Spade Cooley

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Spade Cooley (* 17th December 1910 as Donnell Clyde Cooley in Grand, Oklahoma ; † 23. November 1969 in Vacaville , California ) was an American country musician , bandleader and actor.

Beginnings

Although Cooley came from a poor family, he received an education in classical music. At a young age, he made money by performing at dance events. In 1930 Spade (the nickname came about during a poker game) moved to Los Angeles to try his luck in the local music scene.

He first found employment as a small actor in the emerging film industry in California. In 1934 he was hired by the Republic Studio as Roy Rogers ' double. Roy Rogers soon used him as a fiddler in his backing band. In the early 1940s he switched to the band of the singing cowboy Jimmy Wakely . He soon withdrew from the business and left his musicians to him.

Career

Cooley initially hired other musicians, including the singer Tex Williams . The headquarters of the band, which had grown into an orchestra, was the Venice Pier Ballroom in the Los Angeles area. They played a danceable western swing and attracted numerous visitors every evening. The breakthrough came in 1945 when Shame On You reached number one on the country charts . The song stayed at the top of the charts for nine weeks. In the same year he scored two more top 10 hits with A Pair Of Broken Hearts and I've Taken All I'm Gonna Take From You . The top 10 hits Detour and You Can't Break My Heart followed in 1946, and in 1947, the last place in the charts was Crazy 'Cause I Love You , which reached number 4 on the country charts.

In 1946 he kicked Tex Williams out after a dispute, and several members followed. Cooley hired new musicians unimpressed. In the meantime, Spade Cooley And His Orchestra had grown into the largest formation in the history of country music. With their catchy sound, they even challenged Bob Wills for supremacy. The flashy and loud Cooley called himself the King of Western Swing .

The film business was also looking up. The former extra now got more demanding roles thanks to his higher profile. In 1947 he got his own television show - The Hoffmann Hayride - which quickly became popular in California. The band moved their headquarters to the Santa Monica Ballroom, where they continued to be a major public attraction.

In 1949 and 1950 three B-Westerns were created with an extremely low budget, in which Cooley played the hero role.

Decline

In the early 1950s interest in western swing waned and Cooley suffered setbacks. The choleric fell out repeatedly with his musicians. Alcohol and drug abuse put a strain on his job. He had two heart attacks in quick succession. A failed investment threatened financial ruin.

In 1961, Cooley tortured his second wife Ella Mae Evans in a jealous drama in the presence of their daughter and kicked her to death. While in prison he mentored Glen Sherley , who became a successful country musician after his release. In 1969, Cooley was given short-term leave for a benefit concert in front of police officers; there he died of a heart attack backstage.

Discography

  • 1955 - Dance-O-Rama
  • 1960 - Fiddoolin '

literature

  • Erlewine, Michael and others: All Music Guide to Country . San Francisco, California: Miller Freeman Books, 1997, p. 102.

swell

  1. ↑ For chart positions, see Whitburn, Joel: The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. 1944-2006 . New York, NY: Billboard Books, 2006, p. 89
  2. ^ Franz Dobler: Johnny Cash - The Beast In Me , Updated Edition 2004, p. 251, ISBN 3453879538

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Cooley, Spade
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Cooley, Donnell Clyde (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American country musician and band leader
DATE OF BIRTH December 17, 1910
PLACE OF BIRTH Grand, Oklahoma
DATE OF DEATH November 23, 1969
Place of death Vacaville , California