Estrild Raymona Myers, known professionally as Ramona, was born to a teenage mother, Rachel DeCamp, and her husband, Raymond P. Myers, who was 17 years old at the time of her birth. Rachel and infant Ramona moved to Ashland, Kentucky, where Ramona's mother remarried Charles C. Payne. Ramona began her professional career at the age of 12, playing piano with a dance orchestra in Kentucky.
She soon moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where she attended St. Agnes Academy and developed a passion for music. Ramona became a staff pianist for station WDAF and later for Westinghouse station KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her appearances on the radio caught the attention of renowned bandleader Don Bestor, who engaged her as a featured singer and pianist for his recording and stage orchestra.
Ramona's success led to her own stage act on the vaudeville circuit, and she eventually joined WLW in Cincinnati, where she played on various programs. Her performances caught the attention of Paul Whiteman, who was looking for a new singer for his orchestra. Whiteman hired Ramona, and she became a regular member of his orchestra, recording and performing with him for five years.
During her time with Whiteman, Ramona became one of the most popular and glamorous performers in show business. She was known for her shapely figure, charming voice, and vivacious personality, and was often billed as "Ramona and Her Grand Piano." Ramona married Whiteman's arranger, Ken Hopkins, and the couple had a tumultuous relationship, with Ramona eventually suing Whiteman for breach of contract.
After leaving Whiteman's orchestra, Ramona sailed to Europe, where she headlined at Ciro's Club in London and gave a command performance for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She returned to New York and formed her own 12-piece all-male band, but eventually retired from show business to focus on her family. Ramona married announcer Al Helfer and had one daughter, Mona, who studied flute and voice at Denver University.
Ramona's husband's radio career surpassed hers, and the couple moved to Denver, where they were close to their daughter. After Al Helfer retired, they moved to Sacramento, California, where Ramona died at the age of 63 after an eight-month battle with cancer.
