Herbert Clayton Penny was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 18, 1918, and became a notable banjo player and singer in the Western swing genre. His early career featured leadership of the Radio Cowboys in the 1930s, followed by the Plantation Boys at WLW Radio in Cincinnati during World War II. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1944, Penny formed larger Western swing ensembles, producing top-ten country singles such as "Steel Guitar Stomp" (1946) and "Bloodshot Eyes" (1950) on King Records, both of which reached number 4. He released albums including Hank Penny Sings (1958) and It's War Again! (Jazz War, That Is) (1959), collaborated with musicians like Jimmy Wyble and Roy Lanham, and hosted the television program The Hank Penny Show in 1952. Penny's influence extended to the co-founding of the Palomino Club in 1949 and his 1970s appearances on America 2-Night. He died of heart failure on April 17, 1992, at his Southern California home.
