Biography of Sheb Wooley

Country actor/comedian/musician Sheb Wooley recorded one of the great pop novelty records of the '50s in "Purple People Eater," but spent most of his time on the country chart for a series of comedy take-off singles as Ben Colder. Wooley, born near Erick, Oklahoma on April 10, 1921, spent much of his youth both as a rodeo rider and bandleader. After high school, he worked on the oil fields for a time, but then moved to Nashville. There, Wooley worked for WLAC and WSM, but moved to Fort Worth, TX, in 1946. He fronted a radio show for WBAP for three years, and then moved to Los Angeles to sign a recording contract with MGM. Wooley also attended film school, and got his first cinema credit in 1950's Rocky Mountain, with Errol Flynn. Just two years later, he appeared in High Noon as the evil killer opposite Gary Cooper.Sheb Wooley spent the '50s appearing in various film roles and writing several novelty songs that became hits. The first, "When Mexican Joe Met Jole Blon," hit number six on the Country chart for Hank Snow in 1953. Five years later, he performed his own "Purple People Eater," and the song became a surprise pop hit, topping the chart for six weeks. Wooley began his most famous role that year, playing Pete Nolan on Rawhide; he also wrote several scripts for the show, which ran from 1958-1965.Though Wooley was a musician who appeared in Westerns, he still had not touched the Country charts; finally in early 1962, his hit "That's My Pa" reached number one on the chart, peaking near the Top 50 on the Popular chart as well. Wooley's next single, recorded as Ben Colder, was a novelty take-off of "Don't Go Near the Indians" with 'Eskimos' substituted in the title. It hit the Country Top 20 late in 1962 and also crossed over. From that time, Wooley alternated comedy -- and some serious -- material recorded as himself with novelty take-offs as Ben Colder. His biggest hit as Colder was the 1966 Country Top Ten "Almost Persuaded No. 2," but he also released hit versions of "Hello Walls," "Harper Valley P.T.A.," "Little Green Apples" and "Fifteen Years Ago" (re-titled "Fifteen Beers Ago").It was a natural and obvious choice for the 1968 Country Music Association Comedian of the Year to join the cast of Hee Haw, and he did in 1969 in addition to co-writing the theme. Wooley stayed on the show for several years, but left in the '70s to tour America and overseas. ~ John Bush