“Billy Edd Wheeler was a songwriter who could pack an entire cinematic experience into a few short minutes. Perhaps it came from his West Virginia upbringing or his Yale Drama School pedigree, but whatever the case, Billy Edd had a narrative gift that enabled him to spin a silver screen–worthy tale of long-simmering anger in ‘Coward of the County’ or a spicy story about a marriage in jeopardy that came to represent the playful, hot-blooded dynamic between Johnny and June in ‘Jackson.’ Little wonder he also wrote novels and plays. His writing had the power to do what only the best creative works can: transport the listener.”

—Kyle Young, CEO
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

About Billy Edd Wheeler

Billy Edd Wheeler, the singer-songwriter behind engaging narratives like “Coward of the County” and “Jackson,” died September 16 at the age of ninety-one.

Born Billy Edward Wheeler in Whitesville, West Virginia, he attended Warren Wilson College in North Carolina and Berea College in Kentucky, where he served as an instructor after a stint in the navy as a pilot. Music was a side pursuit, but he eventually gained enough notice to appear on Wheeling, West Virginia’s “WWVA Jamboree” and “The Merv Griffin Show.” Wheeler later attended Yale Drama School to study playwriting, developing a talent for storytelling that would be an asset throughout his career.

Wheeler released recordings through a series of labels, including Monitor, United Artists, Kapp, and RCA. His biggest hit under his own name was “Ode to the Little Shack Out Back,” a tribute of sorts to the outhouse of his rural youth. The 1964 single reached #3 on the country chart.

It was through other artists that Wheeler achieved his biggest commercial successes, scoring hits like “The Reverend Mr. Black,” a pop Top Ten in 1963 for the Kingston Trio, and “Jackson,” a playful duet that was a #2 country hit in 1967 for Johnny Cash and June Carter. Wheeler’s “Coward of the County,” a #1 country hit for Kenny Rogers in 1980, wove such a vivid narrative about righteous retribution as to inspire a 1981 television movie. Others who cut Wheeler’s songs include Judy Collins, Richie Havens, Kathy Mattea, and Elvis Presley.

Prolific throughout his life, Wheeler created numerous works for the stage—his outdoor play “Hatfields & McCoys” is still being performed by Theatre West Virginia. As a book author, he published humor, poetry, fiction, and a memoir about his wide-ranging career. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000.

In 2014, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum featured Wheeler in its “Poets & Prophets” series. He recalled being at Yale and realizing that his unique experiences in rural Appalachia could be creative fuel, saying, “I thought, maybe all this stuff growing up in West Virginia in Whitesville, maybe that is a goldmine.” Watch the video below: