Former televangelist Jim Bakker dies at 86
Jim Bakker, known for hosting The PTL Club and later convicted of fraud, died at 86, prompting statements from his wife and recalling his influence on several rock songs.
Jim Bakker, the former host of the Christian television program The PTL Club, died at the age of 86, his wife Lori announced on social media. She said he "went home to be with the Lord" and described his 66-year career preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Bakker rose to national prominence in the 1970s and 1980s with his first wife, Tammy Faye, broadcasting from a 2,500-acre theme park in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The show attracted millions of viewers and generated substantial donations, but the ministry collapsed in the late 1980s after Bakker was accused of sexual misconduct and later convicted of mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy. He received a 45-year sentence that was later reduced to eight years, and he was released in 1994.
His public profile and controversies inspired several rock songs, including Genesis's 1992 single "Jesus He Knows Me," Ozzy Osbourne's "Miracle Man," Iron Maiden's "Holy Smoke," Poison's "Something To Believe In," Frank Zappa's "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk," The Hooters' "Satellite" and Black Sabbath's "TV Crimes." In 1987 Tammy Faye Bakker released a song titled "The Ballad Of Jim & Tammy" that addressed the downfall of their ministry.
Bakker's death marks the end of a career that combined pioneering Christian broadcasting with a highly publicized legal scandal.