Victoria Hallman was born in Mobile, Alabama, but was raised in Bibb County. At the age of four, she entered a Shirley Temple contest at WAPI-TV. That appearance led to recording a song in Nashville, “Send My Daddy Home” in 1961. While in grammar school, she appeared on the Merv Griffin Show and the Steve Allen Show. Later, while in high school, she went on a national tour and even sang for Richard Nixon at the Republican National Convention in 1968. She graduated from Bibb County High School where she was also a majorette, then became a finalist in the Miss Alabama pageant and later became the pageant’s vocal coach.
Victoria stayed in Birmingham and joined a local band, ‘The Ramblers’ and, for a short time, was married to the band’s drummer, Johnny Robinson. She then went to another local band, Homestead Act and also sat in with Bob Cain and the Cain Breakers. She really admired Bob and his style.
Bob Hope did a show at the University of Alabama for homecoming at Coleman Coliseum and Victoria was asked to open for him. Hope was very impressed with her and urged her to come to Hollywood and contact him when she did. She soon left for California and became Hope’s opening act and would also open for other acts, including Connie Stevens. When she first decided to move, some businessmen in Birmingham got some money together to help her live on until she made it. She always joked that she was paid to leave.
After a while, she came back to Birmingham and became a staple at the Sho-Boat Lounge.
While she was in California, she had caught the eye of Buck Owens and before she knew it, she was opening for Buck and his Buckaroos. Buck also helped get Victoria on the cast of Hee-Haw, the very popular and long-running country comedy and music show, in 1979. Her stunning looks made her a natural and she used the character name of ‘Miss Honeydew.’ She appeared on Hee-Haw for 10 years.
Victoria currently lives in Nashville and, although retired, she is still very active. She sings whenever she can and was at Birmingham City Stages in 2009 and was backed by some old friends and bandmates from the Cain Breakers and the Bachelors.
Victoria has also been writing, both for magazines and, now, a book, which she has written about her life in the glitter and lifestyle of Hollywood and Nashville. The book has a title as long as Interstate 65, “Hee Haw Honey, Dianna Goodman entitled Hollywood Lights, Nashville Lights: Two Hee Haw Honeys Dish Life, Love, Elvis, Buck and Good Times in the Kornfield.”
Victoria still loves Birmingham and comes back whenever she can.