11/20/2025
Lonnie Barron — the “Mississippi Farm Boy,” a hometown-hearted kid who went from pickin’ a $4.98 guitar to becoming a rising rockabilly star.
Lonnie grew up in Richton, Mississippi after his folks moved over from Louisiana. He left school at 14, not because he didn’t care about learning, but because times were tough and families pulled together back then. He worked wherever he could, and sang in church with his mama—his very first stage.
By twelve years old, Lonnie was already hustlin’ to pay for that first guitar. From there, the music never left him.
He served four years in the Air Force and kept right on playin’ wherever Uncle Sam sent him—Indiana clubs, Selfridge Air Force Base up in Michigan, and later on the radio at WSDC. Folks in those parts got to know his smooth country sound long before the rest of the world caught on.
Lonnie could play just about anything with strings—or keys for that matter. Steel guitar, mandolin, banjo, piano… and not a single formal lesson. Just pure God-given talent.
Sadly, his story took a heartbreaking turn in early 1957 when he was killed at his home, right as his star was rising. Friends said he didn’t smoke, didn’t drink, didn’t cuss, and read his Bible every night. He was helping his younger brothers through theological school and even bought his parents a cotton and to***co farm back home. A good man through and through.
At the time, folks said he was this close to signing with Columbia Records. Thousands lined up at his funeral home in Port Huron to pay respects to the boy in the white cowboy suit with the red piping—his trademark look. He was laid to rest back home in Richton at Sunset Cemetery, surrounded by neighbors, fans, and folks who just felt drawn to say goodbye.
Gone too soon, but not forgotten.
If you’ve never heard his music, do yourself a favor and take a listen. It’s pure country gold:
👉 CLICK HERE TO HEAR HIS MUSIC: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZk9Hr9acLo
*Thank you to Gene Phillips for telling me about this local veteran’s story.
