Bonnie Baldwin Born:  August 19, 1924 Died:  July 30, 2008 WWVA Original Jamboree WMDO Moundsville, WV WMOD Moundsville, WV WWVA Wheeling, WV

About The Artist Ruth Evelyn Baldwin was a native of Coolville, Ohio, but moved several counties northward to the river town of Bridgeport, across the Ohio River from the city of Wheeling. She first joined forces with the WWVA group known as the Chuckwagon Gang led by Joe and Shirley Barker. But soon she became part of a duet with another young lady known as Millie Wayne, a sister (or perhaps half sister) of Calvin "Curley" Miller who led another Jamboree group. About the same time, she married a man named Benjamin R. Peters (on December 28, 1942 in Belmont, Ohio) who (born in Wheeling, WV) hailed from Monroe County, Ohio, several miles down river from Bridgeport. The couple had a daughter Shirley Jean. Ruth always used her nickname "Bonnie" on radio. Bonnie and Millie became known as the Radio Rangerettes and were quite popular, especially during the war years. The two also did solo work on WWVA as well. Bonnie's regular Jamboree years extended from 1943 until 1960, and sporadically thereafter. Millie left WWVA in 1952, but remained friends with Bonnie and a decade or so later they recorded an album together on Norman Kelly's Country Star label. Meanwhile, Bonnie did deejay work at WMOD Moundsville, West Virginia, south of Wheeling and also hosted a children's TV program in Steubenville where she sang between showing cartoons. In addition to her radio work and album with former partner Millie Wayne, Bonnie recorded a number of 78 and 45 rpm singles over the years. Sadly, none ever came close to being hits, although one single came out on the King label in 1969. One of her songs, "I'm the Children's Mother." was also recorded by fellow Jamboree artist Karen McKenzie (daughter of Doc Williams). Bonnie was active on the club scene well into the 1980's; David Allen Coe who later had several major hits was once a member of her band. Bonnie also appeared at numerous Jamboree Reunion shows over the years. At her death, she was buried in her husband's, home county, Monroe. Her husband was buried in a military grave; her headstone indicates she was buried with the Baldwin family. Credits & Sources Hillbilly-Music.com would like to express its thanks to Ivan M. Tribe, author of Mountaineer Jamboree — Country Music in West Virginia and other books that can be found on Amazon.com and numerous articles in other publications for providing us with information about this artist.

Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)

Bon Win
Rec. No.	Side	Song Title
15043	A	I'm the Children's Mother
15044	B	The Mockingbird
Country Star
Rec. No.	Side	Song Title
1049	A	Give Me a Chance to Be True
1049	B	Pills Won't Do You Any Good
1068	A	It's Pickle Time Again
1068	B	Big Mouth Martha Raye
5004	A	Darkness Paints the Picture
5004	B	Long Black Train-Comin?
5007	A	I'm the Children's Mother
5007	B	I Close My Eyes
Cozy
Rec. No.	Side	Song Title
294	A	I'll Just Yodel and Forget About You
295	B	I'll Never More Be Shackled to a Fool's Paradise
355	A	I Love the Way You Say Goodnight (with Fred Clark)
356	B	It Don't Cost Anything to Dream
King
Rec. No.	Side	Song Title
55-6227	A	You Talk with Your Eyes
55-6227	B	Move Over There Woman
Mountain Airs
Rec. No.	Side	Song Title
MMMA=0001	A	Cheat If You Must
MMMA=0003	B	Tales Of West Virginia
Polly Bee
Rec. No.	Side	Song Title
309	A	I Close My Eyes
309	B	Move Over There Woman (w/June and Evelyn)
Rangerette
Rec. No.	Side	Song Title
NONE	A	I Close My Eyes
NONE	B	It's So Wonderful