Hank Penny
Encyclopedia
Herbert Clayton Penny was an accomplished banjo player and practitioner of western swing. He worked as a comedian best known for his backwoods character "That Plain Ol' Country Boy" on TV with Spade Cooley
. He was married to country singer Sue Thompson
from 1953-63.
Penny was the leader of the Radio Cowboys, which featured guitarist Julian Akins, steel guitarist Sammy Forsmark, tenor banjo player Louis Damont, bassist Carl Stewart, and vocalist, guitarist, and fiddler Sheldon Bennett in the 1930s. At WLW Radio in Cincinnati during World War II, Penny formed the Plantation Boys, which included fiddler Carl Stewart, guitarist/bassist Louis Innis, fiddler Zed Tennis, and lead guitarist Roy Lanham.
Penny had three hits on the Billboard Country Singles chart, "Steel Guitar Stomp" (1946) an instrumental featuring both Noel Boggs on steel guitar
and guitarist Merle Travis
, "Get Yourself a Red Head" (1946), and his own composition "Bloodshot Eyes" (1950).
, who turned it into a major rock hit (King 4461). Harris was a big influence on Elvis Presley
, who did go to see him play and met him in his formative years and recorded Roy Brown
's Good Rocking Tonight after hearing Wynonie Harris' hit version. Appreciated by white country music fans and black rock and roll followers alike, "Bloodshot Eyes" became an early landmark in racial integration. It was much appreciated in the Caribbean, where Wynonie Harris had a large following. Along with other Wynonie Harris records, it was being played on Jamaican dancehalls as early as 1951. In 1958 Jamaican mento
group Denzil Laing and the Wrigglers recorded a fine version of it for their Arawak Hotel album featuring jazz guitar great Ernest Ranglin
. Bermuda Islands legend Sydney Bean also recorded it, releasing it circa 1955.
in 1949 and included jazz oriented sidemen in his band including guitarists Jimmy Wyble
and Benny Garcia. For a time in 1950 singer Jaye P. Morgan
was part of his larger band known as the Penny Serenaders.
Along with Amand Gautier, Penny co-founded the Palomino Club
in Hollywood in 1949. The club was open seven days a week, and on Monday nights, after the closing time, it was "open stage" to some of the most famous jazz musicians in the country.
In 1952, Penny began hosting his own local Los Angeles
series, The Hank Penny Show, which was canceled after only seven weeks.
By 1954, Penny had moved to Las Vegas
, where he began a seven-year run as a performer at the Golden Nugget
casino, fronting a band which included the likes of steel guitar virtuoso Curly Chalker
and at the same time, Roy Clark
, whose own comedy delivery was influenced considerably by Penny's onstage comic timing. Penny's band backed Clark on his first album for Capitol Records
.
Penny made a 1970s appearance with Peggy Conner on America 2-Night
playing a country husband-and-wife singing duo called Buck and Harriet Pine.
He is the father of actress Sydney Penny
and his son, Greg Penny, has produced albums for Elton John and K.D. Lang.
Spade Cooley
Donnell Clyde Cooley , better known as Spade Cooley, was an American Western swing musician, big band leader, actor, and television personality...
. He was married to country singer Sue Thompson
Sue Thompson
Sue Thompson is an American pop and country music singer. She is best known for the million selling hits "Sad Movies " and "Norman", both pop hits for her in the 1960s.-Early life:...
from 1953-63.
Penny was the leader of the Radio Cowboys, which featured guitarist Julian Akins, steel guitarist Sammy Forsmark, tenor banjo player Louis Damont, bassist Carl Stewart, and vocalist, guitarist, and fiddler Sheldon Bennett in the 1930s. At WLW Radio in Cincinnati during World War II, Penny formed the Plantation Boys, which included fiddler Carl Stewart, guitarist/bassist Louis Innis, fiddler Zed Tennis, and lead guitarist Roy Lanham.
Penny had three hits on the Billboard Country Singles chart, "Steel Guitar Stomp" (1946) an instrumental featuring both Noel Boggs on steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
and guitarist Merle Travis
Merle Travis
Merle Robert Travis was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the life and exploitation of coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons", "Re-Enlistment Blues" and "Dark as a Dungeon"...
, "Get Yourself a Red Head" (1946), and his own composition "Bloodshot Eyes" (1950).
Bloodshot Eyes
Penny's "Bloodshot Eyes" was also recorded in 1951 by rock and roll singer Wynonie HarrisWynonie Harris
Wynonie Harris , born in Omaha, Nebraska, was an American blues shouter and rhythm and blues singer of upbeat songs, featuring humorous, often ribald lyrics. With fifteen Top 10 hits between 1946 and 1952, Harris is generally considered one of rock and roll's forerunners, influencing Elvis Presley...
