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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZPENNY, Hank(b Herbert Clayton Penny, 18 Aug. '18, Birmingham AL; d 17 April '92, Camarillo CA) Country music bandleader, vocalist: writer Ken Griffis described him as 'The Original Outlaw' in '82. He worked at WWL in New Orleans and on the Midwestern Hayride on WLW in Cincinnati Ohio, but was bowled over by what he called 'Texas fiddle music' and formed band the Radio Cowboys in the jazz-oriented 'western swing' style, modelled after Milton Brown's Musical Brownies. He first recorded for Art Satherley on OKeh Records '38 in Atlanta and popularized the style in the Southeast, his early sidemen incl. Boudleaux Bryant on fiddle, steel guitarists Noel Boggs and Eddie Duncan, all influenced by jazzmen. Signature song was 'Won't You Ride In My Little Red Wagon'; his biggest hit was probably 'Bloodshot Eyes' on King; he also recorded for Columbia, Decca and RCA: a Bear Family LP had RCA tracks from the early '50s, with several vocals by Jaye P. Morgan. In the '70s he had reverted to his other skill as a comedian in California. |