[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 19753]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     IN RECOGNITION OF SHEB WOOLEY

 Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, today I rise to honor and 
recognize a fine American treasure. This talented individual has 
enjoyed a remarkable career in the entertainment industry spanning from 
the hills of Hollywood to the recording labels of Nashville.
  This gentleman's name is Mr. Sheb Wooley. Mr. Wooley is currently in 
poor health and I would like to take this opportunity to wish him well 
and reflect upon his many accomplishments.
  Sheb Wooley is a genuine American cowboy who throughout his early 
years earned a living on the rodeo circuit. Born in Erick, OK, in 1921, 
Sheb, who grew up facing the harsh realities of the Dust Bowl during 
the 1930s, turned to entertainment after his father traded a shotgun 
for a guitar.
  Sheb's first encounter with the music industry occurred in Nashville 
in 1945 when he signed a deal with the Bullet record label and WSM. He 
then ventured west to Fort Worth, TX, for a regular radio spot. While 
in Texas, upon the advice of a friend at WSM, Sheb decided to try his 
luck as an actor in California. Soon after his arrival in Hollywood, 
Sheb appeared in several western films and worked with such film heroes 
as Errol Flynn and John Wayne. His most notable film was ``High Noon'' 
in which he played an outlaw gang leader opposite the town sheriff, 
Gary Cooper. During his movie career he appeared in several more films 
including ``The War Wagon,'' ``Outlaw Josie Wales,'' ``Rio Bravo,'' 
``Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,'' and ``Hoosiers.''
  In 1958, Sheb was cast in the role of Pete Nolan on the popular 
television series ``Rawhide,'' and later made many television 
appearances including the ``Ed Sullivan Show,'' ``Lone Ranger,'' 
``American Bandstand,'' ``Hee Haw,'' and ``Murder She Wrote,'' writing 
several scripts along the way.
  While Sheb was enjoying his time on the screen, he was also working 
on writing country music. After several attempts, Sheb landed a smash 
hit with ``Purple People Eater.'' In 1959 this tune climbed the pop 
charts and eventually became one of MGM's most successful singles of 
all time.
  And then there was Ben Colder, the drunken persona that Sheb created 
and ultimately played as a cast member on the television series, ``Hee 
Haw.'' Under the guise of Colder, Sheb performed many hit parodies of 
the country music artists of the 1960s, including ``Don't Go Near the 
Eskimos.'' In 1969, Sheb wrote and recorded the theme song for ``Hee 
Haw.''
  The career of Sheb Wooley has been as colorful as the characters he 
has played on and off the screen. He has won many accolades over the 
years, including the Western Heritage Award for 9 consecutive years and 
Songwriter of the Year in 1992. He never strayed far from his roots and 
always knew how to rope in an audience. I wish him well and pray that 
his health returns to him soon.

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