Press Release - For Immediate Use
Lulu Roman to Be Inducted Into America's Country Music Hall of Fame
LeMars, Iowa....."LuLu Roman was one of the most popular female stars on the show that replaced the Smothers Brothers.
'Hee Haw' became one of America's best tongue in cheek television shows....ever, and is still in re-runs on RFD-TV. You
might not recognize LuLu Roman today." says Bob Everhart, President of the National Traditional Country Music
Association. "She has lost over 200 pounds, and has shifted her entire life-focus toward Gospel music. As a matter of
fact, her latest release "At Last" features this woman's incredibly beautiful voice, teamed up with, no less than Dolly
Parton. They sing a very moving song "I Will Love you Always." Not just Dolly either, T. Graham Brown and Georgette
Jones (George's daughter) also helped on this project. To date, LuLu has released over 20 albums, all of them devoted
to gospel music and Christ's teachings. She is the recipient of a Dove award, and she is also a member of the Country
Gospel Music and Christian Music Halls of Fame. The TV-Land network also awarded Lulu with their prestigious
'Entertainer's Award.' It is with a great deal of humility and honor that we announce that Lulu Roman will be inducted
into America's Country Music Hall of Fame this year."
A native of Dallas, Texas, LuLu was born Bertha Louise Hable. Her unwed mother was ill and could not raise her. The
little girl was sent to live with her great-grandmother who wasn't physically able to raise her either, so the family
placed her in an orphanage shortly after birth. She was born with a thyroid dysfunction, and it would be in the orphans
home that she first endured the pain of being unaccepted because of her weight.
LuLu managed to get through high school, and worked for a time as a telephone operator, but an opportunity to become a
go-go dancer challenged her, and this was when she became known as LuLu Roman, as well as developing her comedy act.
She was one of the original cast members of Hee Haw. According to LuLu, she recalls that "Whenever Buck Owens and his
band would come to town, I and some of my girlfriends would go see the show. We became good friends with Buck, and he'd
say to me...."One of these days, you're going to be a big star, and I'm going to have something to do with that." When
they made a list of characters they wanted on Hee Haw, thy had listed "One fat dumb boy and one fat dumb girl.' Buck
said, "I've got your girl. She's in Dallas,' and they took his word for it."
Most people know LuLu as the most requested female cast member of the long running hit television series, and many know
her as an accomplished and celebrated songwriter, and as the singer who has been successfully making records for over 20
years. What some people might not know, is that during the first couple seasons of Hee Haw, LuLu's life off-camera was
dramatically different from what the public saw on Hee Haw. She was involved in drugs and this habit eventually led to
her arrest. She lost her position in the cast, but after she became a Christian and turned her personal life around,
she was allowed to re-join the show, and remained a part of it through the remainder of its run. LuLu's search for
happiness and acceptance, which had almost led her to her personal destruction, instead led her to God. Her strong
faith, combined with positive changes in her life, eventually resulted in a full pardon from the Governor of Texas, and
the ultimate reinstatement on Hee Haw.
Today, LuLu performs on the gospel circuit. She has two grown sons, Damon and Justin. Even though you might not recognize this 200 pound lighter woman, you will definitely recognize her beautiful gospel
voice. LuLu continues to perform music and stand-up comedy, and she also enjoys working with Compassion International,
a child-development organization that serves 1.2 million children in 26 countries. "I was born in a home for unwed
mothers and dumped in an orphanage," LuLu said, "I got a pretty good grip on what these kids are feelling."
LuLu Roman will be inducted into America's Country Music Hall of Fame on August 29th at the annual gathering of the
National Traditional Country Music Association. According to Bob Everhart, president of the NTCMA, "Lulu will be
inducted on our main stage at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds in LeMars, Iowa, where we hold our annual
convention-festival. This is all part of the Pioneer Ag Expo, and I represent right at 2,500 members of the NTCMA,
mostly rural folks, small town people, and regional everyday individuals that have over the years truly enjoyed LuLu
Roman's appearances on Hee Haw. We just inducted Patti Page, legendary singer of songs like the "Tennessee Waltz" just
before she passed away. Over the years (since 1976) we have been inducting deserving entertainers. It is with a great
deal of pride that we announce that LuLu Roman will not only be inducted into this upper Midwest country music hall of
fame, she will also receive the Rural Roots Music Commission's highest honor, their "Contemporary Country Gospel CD of
the Year" award. We're so proud of her accomplishments, against incredible odds, and her vocal renditions of gospel
songs is just unbelievable. We have ten stages of music from 9am to midnight every day for seven days (Aug 26-Sept 1),
and we'll have LuLu on the main stage for the Hall of Fame ceremonies. However one of our other stages is a 'strictly
gospel' stage, which we call our "Jesus Christ Church Without Walls" and hopefully LuLu will join our country pickers
and players for some good old-time gospel music there. We have lots of workshops and contests for those just starting
in country, bluegrass, and folk music, and we even have a large Tipi Vilalge located in an old pioneer ghost town
adjacent to our staging areas. We have a website that explains a lot about what we do located at www.ntcma.net and that also explains a lot about why we are so concerned about the music which originally emanated from rural
America. LuLu's photo and memorabilia will be on display at the Pioneer Music Museum which is located in Anita, Iowa,
once the ceremonies are completed.
ENDS