Uncle Pen (song)

"Uncle Pen"
Single by Ricky Skaggs
from the album Don't Cheat in Our Hometown
B-side	"I'm Head Over Heels in Love"
Released	June 1984
Genre	Bluegrass, country rock
Length	2:23
Label	Epic
Songwriter(s)	Bill Monroe
Producer(s)	Ricky Skaggs
Ricky Skaggs singles chronology
"Honey (Open That Door)" (1984) "Uncle Pen" (1984) "Something in My Heart" (1984)

"Uncle Pen" is a song written and originally recorded by Bill Monroe. Besides Monroe, the song was recorded by Porter Wagoner in 1956, Goose Creek Symphony in 1971, Michael Nesmith of The Monkees in 1973 on his solo album Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash, and Ricky Skaggs in 1984. The song was Skaggs' ninth #1 single on the country chart. The single went to #1 for one week and spent a total of 13 weeks on the country chart.[1] Bill Monroe played a character named "Uncle Pen" disappointed at the citification of Ricky Skaggs in the 1985 video for "Country Boy". The improvisational-rock band Phish has performed their version of "Uncle Pen" over 200 times in the band's 30+ year career.[2] Leon Russell recorded the song as "Hank Wilson" in 1973.

Content

The song was about Monroe's uncle and musical mentor, Pendleton Vandiver.

Chart performance

Porter Wagoner

Chart (1956)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3]	14

Ricky Skaggs

Chart (1984)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[4]	1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1984)	Position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[5]	20

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 315.
2. "Uncle Pen Every Time Played". Phish.net. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
3. "Porter Wagoner Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
4. "Ricky Skaggs Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
5. "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 1984". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2021.