Lulu Roman, 'Hee Haw' comedian who became a gospel singer after trading drugs for God, dies at 78

Lulu Roman, the “Hee Haw” comedian turned gospel singer, has died astatine 78 successful Bellingham, Wash., her lad Damon Roman confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter.

The “On the Battlefield” vocalist died Wednesday evening, according to a quality merchandise obtained by The Times. She called Mount Juliet, Tenn., her location for galore years, but was surviving with her lad successful Washington authorities erstwhile she died.

“Lulu Roman has been a beloved person for implicit 40 years,” state and bluegrass vocalist Ricky Skaggs said Thursday connected X (formerly Twitter). “We loved her. Such a talented person. A large entertainer, a large vocalist and a fantastic Christian lady. We volition miss her saccharine grin and large hugs.”

“Sing with the angels present saccharine friend!” vocalist Stella Parton tweeted.

“I loved her joyful attitude,” “God Bless the U.S.A.” vocalist Lee Greenwood said successful a statement. “She ever lifted everyone up and her dependable volition unrecorded connected everlastingly successful the state euphony community. She was a fable successful our manufacture and volition beryllium missed!”

Roman explained successful a 2024 interrogation that she was a “screamin’ crazy” comic performer successful Dallas portion clubs erstwhile “Hee Haw” was formed successful 1969.

She was calved Bertha Louise Hable successful Dallas successful 1946 astatine a location for unwed mothers, fixed up for adoption and raised successful an orphanage. Significantly overweight from comforting herself with food, she was ne'er adopted, according to Florida Weekly, alternatively getting hooked connected drugs erstwhile she was successful precocious school.

“I deliberation nutrient became my cause astir apt the time that they enactment maine successful the orphan’s home,” she told CBN erstwhile she was successful her 60s. “Sugar became my friend, due to the fact that it didn’t wounded me. And it didn’t speech backmost to me, it didn’t telephone maine names. I deliberation sweetener became a comfortableness to maine erstwhile I was precise young.”

A thyroid information didn’t help.

“I was the proverbial hippie,” she told Florida Weekly successful 2020, moving arsenic a heavy-set comedic go-go dancer. Country and gospel euphony weren’t connected her radar. “I was into the cause scene.”

Buck Owens, a celebrated instrumentalist person who successful the precocious 1960s was astir to beryllium connected “Hee Haw,” dropped her sanction for information by the folks casting the show.

“They needed 1 lad adjacent door, 1 abdominous dumb man, 1 abdominous dumb woman,” Roman said successful her 2024 chat with Nashville presumption WTVF. “Buck said, ‘I got your girl! She’s successful Dallas!’”

“And they took his word,” she said aft telling the aforesaid communicative connected the “Larry’s Country Diner” podcast successful 2021. Roman was formed connected the show, which would spell from a summertime replacement bid for “The Smothers Brothers” to a deed moving for 23 seasons. Roman appeared successful 158 of the show’s 352 episodes, including its archetypal and last.

She was missing from the corny drama amusement from aboriginal 1971 to 1973 aft getting arrested for cause possession and sentenced to clip down bars.

“What I was unconsciously trying to bash was termination myself,” she told Florida Weekly, admitting she utilized weed, speed, LSD and methamphetamine. “I tried galore times, but it ne'er worked out. I had nary thought that God had immoderate benignant of a calling connected my life.”

According to the outlet, successful 1973 she became a Christian and “Hee Haw” brought her backmost to sing gospel euphony connected the show. She yet released much than a twelve albums and sang with Dolly Parton. She was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame successful the precocious 1990s.

After acting successful the 1972 Robert Blake movie “Corky,” Roman appeared successful the “Hee Haw” spin-off “Hee Haw Honeys” successful the precocious 1970s and 2 episodes of “The Love Boat” successful 1983. In 2001, she showed up connected “Touched by an Angel.”

As the 2000s began, Roman could nary longer disregard her health, she told CBN. “I was astir 380 some-odd pounds. I was successful a scooter. I could not walk. My legs were successful trouble. My backmost was successful trouble,” she said.

“I came to the spot that I was 60 some-odd years old, astir 61, 62. I said, ‘Father, I can’t beryllium an effectual witnesser for you similar this. I can’t travel. I can’t basal up. I can’t breathe.’ And truthful I knew that I had to marque a change. I had to marque a beingness change.”

With lap-band country successful 2005 and a absorption connected information control, she dropped 200 pounds. The set was removed successful 2009, but she yet managed to support the value off.

“I was terrified. I was,” she told CBN. “But past I said, ‘Father, I’m going to spot you that you’re going to let maine to support this.’”

On Thursday, the singer’s erstwhile publicist Ben Laurro told People, “Lulu Roman was unsung. She endured overmuch adversity successful her beingness that helped her go a joyousness to others.”

Married twice, Roman is survived by her older son, Damon Roman, and successful 2017 was predeceased by her younger son, Justin Collin Roman.