, who turned it into a major rock hit (King 4461). Harris was a big influence on Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, who did go to see him play and met him in his formative years and recorded Roy Brown
Roy Brown
Roy Brown may refer to:*Roy Brown , English professional footballer who was the first black player to play for Stoke City.*Roy Brown , English footballer...
's Good Rocking Tonight after hearing Wynonie Harris' hit version. Appreciated by white country music fans and black rock and roll followers alike, "Bloodshot Eyes" became an early landmark in racial integration. It was much appreciated in the Caribbean, where Wynonie Harris had a large following. Along with other Wynonie Harris records, it was being played on Jamaican dancehalls as early as 1951. In 1958 Jamaican mento
Mento
Mento is a style of Jamaican folk music that predates and has greatly influenced ska and reggae music. It has its roots in calypso and other Jamaican folk music. Mento typically features acoustic instruments, such as acoustic guitar, banjo, hand drums, and the rhumba box — a large mbira in the...
group Denzil Laing and the Wrigglers recorded a fine version of it for their Arawak Hotel album featuring jazz guitar great Ernest Ranglin
Ernest Ranglin
Ernest Ranglin O.D. is a Jamaican guitarist and composer. Best known for his session work at the famed Studio One, Ranglin helped give birth to the ska genre in the late 1950s...
. Bermuda Islands legend Sydney Bean also recorded it, releasing it circa 1955.
Jazz
A lifelong fan of jazz, Penny recorded "Hillbilly Be-Bop" for King RecordsKing Records (USA)
King Records is an American record label, started in 1943 by Syd Nathan and originally headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.-History:At first it specialized in country music, at the time still known as "hillbilly music." King advertised, "If it's a King, It's a Hillbilly -- If it's a Hillbilly, it's a...
in 1949 and included jazz oriented sidemen in his band including guitarists Jimmy Wyble
Jimmy Wyble
James Otis Wyble was an American guitarist, noted for his contributions to both jazz and Western swing. He was born in Port Arthur, Texas and died in Los Angeles, California....
and Benny Garcia. For a time in 1950 singer Jaye P. Morgan
Jaye P. Morgan
Mary Margaret Morgan , known professionally as Jaye P. Morgan, is a retired popular music American singer, actress and game show panelist.-Early life:...
was part of his larger band known as the Penny Serenaders.
Along with Amand Gautier, Penny co-founded the Palomino Club
Palomino Club (North Hollywood)
The Palomino Club was a music venue in North Hollywood, called "Country Music's most important West Coast club" by the Los Angeles Times. It featured such performers as Johnny Cash, Linda Ronstadt, Buck Owens, Patsy Cline, Delaney Bramlett, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Johnny Carver, Hoyt Axton,...
in Hollywood in 1949. The club was open seven days a week, and on Monday nights, after the closing time, it was "open stage" to some of the most famous jazz musicians in the country.
In 1952, Penny began hosting his own local Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
series, The Hank Penny Show, which was canceled after only seven weeks.
By 1954, Penny had moved to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, where he began a seven-year run as a performer at the Golden Nugget
Golden Nugget
Golden Nugget has several uses including:Casinos:*Golden Nugget Atlantic City in Atlantic City, New Jersey**"Golden Nugget" was also the original name of the ACH Casino Resort from 1980 to 1987*Golden Nugget Laughlin in Laughlin, Nevada...
casino, fronting a band which included the likes of steel guitar virtuoso Curly Chalker
Curly Chalker
Harold Lee Chalker , better known as Curly Chalker, was an American country and jazz musician and pioneering pedal steel guitarist...
and at the same time, Roy Clark
Roy Clark
Roy Linwood Clark is an American country music musician and performer. He is best known for hosting Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969–1992. Clark has been an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and helping to popularize the genre...
, whose own comedy delivery was influenced considerably by Penny's onstage comic timing. Penny's band backed Clark on his first album for Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
.
Penny made a 1970s appearance with Peggy Conner on America 2-Night
America 2-Night
America 2-Night is the continuation of the talk-show parody series Fernwood 2 Night. It ran from April to July 1978. As in Fernwood, Barth Gimble was the host and Jerry Hubbard was his co-host...
playing a country husband-and-wife singing duo called Buck and Harriet Pine.
He is the father of actress Sydney Penny
Sydney Penny
Sydney Penny is an American Daytime Emmy-nominated actress best known for the roles of Julia Santos Keefer on the soap opera All My Children and Samantha "Sam" Kelly on the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.She is of part Cherokee descent and raised in Chatsworth, California, the daughter...
and his son, Greg Penny, has produced albums for Elton John and K.D. Lang.
External links
- http://www.seattlewesternswingmusicsociety.com/hankpenny.htm
- http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artists/p/penn6500.htm