Onie Wheeler

Onie Wheeler (born November 10, 1921 in Senath , Missouri , † May 26, 1984 ) was an American country and rockabilly singer whose career began in the 1940s and who had several hits in the 1970s.

Life

Beginnings

As a child, Onie Wheeler learned to play the guitar and harmonica . During the Second World War he served in the army . After his release in 1945 he began to dedicate himself to his music career professionally. With Ernest Thompson , AJ Nelson and his brother Doyle he founded the Ozark Cowboys . With his band, Wheeler performed in Texas honky tonks and pubs . In 1952 he met country singer Little Jimmy Dickens , who persuaded him to visit Nashville , Tennessee .

Career

Her Porch Came Up to My Knees , 1965

There Wheeler and his band got a record deal with Columbia Records . Even if his singles weren't successful, Lefty Frizzell was able to land a hit with Wheeler's song Run 'Em Off . In the mid-1950s he turned to popular rockabilly. With Onie's Bop he was one of Columbia's five top-selling country artists in June 1956. A year later, Wheeler signed with Sun Records in Memphis . There he got the opportunity to perform with stars like Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins . His first tour with Cash and Perkins included the young pianist Jerry Lee Lewis . After a short stay in California , Wheeler returned to Nashville and released several singles during the 1960s with Epic Records , Starday Records and United Artists , among others . He also went on tour with George Jones and Roy Acuff .

In 1973 he was first on the Billboard Country Charts with John's Been Shucking My Corn . His daughter Karen was also able to assert herself as a musician. He himself had been running a guitar repair shop since the late 1970s and only occasionally appeared in the Grand Ole Opry with Roy Acuff .

Onie Wheeler died in 1984 at the age of 63 while performing with Jimmie Snow on the Opry stage.

Discography

Singles

year	title	Record company
1953	When We All Get There / Run 'Em Off	Okeh
1953	Mother Prayed Loud In Her Sleep / A Million Years in Glory	Okeh
1954	Closing Time / I'll Swear You Don't Love Me	Okeh
1954	Love Me Like You Used To Do / Little Mama	Okeh
1954	Would You Like To Wear a Crown / I Saw Mother With You Last Night	Okeh
1955	Little Mama / She Wiggled and Giggled	Columbia
1955	My Home Is Not A Home At All / That's What I Like	Columbia
1955	Cut It Out / I'm Satisfied With My Dreams	Columbia
1956	No I Don't Guess I Will / I Tried and I Tried	Columbia
1956	I Wanna Hold My Baby / Onie's Bop	Columbia
1956	A Booger Gonna Catcher / A Beggar for Your Love	Columbia
1957	Goin 'Back to the City / Steppin' Out	Columbia
1959	Tell 'Em Off / Jump Right Out of This Jukebox	Sun
1960	Too Hot to Handle / I Need to Go Home	Scottie
1961	You're Getting All Over Me / All Day, All Night, All Wast	K-Ark
1961	White Lightening Cherokee / My Stubborn Heart	K-Ark
1962	Sandyland Farmer / What About Tomorrow	Epic
1964	Wanted For Robbery / Who Put out the Fire	United Artists
1964	Stubborn Heart / Who Wrote That Song	United Artists
1965	I'm Gonna Hang My Britches Up / You're Too Good For Me	Musicor
1965	Her Porch Came Up to My Knees / Pretty Little Tomboy	Musicor
1966	Mr. Free / Dancing	Starday
1966	Playing Tricks / I Closed My Book Last Night	Starday
1973	John's Been Shucking My Corn / Make 'Em All Go Home	Royal American
197?	I Can't Pass an Orchard / Shuckin 'My Way to the Hall of Fame	Royal American
1980	? / Onie's Bop	Charter CH 148
Unpublished titles
	Bonaparte's retreat Hazel I'll Love You For A Life Time Long gone That's all Walkin 'Shoes	Sun Records (not released)

Albums

• 1973: John's Been Shuckin 'My Corn
• 1982: Something New and Something Old
• 1992: Onie's Bop ( Bear Family )

Web links

• Onie Wheeler at Allmusic