Billy Edd Wheeler, the man behind many famous country songs, died on September 16, 2024. He was 91 years old when he passed away. His daughter Lucy told everyone that he died peacefully at home, with his family around him. This made many people who loved his music very sad.
who is Billy Edd Wheeler ?
Wheeler was very good at writing songs that other people loved to sing. Two of his most famous songs are “Jackson,” which Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash sang, and “Coward of the County,” which Kenny Rogers made popular. These songs were so good that many people still know them today, even though they were written a long time ago.
But Wheeler didn’t just write these two songs. He wrote many, many more. Lots of famous singers chose to sing his songs. Some of these singers were Elvis Presley, who was called the King of Rock and Roll, and Neil Young, who is known for his special voice. Even people who don’t usually sing country music, like Jefferson Airplane, sang Wheeler’s songs. This shows how good he was at writing songs that many different people liked.
Billy Edd Wheeler’s notable songs
Jackson (co-written with Jerry Leiber) – Made famous by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.
Coward of the County (co-written with Roger Bowling) – Performed by Kenny Rogers.
The Reverend Mr. Black (co-written with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller) – Performed by The Kingston Trio.
Desert Pete – Performed by The Kingston Trio.
Anne – Performed by Billy Edd Wheeler.
High Flyin’ Bird – Performed by Judy Henske.
The Coming of the Roads – Performed by Judy Collins.
Coal Tattoo – Performed by The Kingston Trio.
Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back – Performed by Billy Edd Wheeler.
It’s Midnight (co-written with Jerry Chesnut) – Performed by Elvis Presley.
Winter Sky – Performed by Billy Edd Wheeler.
Red-Winged Blackbird – Performed by Judy Collins.
After Taxes (co-written with Jerry Leiber) – Performed by Billy Edd Wheeler.
Blistered – Performed by Billy Edd Wheeler.
Don’t Hold Your Breath – Performed by Tommy Cash.
I Ain’t the Worryin’ Kind – Performed by Billy Edd Wheeler.
Jesus Was a Country Boy (co-written with Grover Carroll Norwood) – Performed by Bob Luman.
L.O.V.E. (co-written with Delroy Pottinger and John James Goodwin) – Performed by Billy Edd Wheeler.
Mose Rankin – Performed by Ed Bruce.
Never Again (co-written with Jerry Chesnut) – Performed by Elvis Presley.
Poetry of Love – Performed by Johnny Darrell.
River Bottom – Performed by Johnny Darrell.
Tonight I’m Singing Just for You (co-written with Jerry Leiber) – Performed by Billy Edd Wheeler.
What to Do with Laurie (co-written with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller) – Performed by Mike Clifford.
Billy Edd Wheeler’s Early Life
Billy Edd Wheeler was born on December 9, 1932. He was born in a place called Boone County, in West Virginia. West Virginia is a state in the United States that has lots of mountains and forests. Wheeler grew up in a small town called Whitesville. This town was in an area where many people worked in coal mines. Coal is a black rock that people dig out of the ground and use to make electricity.
Growing up in Whitesville, Wheeler heard a lot of music. He listened to music in church and music that people in his town played. This music was very important to him. It helped him learn to love music when he was young. Later, this love of music helped him become a great songwriter.
Wheeler didn’t just write songs. He was good at many different types of art. He wrote plays, which are stories that actors perform on a stage. He even wrote an opera, which is a type of play where all the words are sung instead of spoken. Wheeler also wrote books. Some of his books were funny, some were poems, and some told stories.
One of Wheeler’s plays is very famous. It’s called “Hatfields & McCoys.” This play tells a true story about two families who didn’t like each other a long time ago. People have been performing this play every year since 1970 in a place called Beckley, West Virginia. That’s more than 50 years! Many people go to see this play every summer.
How many awards did Wheeler win for songwriting?
Because Wheeler was so good at writing songs, he won many awards. He got 13 awards from a group called ASCAP. ASCAP is short for the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. This group gives awards to people who write very good songs. Getting 13 awards from them shows that Wheeler wrote many good songs over many years.
In 2001, Wheeler’s name was added to a special list called the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Nashville is a city in Tennessee where many country music singers and songwriters work. Being added to this list means that other songwriters think you are one of the best. It’s a big honor.
Wheeler’s name is also in the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. This means that people in these states thought Wheeler was very important to music in their area. It’s special to be in one Hall of Fame, but Wheeler was in three!
Why wasn’t Wheeler a successful singer?
Even though Wheeler wrote songs that many famous people sang, he wasn’t very famous as a singer himself. He made some records of his own songs, but not many people bought them. This didn’t bother Wheeler too much. He was happy that other singers liked his songs and wanted to sing them.
Many people who wanted to be songwriters looked up to Wheeler. They tried to learn from him how to write good songs. Wheeler was always happy to help new songwriters. He showed them how to tell good stories in their songs and how to write words that sound good when they are sung.
Billy Edd Wheeler family
Wheeler was married to a woman named Mary Mitchell Bannerman. They had two children together, a daughter named Lucy and a son named Travis. Wheeler also had a brother named Robert Stewart. When Wheeler died, all of these people were very sad, but they were happy that Wheeler had lived a long and good life.
After Wheeler died, many people said nice things about him. The Country Music Hall of Fame, which is a museum that remembers important country music singers and songwriters, said that Wheeler was very good at telling stories in his songs. They said that when people listened to Wheeler’s songs, they could imagine a whole movie in their heads.
Janis Ian, in her tribute, described Wheeler as “one of the greatest little-known artists on earth; an amazing songwriter, author, playwright, sculptor, painter, you name it.” She recalled his ability to call birds with a whistle and his garden filled with sculptures carved from trees and rocks painted with faces
Billy Edd Wheeler’s passing is a huge loss for anyone who loves country music and good storytelling. The guy wrote songs like “Jackson” and “Coward of the County,” and his lyrics just had a way of sticking with you. He didn’t just stop at music either—he was into writing plays and books, always pushing his creative boundaries. Even though he’s gone, his work’s still gonna be around, reminding us that when you’re passionate about something and put in the work, you leave a lasting impact.
RIP Billy Edd Wheeler. Your songs will keep playing long after.
