> When Hart took over after the group's former leader left, they had a few minor hits, most notably "Why Should I Cry" and a cover of [[Neil Young]]'s "[[Cinnamon Girl]]", but they were never able to match the success of "Keep on Dancing". Hart and the band were successful in the Memphis area nightclub circuit. The group was under contract to [[Stax Records]] at the time of its bankruptcy, and Stax could not properly promote them.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Gentrys |url=https://memphismusichalloffame.com/inductee/thegentrys/ |access-date=2025-10-11 |website=Memphis Music Hall of Fame |language=en}}</ref>{{Additional citation needed|date=October 2025}}

=== Memphis Wrestling (1978–1985) ===
[[File:Jimmy Hart WFIA manager of the year award 1984.png|thumb|upright|Hart receiving a Manager of the Year Award in 1984]]
Jimmy Hart was born in [[Jackson, Mississippi]]. He was brought into wrestling by [[Jerry Lawler|Jerry "the King" Lawler]], who knew of Hart because both had attended Memphis Treadwell High School. Having been asked to be a backup singer for Lawler, Hart later became his manager. After splitting from Lawler, Hart created a stable known as the [[The First Family (professional wrestling)|First Family of Wrestling]] to attack Lawler, which among others included [[Hulk Hogan]], [[King Kong Bundy]], [[Rick Rude|"Ravishing" Rick Rude]], [[Lanny Poffo|"Leaping" Lanny Poffo]], [[Jim Neidhart|Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart]], [[Ox Baker]], [[Kamala (wrestler)|Kamala]], [[Randy Savage|"Macho Man" Randy Savage]], [[Eddie Gilbert (wrestler)|"Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert]], [[The Iron Sheik]] and [[Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)|Kevin Sullivan]].

In 1982, Hart earned national headlines doing a match with comedian and television star [[Andy Kaufman]]. Hart, Lawler, and Kaufman would continue this feud for over a year. Hart became known as "''the Wimp''", a nickname given to him by Lawler and chanted by fans, and was the subject of the song "Wimpbusters", which was sung by Lawler to the tune of "[[Ghostbusters (song)|Ghostbusters]]" by [[Ray Parker Jr.]] A music video was also made featuring Lawler, announcer [[Lance Russell]], and wrestlers such as [[Randy Savage]], [[Jimmy Valiant]], [[Dutch Mantel]], [[Tommy Rich]], and [[Rufus R. Jones]], along with footage of Lawler beating Hart and his "First Family". In 1981 through 1984, Hart led [[Austin Idol]], Masao Ito, and Gilbert to NWA/AWA International titles.

===World Wrestling Federation (1985–1993)===
{{unsourced section|date=September 2025}}
[[File:The Mouth of the South.jpg|thumb|right|Hart during his time as manager of [[Greg Valentine|Greg "the Hammer" Valentine]]]]
[[File:Flickr - simononly - WWE Fan Axxess - Classic Memorabilia-Ring Gear (21).jpg|thumb|right|Hart's jackets and [[megaphone]] at [[WrestleMania Axxess]]]]
In 1985, Hart's friend, [[Hillbilly Jim]], recommended him to [[WWE|WWF]] owner [[Vince McMahon]], who hired him. He was nicknamed "the Mouth of the South" due to his loose-lipped style, often augmented by his trademark megaphone, which he used as a weapon, and to instruct and encourage his protégés to discourage and annoy opponents and announcers, especially [[Gorilla Monsoon]]. Hart's first acquisition in the [[WWE|WWF]] was [[Greg Valentine|Greg "the Hammer" Valentine]], then the [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion]], whom Hart managed at [[WrestleMania I|WrestleMania]]. After Valentine lost the Intercontinental Heavyweight Title to [[Tito Santana]], Hart briefly co-managed the [[Dream Team (professional wrestling)|Dream Team]] (Valentine and Beefcake), until he was phased out and gave full control to [[Johnny Valiant|"Luscious Johnny" Valiant]]. At WrestleMania, Hart also managed [[King Kong Bundy]] as he defeated [[S. D. Jones]]. Hart later traded Bundy's contract to [[Bobby Heenan|Bobby "the Brain" Heenan]] for [[The Missing Link (wrestler)|The Missing Link]] and [[Adrian Adonis]]. He helped the latter to establish his "Adorable Adrian" gimmick. Hart also managed Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart. 1985 also marked the appearance of the legendary [[Bret Hart|Bret "Hitman" Hart]]. Jimmy Hart teamed him up with Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart to form the [[Hart Foundation]]. On January 26, 1987, Hart guided the Hart Foundation to the [[World Tag Team Championship (WWE)|WWF World Tag Team Title]], which they won from the [[The British Bulldogs|British Bulldogs]]. Disgraced-referee-turned-wrestler [[Dangerous Danny Davis|Danny Davis]] was also managed by Jimmy Hart.

