Back In the Day, 1959

Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper

The Big Wheel   

(Hickory)

They sported no costly finery, the folks who hailed Wilma as "The First Lady of Bluegrass," just farmland work-duds and faded housedresses. (Though they got slickered-up for Sunday preaching and barndances.)  Her humble 1930's West Virginia origin - she sang Gospel with her family - led first to radio, next to a decade with Wheeling's WWVA-AM,  and eventually to that desired destination of all musically-turned clod-kickers: the Opry boards. Along that road, she turned her hand to several common-folks music machines. And at her side was git-up fiddler Dale T. "Stoney" Cooper, whom she had espoused in 1941. The two-made-one produced homespun Gospel profound, invigorating, and of timeless reward. Calloused steppers enthused.

Recommended: "There's a Big Wheel," "Canadian Reel," "Walking My Lord Up Calvary Hill," "Big Midnight Special," "Each Season Changes You," "Home Sweet Home," "He Taught Them How"

Video: "There's a Big Wheel"  "Big Midnight Special"    "He Taught Them How"

Discogs

Amazon