Onie Wheeler 1921 - 1984

Onie Wheeler born on November 10, 1921 died May 26, 1984 of a massive heart attack while performing on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. 

Onie Wheeler was born and raised on a farm in southeast Missouri and became a farmer himself. His leisure hours were spent listening to popular acts of the day like the Delmore Brothers and Wayne Raney. He became involved in radio station KWOC in Poplar Bluff, Missouri and formed his first band in 1950, "Onie Wheeler and his Ozark Mountain Boys" consisting of Onie singing and playing the harmonica, A.J. Nelson on lead guitar and harmony, Doyle Nelson on rhythm guitar and harmony and Ernie Thompson on drums. 

Onie Wheeler was usually described as "A Man Ahead Of His Time." He was a versatile singer, musician, songwriter and showman.  After a debut on Agana Records and a hit record called “Run Em’ Off”, he moved to Okeh Records in 1953. He soon transferred to the more obvious country department of Columbia, finding success after several strong singles of songs he’d written himself. Onie was one of the first artists to record his impressions of other country music stars and the results was "Onie’s Bop" which was Columbia Records’ best selling single in 1957. Also, “A Booger’s Gonna Getcha’” which had a slick compelling backbeat that accentuated the hillbilly boogie phrases, made Onie popular not only in the United States but overseas in Europe also.  

Bob Neal booked Onie Wheeler and a new young singer, Elvis Presley. Onie and Elvis did different types of material and their acts complimented each other. They worked together frequently for five years. "I knew from the very start that Elvis was absolutely the most talented and different entertainer I had ever seen. And I think I was one of the first to tell him so.” Whether by coincidence or not, while on tour with Elvis in the south, Onie’s next label was Sun Records. Then he recorded for Starday, Musicor, Scottie, Untied Artist, Epic, K-Ark, Papa Joe, and even his own label “Onie Records.”  

Onie made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry in 1949. Became a member of "The Flatt & Scruggs" TV show and moved to Nashville. Onie also began to do session work in the studio where his harp playing has been heard behind recordings of such artists as Sonny James and Dolly Parton, and later he became a member of the Roy Acuff Smokey Mountain Boys as a great harmonica player. Onie Wheeler was with the Roy Acuff show for twenty-two years.  

Onie recorded for various labels, won four ASCAP awards for singing, writing, publishing and producing "John’s Been Shuckin’ My Corn". Onie has performed in all 52 states, including England, Germany, and the Far East. Onie has appeared on "The Jackie Gleason Show", "Porter Wagoner", "The Wilburn Brothers" "That Nashville Music", among others. 

BIGGEST RECORDS: "Run Em’ Off"__ "Onie’s Bop"__ "Booger’s Gonna Getcha"___ "Going Back To The City"___ "Jump Right Out Of This Jukebox"_"Too Hot To Handle"___ "John’s Been Shuckin’ My Corn"__ "Mother Prays Loud In Her Sleep"___ "I Saw Mom With God Last Night"__ "Go Home".