Roni Stoneman (1938-2024) - Find a Grave Memorial

Comedian and Banjo Player. She is best known for her work on "Hee-Haw" from 1973 to 1990. Born into a legendary country music family, she was the twenty-second child out of twenty-three. Her father, Ernest V. "Pop" Stoneman, had the first million-copy-selling record in country music, with "The Wreck of the Titanic," in 1924. Roni learned to play banjo at a young age and began performing with her family as a member of the Stoneman Family band. At 30, she decided to pursue a solo career. In 1973, Stoneman's popularity grew when she joined the cast of the long-running syndicated television show "Hee-Haw." There she remained until 1990. On the show, she stole scenes with her skillful banjo playing and portrayal of Ida Lee Nagger, the rag-curled, gap-toothed country woman who was sometimes a matron and sometimes a spinster. All the while, Roni continued to perform alongside her older sister, mandolinist Donna Stoneman, even into her 80s. Continuing the tradition of a large family, Roni was the mother of seven children. She was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2021 as a member of The Stoneman Family.

Bio by: Peggy Chinault