‘Hee Haw’ star and singer was 78

Lulu Roman, singer and comedic star of country variety show Hee Haw, has died. She was 78.

Roman died Wednesday in Washington, where she had recently moved to be closer to her son Damon, he confirmed to Entertainment Weekly.

“It is evident that my mother was loved by so many,” Damon said in a statement to EW. “Not just for her talent, but also for her personality and character. She was an exceptional woman who led an uncommon life and I will hold every memory of her dearly. She came to know herself through her fans and colleagues, which brought her an immeasurable joy. To all of you who feel her loss, know that her love was genuine and she is smiling down on you.”

Roman’s former publicist, Ben Laurro, also remembered her as a “genuine and empathetic friend,” as well as a “trailblazer” and “true overcomer” in a statement. “I had the privilege of working with Lulu on several of her projects, and despite the hardships she endured, they only deepened her appreciation for her faith in God, her love for life, and the blessings of her family and friends,” Laurro said. “Lulu thrived on sharing her gift of music and laughter, bringing joy to everyone she encountered.”

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“Lulu was beloved in the music industry and a trailblazer for women because she became a success even if she did not fit the typical mold of the time,” Laurro added. “But her sweet, emotional sound resonated deeply with audiences.”

Born Bertha Louise Hable in Dallas, Roman got her start as a go-go dancer in the Texas go-go scene but found fame as a comedic actress on the long-running CBS sketch comedy and country music variety show Hee Haw, making her debut on the first episode in 1969 and playing an eclectic mix of characters. She was often on the receiving end of weight-related jokes, having been born with a thyroid condition that made her a plus-sized actress during an otherwise unforgiving era.

Her turn on the show was born out of a friendship with the late country music superstar Buck Owens, who as co-host brought Roman to the attention of producers. “They needed one boy next door, one fat dumb man, one fat dumb woman,” Roman recalled in a retrospective interview last year. “Buck said, ‘I got your girl! She’s in Dallas!'”

Roman, who had been vocal about her struggles with drug use, left the show after she was arrested for drug possession in 1971, but experienced a rebirth after she discovered Christianity in 1973. She would rejoin the variety show, delighting audiences with not just her wry humor but her gospel vocals. Roman would go on to record over a dozen albums and duet with the likes of Dolly Parton and George Jones. She was granted a Dove Award by the Gospel Music Association in 1985 and inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999, among other accolades.

Roman’s other credits included spin-off Hee Haw Honeys, The Love Boat, and Touched by an Angel. She published a memoir, This Is My Story; This Is My Song!, in 2019. Roman is survived by her eldest son, Damon. Her youngest son, Justin, died in 2017.