Benny Barnes

b. Benjamin M. Barnes Jnr., 1 January 1934, Beaumont, Texas, USA, d. 8 August 1985, Beaumont, Texas, USA. At the age of 15, Barnes, like his father and grandfather before him, was working in the Texas oilfields. He learned to play guitar and developed a love for country music, and actually played guitar on an early George Jones Starday recording. In 1956, after an oilfield injury, he began singing locally and joined Starday himself. The following year, he enjoyed a number 2 country hit with ‘Poor Man's Riches'. This led to him making appearances on the Grand Old Opry and becom...