In 1985, Hart took the Funk Family under his wing. The Funks included [[Terry Funk]] and [[Dory Funk Jr.|Hoss Funk]], as well as their [[kayfabe]] brother [[Jimmy Jack Funk]]. Hart wrestled on house shows with the Funks. On July 12, 1986, Hart won a battle royal to receive $50,000 at [[Madison Square Garden]]. When The Honky Tonk Man turned heel, Hart became his manager. In this position, Hart was nicknamed "the Colonel" in reference to [[Colonel Tom Parker]], the manager of [[Elvis Presley]]. With Hart in his corner, the Honky Tonk Man captured the Intercontinental Heavyweight Title from [[Ricky Steamboat|Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat]] on June 2, 1987, and held it until August 1988. During that time, the Honky Tonk Man feuded with [[Randy Savage]] and his manager [[Miss Elizabeth]]. "The Colonel" moniker stuck with him for years, even after the Honky Tonk Man departed the company in early 1991. At [[WrestleMania III]], Hart was involved in three matches and took some incredible bumps during the show. His first appearance was with "Adorable" Adrian Adonis, who fought [[Roddy Piper|Rowdy Roddy Piper]]. Then came the six-man tag match, pitting the Hart Foundation and Danny Davis against the Bulldogs and Tito Santana. Jimmy Hart's third appearance on the show was when [[The Honky Tonk Man]] fought [[Jake Roberts|Jake "the Snake" Roberts]], who had rock legend [[Alice Cooper]] in his corner. Following that match, Hart was left alone in the ring, where Roberts and Cooper teamed up to terrorize him with Roberts' pet snake Damien. Also in 1987, Hart managed the [[WWF Women's Tag Team Championship|WWF Women's Tag Team champions]] [[Judy Martin (wrestler)|Judy Martin]] and [[Leilani Kai]], known as [[The Glamour Girls]]. Martin and Kai mostly feuded with the Japanese team the [[Jumping Bomb Angels]] ([[Noriyo Tateno]] and [[Itsuki Yamazaki]]).

Hart was named ''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'''s [[PWI Manager of the Year|Manager of the Year]] in 1987, an award he won again in 1994. At [[WrestleMania IV]], Hart received a haircut from [[Brutus Beefcake|Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake]], after interfering in the [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship]] match between Beefcake and the Honky Tonk Man, helping Honky Tonk Man retain the title by getting disqualified. When the [[Hart Foundation]] fired Hart as manager (and [[turn (professional wrestling)|turned]] face) in 1988, Hart managed [[The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers]] to feud with his former team; the [[List of professional wrestling terms#A|angle]] was that Hart still retained the managerial rights to his former team and gave a portion of it to the Rougeaus, giving them the right to appear at ringside whenever the Hart Foundation wrestled. At [[SummerSlam (1988)|SummerSlam 1988]], Hart accompanied [[Demolition (professional wrestling)|Demolition]] and [[Mr. Fuji]] to help retain their WWF Tag Team title against the [[Hart Foundation]]. [[Bill Eadie|Ax]] used Hart's megaphone as a foreign object to strike Bret in the head and secure the victory. In 1989, Hart brought [[Dino Bravo]] into his stable after the departure of [[Jean Gagné|Frenchy Martin]]. Then, at a push-up contest between the [[The Ultimate Warrior|Ultimate Warrior]] and Bravo, Hart and Bravo invited a large 460-pound man from the audience – later known as [[John Tenta|Earthquake]] – into the ring to sit on the contestants' backs. Earthquake had been planted in the audience by Hart and Bravo, and they eventually teamed up against the Warrior. In 1990, Hart groomed Earthquake to be the man to beat [[Hulk Hogan]]. Hart continued his war with his former tag team, the Hart Foundation. In 1990, he combined his protégés Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine into the short-lived team of [[Rhythm and Blues (professional wrestling)|Rhythm and Blues]], though they had teamed previously as themselves when facing the Hart Foundation at [[WrestleMania V]]. In 1991, he managed [[The Nasty Boys]] to defeat the Hart Foundation for the WWF World Tag Team title at [[WrestleMania VII]], this time using a motorbike helmet as a weapon.

