Born on This Day in 1932, the Legendary Songwriter Behind a Storytelling Country Standard by Kenny Rogers and Hits for Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley

On December 9, 1932, Billy Edd Wheeler was born in Boone County, West Virginia. Unless you’re a diehard fan of folk and country classics, that name might not be entirely familiar. But chances are, you’ve definitely heard his work before. Specifically, Wheeler wrote the gorgeous country classic “Jackson”. That song was turned into a Grammy Award-winning hit for Johnny Cash and June Carter back in 1967. And his enormous list of accolades definitely doesn’t end there.

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The Legacy of Singer, Songwriter, and Artist Billy Edd Wheeler

Billy Edd Wheeler was an incredible talent, educated at Warren Wilson College and Berea College in the 1950s. In the early 1960s, Wheeler attended the Yale School of Drama with a focus on playwriting. His writing skills were a natural talent, it seems, as he went on to co-write the musical Hatfields And McCoys.

Outside of his work in folk operas, Wheeler wrote an enormous volume of music, starting in 1961. His debut album was Billy Edd: USA, an underrated work released under the label Monitor that didn’t chart. In fact, many of the albums released under Wheeler’s name didn’t chart, sans the No. 6 country hit, Memories Of America, from 1964. He was an incredible talent who seemed to shine when writing songs for others. I just wish that more of his own recorded work had gotten the love it deserved.

Just about everyone out there remembers “Jackson”, but the list of Wheeler’s accolades is actually quite long. “The Reverend Mr. Black”, one of Wheeler’s folk tunes from 1963, was recorded by The Kingston Trio. It became a Top 10 hit for the band. “High Flying Bird” from 1963 might also ring a bell, as it was first recorded by Judy Henske that year. This song has since been covered by many musicians, from Stephen Stills’ OG band Au Go Go Singers to Carolyn Hester to Richie Havens (who performed the song at Woodstock), among others.

“It’s Midnight” is another gem, released in 1974 by none other than Elvis Presley. “Coward Of The Country” is another recognizable country hit that Kenny Rogers recorded in 1979, and that song became a No. 3 hit on the Hot 100 chart.

Billy Edd Wheeler passed away in 2024 at the age of 91, and his memory will live on in the hearts of fans who enjoyed his music, as well as the hearts of his contemporaries.

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