| Guy Hovis | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Guy Lee Hovis, Jr. |
| Born | September 24, 1941 |
| Origin | Tupelo, Mississippi, United States |
| Genres | Southern Gospel, Big Band, Popular, Country |
| Occupations | vocalist |
| Years active | 1969-present |
Guy Lee Hovis, Jr. (born September 24, 1941), is an American-born singer[1] who, along with his former wife, Ralna English of West Texas, was one of the featured acts of television's The Lawrence Welk Show.
Born and reared in Tupelo, Mississippi,[2] he was the son of an officer from the Mississippi Highway Patrol. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Mississippi at Oxford. After a two-year stint in the Army, Hovis decided to try a career as a musical performer in Hollywood.
His first break came with an appearance on the House Party television program hosted by Art Linkletter on CBS; following that, he teamed with David Blaylock as the singing duo of Guy & David, which led to a recording contract with ABC Records. After the duo broke up, Hovis was a soloist again, performing in Los Angeles nightclubs such as The Horn in Santa Monica; it was there he met his future wife and singing partner Ralna English. They wed in January 1969.
Later that year, Ralna joined the Lawrence Welk Show as a solo singer; it wasn't until the show had its Christmas episode, later that year, that she convinced Welk to have Hovis on the show to sing a duet with her. He agreed, and the initial appearance, singing Little Toy Trains, led to more appearances. In time, Guy & Ralna became a regular member of the cast.
For the next twelve years, Guy & Ralna was one of the most popular duos on the show. Part of the act's appeal was the portrayal of Guy and Ralna as a happily married couple. After the show's run, Hovis continued to perform and added the duties of songwriter and record producer. He sang the title song "Too Many Yesterdays" for the movie Benji the Hunted.
In 1977, their daughter Julie was born. Hovis and English divorced in 1984 after fifteen years of marriage, though they still perform together occasionally in concert venues. In 2002, Hovis married Sarah "Sis" Lundy, and the couple resides in Jackson.
From 1990 to 2007, he had served as state director for former U.S. Senator Trent Lott.[3] The two have been friends since their college days at Ole Miss. On his days off, Hovis still continues to perform, at the Lawrence Welk Resort in Branson, Missouri, for pledge specials on PBS, or with Ralna at state fairs, concert halls and casinos.
Hovis sang Let the Eagle Soar, a song written by then United States Attorney General John Ashcroft of Missouri, at the second inaugural of U.S. President George W. Bush on January 20, 2005.