Penny DeHaven born 17 May 1948

Penny DeHaven (born Charlotte DeHaven; May 17, 1948 – February 23, 2014) was an American country and gospel music singer and actress. At the beginning of her career, she recorded as Penny Starr.

Country entertainer Penny DeHaven was born in Winchester, Virginia. She sang and performed on local shows as a child, but moved to WWVA's Wheeling Jamboree during the mid-'60s after high school. Using the stage name Penny Starr, she became a favourite and recorded "A Grain of Salt" for the Band Box label in late 1966. The single placed modestly the following year.

After spending two years in Wheeling, she moved to Nashville to sign with Imperial in 1969. Two of her recordings hit the Country Top 40 that year: "Mama Lou" and "Down in the Boondocks."

 

 Changing labels to  United Artists, Penny DeHaven's biggest hit came in 1970 when "Land Mark Tavern" a duet with Del Reeves, hit number 20. Though DeHaven never re-entered the Top 40 again -- "The First Love" and "Don't Change on Me" came closest in 1971 -- she continued to record for United Artists and later Mercury, Starcrest, and Main Street.

DeHaven’s other singles included country remakes of such pop hits as Billy Joe Royal’s "Down in the Boondocks" (1969), The Beatles’ "I Feel Fine" (1970), The Everly Brothers’ "Crying in the Rain" (with Reeves, 1972), and Marvin Gaye’s "I'll Be Doggone" (1974). Her albums included 1972’s Penny DeHaven and 2011’s gospel collection A Penny Saved.

As an actress, she made two guest appearances on the long-running CBS-TV/syndicated TV show Hee Haw in 1972-73. She also appeared in the movies Travelling Light, Country Music Story, the 1973 horror movie Valley of Blood, and the 1974 short-lived TV series Funny Farm.

Following a 1979 conversion, she largely concentrated on Gospel music, though she did continue her country performances. She appeared in several films in the early '80s, and sang "Bayou Lullaby" for the soundtrack to 1980's Bronco Billy. DeHaven also guested on the Grand Ole Opry several times. Penny died after a long battle with cancer in Atlanta, Georgia on 23 February 2014; she was 65 years old. (Info edited from Wikipedia & AMG)