Mervin Shiner

Mervin James Shiner (born February 20, 1921), sometimes credited as Mervin, Merv or Murv Shiner, was an American country singer, songwriter and guitar player known for his honky-tonk style. He was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and developed a love for music at a young age.[1][2] He is best known for his 1950 recording of "Peter Cottontail"[3] which reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #6 on the Billboard Country chart.[4] He also co-wrote the song "We Had All the Good Things Going" with Jerry Monday.

Shiner and his mother began singing on the radio every Sunday night. They were known as "Mervin Shiner and his Mother" and performed country and gospel songs for the program Western Roundup. Their popularity grew quickly in Pennsylvania, and during high school, Shiner hitchhiked to Easton, Pennsylvania once a week to perform an additional 15-minute program by himself.[2]

In 1949, after a successful audition, Shiner and his mother sang on a television program called the Hometown Frolic out of WATV in Newark, New Jersey. Vaughn Horton, a well-known songwriter, noticed Shiner and helped him secure a Decca recording contract. Shiner's songs made the Top 10, including "Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me," "Little Liza Lou," "Anticipation Blues," "An Old Christmas Card," "I Overlooked an Orchid" and "If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time." However, it was the children's song "Peter Cottontail" that really opened doors for Shiner. "Peter Cottontail" was released before Easter in 1950, and soon, Shiner was singing on the Grand Ole Opry with Hank Williams and Minnie Pearl. He went on to sing with or write songs for Dolly Parton and Charlie Pride.[3]

After recording "Cottontail," Shiner became immensely popular below the Mason-Dixon line as a standard on the Nashville circuit. Much of his career was spent touring the United States and living in Nashville. He recorded with the famous gospel quartet, The Jordanaires, and was even the star attraction of the Camel Caravan. He recorded for various labels throughout his career, including Coral, RCA Victor, Coffee House, MGM, Little Darlin', and Cetron, using the name Mervin, Merv, or Murv Shiner.

During the 1970s, Shiner lived in Tampa, Florida, and worked booking bands until he retired. He stopped performing regularly in 2004, but during 2014, at the age of 93, he performed most of his favorite songs at a Homecoming Anniversary concert in Bethlehem, Florida.[2]