Sunshine Sue

Mary Higdon Workman “Sunshine Sue” 1911-1979

Sunshine Sue was the nationally known star of the wildly popular country music variety show, The Old Dominion Barn Dance. She was known as “Queen of the Hillbillies” through her appearances on live broadcasts coast to coast every Saturday night over WRVA radio from the Lyric Theater in Richmond.

As the nation’s first female radio emcee, Sue helped country music legends Chet Atkins, Earl Scruggs and the Carter sisters launch their careers. From 1946 to 1957, Sue played accordion and sang with her high school sweetheart husband John “Sugarfoot” Workman, singing homespun solos and duets.

Sue’s theme song was “You Are My Sunshine”. Sue and John had two children, Ginger Workman Stanley and Bill Workman.