When the Nasty Boys lost the title to the [[The Road Warriors|Legion of Doom]] at [[SummerSlam 1991]], Hart sent [[The Natural Disasters]], a team formed out of Earthquake and his former opponent [[Fred Ottman|Typhoon]] (formerly known as Tugboat), to depose the new champions. The Natural Disasters failed to take the title, which led to Hart forming a new team in early 1992: [[Money Inc.]], composed of Hart's protégé [[Mike Rotunda|I.R.S.]] and [[Ted DiBiase|"the Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase]]. Money, Inc. defeated the L.O.D. Their title win led to the split between Hart and The Natural Disasters, who, as [[Face (professional wrestling)|face]]s, feuded with Money Inc. and exchanged the tag team titles twice in 1992. Their biggest match came at [[WrestleMania VIII]] when Money Inc. retained their titles by leaving the ring and forcing a count-out. In 1991, Hart had also brought in [[Jacques Rougeau|The Mountie]], who had a short reign as Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion in early 1992 after defeating Bret Hart on January 17, then losing it just two days later to Rowdy Roddy Piper at the [[Royal Rumble (1992)|Royal Rumble]]. A few months earlier, The Mountie feuded with the [[Big Boss Man (wrestler)|Big Boss Man]] over who was the "law and order" in the WWF. Their feud culminated in a match at [[SummerSlam (1991)|SummerSlam]] where the loser (in this case The Mountie) had to spend the night in a [[New York City|New York]] jail. Late in 1992, Money Inc. regained the tag team titles from the Natural Disasters, leading to the Nasty Boys turning on their manager, as he had repeatedly substituted them for Money Inc. in title matches.

Hart broke with Money Inc. early in 1993 and turned face when the team attacked [[Brutus Beefcake|Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake]]. In the storyline, Hart, conscious of Beefcake's extensive facial injuries from a [[Legit (professional wrestling)|real-life]] parasailing accident three years prior, which required extensive reconstructive surgery to Beefcake's face and all but ended his full-time career, felt that his team went too far and tried to stop them. Hart even went so far as to cover an unconscious Beefcake with his own body to stop them from doing more harm. Beefcake's long-time friend [[Hulk Hogan]] came out the following week and expressed gratitude to Hart for his uncharacteristically heroic actions. He managed both Beefcake and Hogan, who at [[WrestleMania IX]] lost to Money Inc by disqualification. Later in the show, Hart for the first time would be the manager of the [[WWE Championship|WWF World Heavyweight Champion]] when Hogan accepted an impromptu challenge by [[Mr. Fuji]], the manager of the new champion [[Yokozuna (wrestler)|Yokozuna]], who had just defeated Bret Hart for the belt. Hogan would defeat the {{convert|505|lb|0|abbr=on}} new champion in a short match. At [[King of the Ring (1993)|King of the Ring]], Hart was in Hogan's corner as he lost the WWF World Heavyweight Title back to Yokozuna. This appearance was Hart's last in the WWF, as he, Beefcake, and Hogan all departed the company.

===World Championship Wrestling (1994–2001)===
[[File:Günther Wagner trifft Hulk Hogan.jpg|thumb|Hart with [[Hulk Hogan]] in 1994]]
Following their departure from the WWF, Hogan and Hart briefly toured Mexico. After their return, Hart wrote music and occasionally appeared on Hogan's television show, ''[[Thunder in Paradise]]''. Hogan then had Hart manage him when they went to [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW). At [[Bash at the Beach (1994)|Bash at the Beach]] in 1994, Hart managed Hogan to win his first [[WCW World Heavyweight Championship|WCW World Heavyweight Title]] by defeating [[Ric Flair|"the Nature Boy" Ric Flair]].

