Ed Wiley, Jr. - Early Career

Early Career

New York record producers Bob and Morty Shad decided that it was Wiley’s robust sound that would be the common denominator on the dozens of blues recordings they would issue on their Sittin’ In With and Mercury labels. Thus, in addition to the numerous releases under his own name, Wiley is perhaps the most ubiquitous band leader backing a copious list of renowned Texas bluesmen, including Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, James “Widemouth” Brown, Nelson Carson, Goree Carter, Peppermint Harris, Smokey Hogg, Elmore Nixon, Teddy Reynolds and King Tut, among others.

Wiley already had gained some local notoriety a year or two prior to meeting the Shads, performing throughout Texas and Louisiana with such notables as Gatemouth, Amos Milburn, Big Mama Thornton, Perry Cain and Henry Hayes. Between 1948 and 1949, Wiley appeared on several sides for Freedom, Gold Star and Jade records.

But Wiley got his first taste of national fame when a 78 that he recorded in 1949 for Sittin’ In With climbed the R&B charts in the spring of 1950. Cry Cry Baby,” which featured fellow Houstonian Teddy Reynolds on piano and vocals, was a Cash Box hit, making it to No. 3 on The Billboard.

As blues historian Brian Baumgartner writes in his biography of legendary blues singer Piney Brown, “Wiley had previously been part of a massive 1950 recording session held in Houston by New York producer Bob Shad for his Sittin’ In With record label. …Ed Wiley must have been a very busy musician that year, as his name also shows up on a number of Houston-based Mercury sessions at various times during 1951.”

In late 1950, Wiley would leave Houston for good, heading to Baltimore to live with a relative and further his music education. It was at the Olde Mill in Baltimore that he met Brown. The two teamed up for a series of tours, adding pianist and fellow crooner Roosevelt Wardell. Wardell was just 16 years old at the time he met Wiley, but he had gained some notoriety of his own for the regional hit “Bernice” b/w “She Drinks Too Much Wine,” on the Melford label.

It didn’t take long for the group to land a spot with the Shaw Artists agency, which booked them throughout the South and Midwest. After some months on the road, they again bumped into Shad, this time in Shreveport, La. At a radio station there, they cut four more sides for Sittin’ In With, with Wiley as the leader: “Pack Up, Move Out” and “Molasses, Molasses,” both featuring Brown on vocals; and “West Indies Blues” and “Jumpin’ With the Blues,” instrumentals.

The following year, Brown left the group, going on to record for various labels. But Wardell would remain with Wiley, recording together on numerous other occasions, including sessions for Atlantic, Rockin’, DeLuxe and King records.