Mervin Monroe - Lurleen Lumpkin

Lurleen Lumpkin (voiced by Beverly D'Angelo) is an aspiring country singer who is initially managed by Homer in "Colonel Homer". Homer discovers her in a redneck bar in the middle of nowhere and is amazed by her voice. He decides to help her launch a singing career, much to the chagrin of Marge. Grateful for Homer's help, Lurleen becomes attracted to him and tries to lure him with an erotic song called "Bunk with Me Tonight". Homer, who had been ignorant of this, suddenly realizes that managing Lurleen could hurt his marriage, so he quits as her manager. A saddened Lurleen sings a song called "Stand By Your Manager".

Lurleen's next appearance is in "Krusty Gets Kancelled", in which she is briefly seen in the center square of Springfield Squares. In an earlier episode, "Marge vs. the Monorail", a much rougher-looking Lurleen, voiced by Doris Grau, makes a brief appearance, in which it is revealed that she had been to the Betty Ford Clinic and "spent last night in a ditch". In this episode her voice sounds exactly the same as Lunchlady Doris's, rather than her soft, Southern voice she had when she was first introduced.

The nineteenth season episode "Papa Don't Leech" follows up on her story with her moving into the Simpsons' home and taking a waitress job at Moe's in order to pay a $12 million tax bill. It is revealed she has a father named Royce Boss Hogg Lumpkin, who was never much supportive of her and had been missing for years. Marge undertakes efforts to find him and reunite him with Lurleen. As soon as it happens, Lurleen writes a new, upbeat composition called "Daddy's Back", but Royce sells the song, taking the writing credits for himself (but altering some lyrics), to the Dixie Chicks. As soon as she learns of this, Lurleen confronts Royce and reveals the truth to the Dixie Chicks, who assault him with their musical instruments and invite Lurleen to join their tour. Lurleen ends up engaged to a man who looks very much like Homer (like her previous husbands did) and tours as an opening act for the Dixie Chicks.

Read more about this topic:  Mervin Monroe