My dear friend Victoria Hallman from Hee Haw fame joins me to discuss the miraculous story of her new album, From Birmingham to Bakersfield, which was produced by the legendary Buck Owens. This one will give you goosebumps and blow your mind.
Also check out the book she co-wrote with her Hee Haw co-star Diana Goodman, Hollywood Lights, Nashville Nights.
Alabama native, born in Mobile, Victoria Hallman has spent virtually her entire life performing in the music business. At age four she was entered in a Shirley Temple look-alike contest on WAPI-TV in Birmingham. The host of the show thought that Victoria’s singing talent was such that he set up an audition at Heart Recording Studio, and within two years Victoria was in Nashville, signed to a record contract. She recorded ‘Send My Daddy Home’ backed with ‘Merry Christmastime,’ which was released on Briar Records in 1961.
While still in grammar school, Victoria performed on The Merv Griffin Show and The Steve Allen Show, and as a high school student, she toured as the female vocalist with popular rock bands — and also sang at the Republican National Convention for Richard Nixon — performing extensively throughout the southeast, notably, at Joe Namath’s in Birmingham, opening for Jerry Lee Lewis, Lou Rawls, and other legends, during which time, she became a finalist in the Miss Alabama Pageant, and later worked as the pageant’s vocal performance coach.
In 1972, while still in her teens, Victoria was invited by the University of Alabama to open for Bob Hope’s Homecoming show at Coleman Coliseum. Hope was so impressed with Victoria’s performance that he gave her his phone number and told her if she ever got to Los Angeles to give him a call. She did just that and became an opening act for Bob Hope.
Another great opportunity appeared when she was offered a chance to be one of Connie Stevens’ backing vocalists, as part of a trio that included the legendary Rolling Stones’ female vocalist, Merry Clayton.
Ultimately, Victoria’s time in California led to a chance meeting with Buck Owens. Before she knew it, she was in a dressing room singing ‘Help Me Make it Through the Night’ for Buck and just as suddenly she was on stage performing the song, backed by Buck and the Buckaroos. Owens hired her as his opening act and later as female vocalist with the Buckaroos.
Then came Hee Haw. Victoria would be a regular as one of the Hee Haw Honeys from 1979-1990. Remember Miss Honeydew? That was Victoria.
Performing with such personalities as Buck Owens, Roy Clark, Grandpa Jones, Lulu Roman and Minnie Pearl provided The years of wonderful memories that have now become Victoria’s best-selling memoir, Hollywood Lights, Nashville Nights: Two Hee Haw Honeys Dish Life, Love, Elvis, Buck and Good Times in the Kornfield.
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Author, musician, and speaker Paul Samuel Dolman interviews a variety of people on creativity, the arts, relationships, and spirituality.
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Great interview with my gracious friend Victoria!