At [[Halloween Havoc 1995|Halloween Havoc]] in 1995, Hart turned on Hogan to help [[Big Show|The Giant]]. Hart also became the manager of the evil [[List of professional wrestling terms#F|faction]], [[the Dungeon of Doom]], created by [[Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)|Kevin Sullivan]]. During that era, he managed Ric Flair to a 12th world title victory over Macho Man Randy Savage at [[Starrcade (1995)|Starrcade '95]]. After the demise of the Dungeon of Doom in July 1997, Hart was written off television for a few months, and then Hart returned in November 1997 to only manage [[The Faces of Fear]], then in 1998, Hart recreated [[The First Family (professional wrestling)|The First Family]]. After the demise of the First Family, Hart was placed in charge of [[List of professional wrestling terms#B|booking]] [[TBS (U.S. TV channel)|TBS]]'s ''[[WCW Saturday Night]]'' show prior to the program's cancellation. Hart wrestled on April 18, 1999, to defeat [[Bubba the Love Sponge]] by disqualification at a house show. On November 15, he wrestled [[WCW Monday Nitro]], losing to [[Norman Smiley]] in a Hardcore match. At [[Spring Stampede 2000|Spring Stampede]] in 2000, Hart faced radio personality [[Mancow Muller|Mancow]]. The two had a rematch later in the year at [[Mayhem 2000|Mayhem]]. In February 2001, Hart joined WCW's booking committee.

===Independent circuit; Wrestlicious (2002–present)===
[[File:Lance Hoyt and Jimmy Hart.jpg|thumb|Hart posing with [[Lance Hoyt]]]]
After the sale of WCW to the then rival WWF, Hart and a close consortium of wrestlers and investors decided to create a wrestling organization called the [[Xcitement Wrestling Federation]] (XWF), which would replace WCW as well as take wrestling back to the early 1990s style of fun, family-oriented entertainment with minimal story lines and more solid wrestling.{{cn|date=September 2025}} In 2002, Hart restarted his feud with [[Jerry Lawler]] by buying, for the XWF, part of the upstart [[Memphis Wrestling]] promotion. Hart would wrestle for Memphis Wrestling from 2003 to 2005. He lost to [[Jimmy Valiant]] in a Loser Eats Dog Food match on August 2, 2003. In 2007, Hart appeared at the [[PMG Clash of Legends]]. On November 7, 2008, Hart appeared at the Jerry "The King" Lawler 35th anniversary event. He also made a few appearances with [[Florida Championship Wrestling]], WWE's developmental territory, as a color commentator in 2008. He made multiple appearances for [[WrestleMania Axxess]] during the week leading up to [[Wrestlemania 25|The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania]].

In May 2006, Hart traveled to The Funking Conservatory, owned by [[Dory Funk Jr]] and Marti Funk, to shoot promos with the students. His most notable ones were with Studio Sar Ah, in which he discusses his move from [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] to [[TNA Wrestling]], as well as [[Wrestlicious]]. Both promos can be found on the Studio Sar Ah fan page on Facebook and as well as YouTube. Hart continues to work at the school and shoot promos. On January 19, 2010, Hart announced that his all-female wrestling promotion [[Wrestlicious]] would be premiering on [[MavTV]] and [[BiteTV]] on March 1, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwinsider.com/article/44446/wrestlicious-issues-official-press-release-touting-tv-clearances.html?p=1|title=Wrestlicious issues official press release touting TV clearances|last=Johnson|first=Mike|date=January 19, 2010|access-date=2010-02-03|publisher=PWInsider|archive-date=December 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226195347/http://www.pwinsider.com/article/44446/wrestlicious-issues-official-press-release-touting-tv-clearances.html?p=1|url-status=live}}</ref> He wrestled at [[Pro Wrestling Guerrilla]]'s [[WrestleReunion|Kurt RussellReunion II: The Reunioning]] in a battle royale won by [[Roddy Piper]]. On January 12, 2012, he wrestled at PWS WrestleReunion VI in a battle royale won by [[The Godfather (wrestler)|The Godfather]]. Hart currently appears at various professional wrestling conventions and autograph signings around the United States. He has appeared at many of the WrestleReunion shows, and also does various appearances as part of the VOC Nation wrestling radio program in Philadelphia on 1360 WNJC. Hart is a regular guest on the VOC Wrestling Nation radio program on WNJC.

===Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2003–2011)===
In October 2003 Hart made his debut for [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]] (TNA), hyping a match between [[Hulk Hogan]] and [[Jeff Jarrett]], which was eventually scrapped as Hogan decided to return to [[WWE]] instead.<ref name=oww/> On June 19, 2005, at [[Slammiversary (2005)|Slammiversary]] pay-per-view, [[The Naturals]] were assisted in a title defense against [[Team Canada (TNA)|Team Canada]] by Hart, who ran to ringside and threw his [[megaphone]] to [[Chase Stevens]], who hit [[Petey Williams]] with it and pinned him.<ref name=oww/> Hart acted as the manager of The Naturals until October 3, 2005. On February 14, 2010, at [[Against All Odds (2010)|Against All Odds]], Hart made his return to TNA as a [[Heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] by helping The Nasty Boys defeat [[Dudley Boyz|Team 3D]] in a tag team match.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/PPV_Reports_5/article_39033.shtml|title=CALDWELL'S TNA AGAINST ALL ODDS PPV REPORT 2/14: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of A.J. Styles vs. Samoa Joe, Nastys vs. 3D|last=Caldwell|first=James|date=February 14, 2010|publisher=PWTorch|access-date=2010-02-14|archive-date=April 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410214957/http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/PPV_Reports_5/article_39033.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> The alliance, however, was short-lived, as on March 29, 2010, news broke that the Nasty Boys had been released by TNA following an incident at a TNA function with [[Spike (TV channel)|Spike]] executives present.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_39854.shtml|title=TNA News: Nasty Boys reportedly released by TNA|last=Caldwell|first=James|date=March 29, 2010|work=PWTorch|access-date=2010-03-30|archive-date=October 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023131042/http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_39854.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1269909904 |title=Report: The Nasty Boys gone from TNA |last=Martin |first=Adam |date=March 29, 2010 |work=WrestleView |access-date=2010-03-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100402085122/http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1269909904 |archive-date=April 2, 2010 }}</ref> Hart stayed with the company following the incident, but his role was unknown. Hart was seen on the January 20, 2011, edition of ''Impact!'', when [[Kurt Angle]] yelled at him to play his entrance music upon entering the [[TNA Impact! Zone|Impact! Zone]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/tnaimpact/article_46946.shtml|title=Caldwell's TNA Impact report 1/20: Complete review of Impact on Spike – RVD & Anderson vs. Beer Money, The Angle and Jarrett Show, X Title match|last=Caldwell|first=James|date=January 21, 2011|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=2011-03-02|archive-date=January 23, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110123183452/http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/tnaimpact/article_46946.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Return to WWE (2011–present)===
[[File:Jimmy Hart April 2014.jpg|thumb|upright|Hart, with his signature megaphone, in April 2014]]
On March 1, 2011, it was reported that Jimmy Hart had left [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]] and re-signed with [[WWE]] to work on [[WrestleMania]]-related projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1299019694 |title=Report: Jimmy Hart headed back to WWE |last=Martin |first=Adam |publisher=WrestleView |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305024925/http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1299019694 |archive-date=March 5, 2011 }}</ref> Hart has since hosted various [[house show]]s. On August 14, 2011, Hart made an appearance at [[SummerSlam (2011)|SummerSlam]], teasing a managerial position with [[Ron Killings|R-Truth]] during a backstage segment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Arena_Reports_10/article_50411.shtml|title=5/27 WWE results in Winnipeg, Canada: Cena vs. Miz vs. Truth main event, Hart hosts, Rey vs. Del Rio|publisher=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=June 6, 2011|archive-date=May 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530085327/http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Arena_Reports_10/article_50411.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> On April 10, 2012, Hart made an appearance on SmackDown: Blast from the Past, where he managed the team of [[Heath Slater]] and [[Tyson Kidd]], but ended up getting the mandible claw from [[Mick Foley]].

As of April 30, 2014, Hart was part-owner of "Hogan's Beach", a wrestling-themed tiki-bar in Tampa, Florida. As of April 2014, Hart was a regular cast member on the [[WWE Network]] original reality show [[WWE Legends' House|Legends' House]].

In April 2017, Hart purchased a beachfront property in Daytona Beach, Florida, and opened "Jimmy Hart's Hall of Fame Bar and Tiki Deck", a beach-themed bar.{{cn|date=September 2025}}

On January 4, 2021, he made an appearance on the RAW Legends Night, where he was involved in a segment with [[Hulk Hogan]], [[Drew McIntyre]], and [[Sheamus]].{{cn|date=September 2025}}

