Wavy Gravy - Biography

Biography

Romney was born in East Greenbush, New York on May 15, 1936. He attended William Hall High School in West Hartford, Connecticut. In 1954, Romney volunteered for the military draft and was honorably discharged after 22 months in the United States Army.

Under the G.I. Bill, Romney entered Boston University Theater Department in 1957, then attended the Neighborhood Playhouse for the Theater in New York City. He worked at The Gaslight Cafe at night as poetry and entertainment director.

His early career was managed by Lenny Bruce. For a time he shared an apartment with singer-songwriter Tom Paxton in Greenwich Village, and Romney was one of Bob Dylan's earliest friends in New York City. One of Bob Dylan's girlfriends from the University of Minnesota, Bonnie Beecher, now Jahanara Romney, became Gravy's wife in 1965. They have a son, Jordan Romney (born in 1971 as Howdy Do-Good Gravy Tomahawk Truckstop Romney).

Manager Lenny Bruce brought Romney to California in 1962 where Romney did a live recording of Hugh Romney, Third Stream Humor as the opening act for Thelonious Monk at Club Renaissance in Los Angeles.