Gone is One of Country Music’s Most Beloved Grandmas
Old-time fiddler, mandolin and guitar player, and personality of Hee-Haw Ramona Jones has died. The long-time singing partner and comedic foil to Grandpa Jones passed away Tuesday, November 17th in Goodlettsville, TN, just north of Nashville. The two were married for 52 years until Grandpa Jones passed away in 1998. She later remarried and took the name of her second husband, Reverend W. Eugene Gober. Ramona was 91-years-old.
Born Ramona Riggins in Van Buren, Indiana, she learned how to play fiddle from her father, and was a self-taught multi-instrumentalist from a young age. By the time she reached high school, she was performing in music competitions. She met Louis Marshall “Grandpa” Jones after he returned from fighting in World War II while the two were working at the WLW radio station in Cincinnati. They decided to become a duo and moved to Nashville in 1947 to perform on the Grand Ole Opry, and later traveled all over the country and world to entertain people, including overseas to perform for service members from Italy to Korea.
Especially versed in the mountain-style of singing and fiddling, Ramona Jones may have been best known from her affiliation with her Grand Ole Opry member and Country Music Hall of Fame husband, but was quite the accomplished solo artist herself, releasing multiple albums including her 1974 debut Back Porch Fiddlin’ Vol. 1, and also wrote original songs such as “Old Troup Dog.” With Grandpa Jones, the duo contributed many notable compositions and duets to the country music canon, including “Dark as a Dungeon” and “Don’t Sell Daddy Any More Whiskey.”
Ramona Jones’ most recognizable contributions might have been as a regular on the long-running syndicated variety show Hee-Haw. Appearing as a performer beside Grandpa Jones, or sometimes in comedy sketches as Jones’ straight man (or woman), she became one of country music’s most beloved grandmas over the quarter century run of the show beginning in 1969. One of their most popular routines is when they would take tuned cowbells and play the melodies to well-known songs.
Ramona is survived by her 2nd husband Reverend Gober, three children, and two grandchildren.
November 20, 2015 @ 9:05 pm
I still have “Grandpa Jones live.” He was one of the most delightful entertainers, and Ramona truly was “amazing.”
November 20, 2015 @ 9:25 pm
🙁 RIP Ramona…
November 23, 2015 @ 12:08 pm
RIP Ramona Jones. I was just watching Hee Haw DVDs last night and vaguely remember seeing them playing together in one episode (I kept falling asleep, not the fault of the show, I was really tired).. One more slender thread holding the music to its heritage gone, it won’t be long before the division is complete, and then not much longer before it’s forgotten by all but what will be considered by that day, “country music nerds”, the way knowing about and loving ragtime music would be considered now. I wonder if by that time it will still be called “country” music, and if so, how anyone would explain why, what the connection to “country” would be?
November 15, 2018 @ 9:54 pm
I have a fiddle she signed and played makeup still on the chin grip .
March 9, 2021 @ 8:03 pm
Don’t ever let that go, man!
July 14, 2021 @ 12:05 pm
Maybe consider if Marty Stuart or Vince Gill might want to help to see if Nashville could use it for their rotating displays of country artists..they have all kind of instruments and all types of
memorabilia!
July 14, 2021 @ 7:08 pm
HUGH FITZPATRICK
JULY 14, 2021 @ 12:05 PM
Maybe consider if Marty Stuart or Vince Gill might want to help to see if Nashville could use it for their rotating displays of country artists..they have all kind of instruments and all types of
memorabilia!