On January 23, 2023, Hart appeared on [[WWE Raw is XXX]], the 30th anniversary edition of [[Monday Night Raw]], accompanying Hulk Hogan to open the show.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hulk Hogan, Jimmy Hart kick off WWE Raw anniversary show {{!}} Fox News |url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/hulk-hogan-jimmy-hart-kick-wwe-raw-anniversary-show.amp |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=www.foxnews.com |archive-date=January 7, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250107034639/https://www.foxnews.com/sports/hulk-hogan-jimmy-hart-kick-wwe-raw-anniversary-show.amp |url-status=live }}</ref> On January 6, 2025, Hart once again accompanied Hogan during the [[WWE Raw premiere on Netflix|Raw debut on Netflix]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-06 |title=Hulk Hogan Reportedly Set To Appear At WWE Raw On Netflix Premiere |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/rumors/hulk-hogan-reportedly-set-to-appear-at-wwe-raw-on-netflix-premiere |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Wrestling On Fannation |language=en-US |archive-date=January 7, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250107034639/https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/rumors/hulk-hogan-reportedly-set-to-appear-at-wwe-raw-on-netflix-premiere |url-status=live }}</ref>  On May 24, 2025, he was shown alongside [[Bushwhacker Luke]] in the crowd during [[Saturday Night's Main Event#Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIX|Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIX]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leilani Kai, Bushwhacker Luke, Tatanka, Jimmy Hart Attend WWE Saturday Night's Main Event {{!}} Fightful News |url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/leilani-kai-bushwhacker-luke-tatanka-jimmy-hart-attend-wwe-saturday-night-s-main-event?amp |access-date=2025-05-25 |website=www.fightful.com |date=May 25, 2025 }}</ref>

On July 25, 2025, Hart made an appearance on SmackDown during the tribute to [[Hulk Hogan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=read |first=Matt Black·1 min |date=2025-07-25 |title=WWE Bringing In Multiple Legends For Hulk Hogan SmackDown Tribute Show |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/article/wwe-bringing-multiple-legends-hulk-194958666.html |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=Yahoo Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> He was also in attendance at the first ever [[Real American Freestyle]] event which was held on August 30, 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/BookProWrestlers/posts/jimmy-hart-was-there-last-night-at-real-american-freestyle-wrestling-loyal-to-hu/1228918025947214/|title=Jimmy Hart was there last night at Real American Freestyle Wrestling — loyal to Hulk Hogan in death, the same way he was loyal to him in life. Their friendship was one of the strongest bonds in wrestling. Jimmy always lit up when he talked about Hulk, and that loyalty didn't stop when Hulk passed. Just like Hulk would have been there for him, Jimmy showed up for his best friend one more time.|author=Book Pro Wrestlers|publisher=Facebook|date=August 31, 2025|accessdate=September 5, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/199933/pro-wrestling-personalities-at-raf-more.html?p=1|title=Pro Wrestling Personalities At RAF & More|first=Mike|last=Johnson|publisher=PWInsder|date=August 30, 2025|accessdate=August 30, 2025}}</ref>

==Other media==
His book, ''The Mouth of the South'', was released on November 18, 2004.{{cn|date=September 2025}}

===Music===
During his years in the professional wrestling business, Hart composed many theme songs for wrestlers in the WWF and WCW. Some of the wrestlers for whom he composed music were Honky Tonk Man, [[Jimmy Snuka]], [[Brutus Beefcake|Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake]], The Rockers, The Hart Foundation, Crush, the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers, [[Dusty Rhodes]], [[The Road Warriors|the Legion of Doom]], the Nasty Boys, Ted DiBiase, the Mountie, Hulk Hogan, [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]], the [[New World Order (professional wrestling)|nWo Wolfpac]], [[3 Count]] and [[Big Boss Man]]. He also composed the themes for ''[[SummerSlam '88]]'' (which was later reused as the theme for many early ''[[WWE Royal Rumble|Royal Rumble]]'' events) and ''[[WrestleMania VI]]'' (which was later used for the [[WrestleMania VII|seventh]], [[WrestleMania VIII|eighth]], [[WrestleMania IX|ninth]], and [[WrestleMania X|tenth]] events).<ref name="wwemagjuly07">{{cite journal|title=Amazing But True..|journal =WWE Magazine|issue=13|page=23|date=July 2007}}</ref>

In the late 1980s, Hart released a music album titled ''Outrageous Conduct''. The release consisted of comical songs done in character, such as "Barbra Streisand's Nose" and "Eat Your Heart Out Rick Springfield" (the latter of which would become Hart's solo theme song in WWE). In 1995, [[Hulk Hogan]] released the album "[[The Wrestling Boot Band#Hulk Rules|Hulk Rules]], on Select Records."<ref name=hh256>Hulk Hogan. "Hollywood Hulk Hogan" (p.256)</ref> Hart, as well as Hogan's wife, were a part of the band [[The Wrestling Boot Band]] and helped write and sing many of the album's songs.<ref name=hh256/>

