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Spade CooleyWILLOW SPRINGS. American, Reel. D Major & G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). Composed by fiddler wikipedia:Spade_Cooley (1910-1969), King of Western Swing, who recorded the tune in 1959. It was also popularized by the playing of Howdy Forrester, Roy Acuff's fiddler. In 1961 Cooley, a heavy drinker prone to heart attacks, invested heavily in a development at Willow Springs, California (eastern Kern County), which was to have been a water theme park. It was there that he stomped to death his wife, Ella May, wearing heavy cowboy boots after days of binging. Cooley was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life, although with the possibility of parole. A model prisoner, Cooley was given a 72 hr. furlough to perform at an Oakland police benefit in 1969. He finished his performance to rousing applause, then returned to his dressing room where he suffered his last and fatal heart attack.
Additional notes
Recorded sources : - Calvin Vollrath – “Fiddling My Way” (learned from Spade Cooley’s recording). Collector’s Choice Records 431, Spade Cooley – “Fidoodling” (1959). StoneWay 168, Howdy Forrester – “Stylish Fiddle” (1978).
See also listing at : Hear Patti Lamoureax's recording at youtube.com [1]
