Hillbilly-Music.com—The People. The Music. The History.
The Davis Twins
West Virgnia Music Hall of Fame (2020)
WMMN Sagebrush Roundup
WWVA Original Jamboree
WHAR Clarksburg, WV
WKBN Youngstown, OH
WMMN Fairmont, WV
WPDX Clarksburg, WV
WTIP Charleston, WV
WWVA Wheeling, WV

About the Group

About The Group

Natives of Perry County, Ohio, the Davis Twins started out their career by winning amateur contests in various communities in southeastern Ohio which they capped off by winning the talent contest at the Ohio State Fair in August 1938. This led to an appearance on the "Jamboree" at WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia where they became regulars a few months later. After a year or so they moved on to WMMN Fairmont and the "Sage Brush Roundup."

Sonny spent the latter part of World War II in the U. S. Navy while Honey returned to WWVA. When Sonny returned, they went back on the "Jamboree." Honey married George "Sleepy" Jeffers and from then on the Twins and Jeffers almost always worked in tandem, along with Jeffers' comic alter ego Little Willy/Uncle Willie.

In the fall of 1945, Honey left WWVA for a time and was broadcasting over WOWO in Fort Wayne, Indiana with her group. Texas Frank told readers her Radio Round-Up show was on each day for 45 minutes.

Promo Photo - Honey and Sonny Davis - Davis Twins - Hillbilly-Music.com Collection Autographed Promo Photo - Honey and Sonny Davis - Davis Twins - Hillbilly-Music.com Collection

Sonny and Honey, Davis Twins WMMN 1941 From 1947 they worked at WPDX for a few months and then went to the newly opened Charleston station WTIP.

The year 1948 found them working at a pair of Shreveport stations and made their first recordings on the now rare Pacemaker label.

Returning to Charleston and WTIP, the threesome had a popular daytime show, "The Magic Valley Jamboree," throughout the 1950's. In 1960, Buddy Starcher returned to Charleston and WCHS-TV for an immensely appealing daily morning show. The Davis Twins and Jeffers did periodic guest spots and by 1963 had become regulars.

When Starcher moved to Nashville in 1966, the program continued as the Sleepy Jeffers Show until April 1973.

Meanwhile, Sonny did disc jockey work at a radio station in St. Albans (a Charleston suburb) and owned a couple of drive-in restaurants.

While Honey, Sleepy, and their children-the youngest Linda (1961-2017) — had also worked on the TV show, resided in another suburb Elkview. Honey was in poor health in her last years.

The Twins were honored on their 90th birthday at the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame to which they were elected in March 2019 shortly before Honey's death.

Sonny is still living in June 2020, an elder statesman of the West Virginia country music scene.

Sonny and Honey, The Davis Twins Circa 1944

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.
  • Cowboy Music World News Roundup; Texas Frank; Cowboy Music World Vol. 02 No. 02 Sep/Oct 1945; Frank Karpinski; Beechurst, Long Island, NY

Sound Sample—(YouTube Video Format)


Peggy O'Neil

Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)

 
Cozy
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  304 A Highways Are Happy Ways
  Unknown B Unknown Title or Unissued
 
H & S
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  1371-45-7069 A I'm Rough Stuff
  1371-45-7069 B You And Me
 
Pacemaker
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  1008 A Daisies For My Darling
  1008 B Be My Dumpling Pie
 
Starday
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  45-319 A Pretending Is A Game (w/Sleepy Jeffers)
  45-319 B My Blackbirds Are Bluebirds Now (Sleepy Jeffers w/Davis Twins)
  45-7069 A I'm Rough Stuff
  45-7069 B You And Me