===Television appearances===
In September 2007, Hart appeared on an episode of ''[[The People's Court]]'' as a witness for a defendant. Hart is a close friend of Hulk Hogan and is featured on many episodes of Hogan's [[VH1]] [[Reality television|reality series]], ''[[Hogan Knows Best]]''. Hart was also a judge on ''[[Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling]]''. Hart also appears in hair restoration advertisements for Medical Hair Restoration, as a client. He also does a comedic women's wrestling show called Wrestlicious, which can be viewed at Wrestlicious.com. Hart appeared on the [[WWE Legends' House]]. Hart has appeared a few times in Hulk Hogan's TV show [[Thunder in Paradise]]. He also sang the intro music for the episode "Deadly Lessons, Pt. 1".{{cn|date=September 2025}}

== Discography ==
Album:
* ''Outrageous Conduct'' ''(1985)''{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}}

Single:
* ''Eat your Heart out Rick Springfield'' (1983){{cn|date=September 2025}}

==Championships and accomplishments==
[[File:Jimmy Hart April 2018 crop.jpg|thumb|upright|Hart at the [[WWE Hall of Fame (2018)|WWE Hall of Fame]] in 2018]]
*'''[[American Wrestling Association]]'''
**[[AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship]] (1 time)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/cwa/awa-s-h.html |title=NWA (Mid-America)/AWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Tennessee) |website=Wrestling-titles.com |access-date=2016-12-27 |archive-date=April 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405083449/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/cwa/awa-s-h.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
*'''[[Cauliflower Alley Club]]'''
**[[Cauliflower Alley Club#2015|Manager's Award]] (2015)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/list-of-cac-award-winners/ |title=List of CAC Award Winners &#124; Cauliflower Alley Club |access-date=September 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140413080042/http://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/list-of-cac-award-winners/ |archive-date=April 13, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
*'''[[Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame]]'''
**Class of 2017<ref>{{cite web |title=Next Official Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony |website=Official Memphis Wrestling |url=https://memphis-wrestling.jimdosite.com/hall-of-fame/ |access-date=22 September 2021 |archive-date=November 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130155539/https://memphis-wrestling.jimdosite.com/hall-of-fame/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
*'''''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'''''
**[[PWI Manager of the Year|Manager of the Year]] (1987, 1994)
*'''[[WWE|World Wrestling Entertainment]]'''
**[[WWE Hall of Fame]] ([[WWE Hall of Fame (2005)|Class of 2005]])
*'''''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'''''
**[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Manager of the Year|Manager of the Year]] (1983)
**[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Best on Interviews|Best on Interviews]] (1984)
**[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame]] (Class of 2018)<ref>{{Cite web|author1=Solowrestling |url=https://solowrestling.mundodeportivo.com/new/77043-wrestling-observer-anuncia-los-nominados-para-el-hall-of-fame-2018|title=Wrestling Observer anuncia los nominados para el Hall of Fame 2018|date=December 20, 2018|website=Solowrestling.mundodeportivo.com|accessdate=February 5, 2021|archive-date=September 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925152504/https://solowrestling.mundodeportivo.com/new/77043-wrestling-observer-anuncia-los-nominados-para-el-hall-of-fame-2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite book|author=Hogan, Hulk|title=Hollywood Hulk Hogan|year=2002|page=[https://archive.org/details/hollywoodhulkhog00hulk/page/352 352]|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|isbn=0-7434-5690-4|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/hollywoodhulkhog00hulk/page/352}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Professional wrestling profiles}}
*{{IMDb name|0366352|Jimmy Hart}}
*[http://www.memphiswrestlinghistory.com/ Memphis Wrestling History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151128200127/http://www.memphiswrestlinghistory.com/ |date=November 28, 2015 }}

{{The Hart Foundation}}
{{WWE Hall of Fame}}
{{WWE personnel}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, Jimmy}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:American male singers]]
[[Category:American male songwriters]]
[[Category:American rock singers]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Jackson, Mississippi]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Memphis, Tennessee]]
[[Category:American professional wrestling executives]]
[[Category:Professional wrestling managers and valets]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Mississippi]]
[[Category:First Family (professional wrestling) members]]
[[Category:Hart Foundation members]]
[[Category:WWE Hall of Fame inductees]]