Penny DeHaven

A popular performing and recording artist, she shall be remembered for her numerous hit records, mostly from the 1970s. Raised in Winchester, she began her professional career on WWVA’s “Wheeling Jamboree” shortly after finishing high school and in 1967 started cutting records, originally under the name Penny Starr. Moving to Nashville two years later, she soon had what would probably be her biggest hit, the 1969 “Mama Lou”; Penny worked with both United Artists and Mercury and over the next decades joined Del Reeves for the 1970 “Land Mark Tavern”, released a 1972 eponymous debut album, ‘covered’ a number of other artists’ songs including the Beatles’ “I Feel Fine”, the Everly Brothers’ “Crying in the Rain”, and Billy Joe Royal’s “Down in the Boondocks”, and made a number of records with Country legends Porter Wagoner and Boxcar Willie. Penny made it to the silver screen a few times, her credits including 1971’s “Traveling Light” and the 1973 “Valley of Blood”, while on television she was seen on episodes of CBS’ “Hee Haw” and the 1974 flop “Funny Farm”. Busy on the stage, she appeared widely and was a regular at Nashville’s “Grand Ole Opry”. Following a 1979 conversion, she largely concentrated on Gospel music, though she did continue her country performances. Penny lived out her days in Atlanta, released the 2011 Christian collection “A Penny Saved”, and died of cancer. At her demise a number of her records were preserved on CD.