Biography Roy Wiggins

1 biography

1.1 life , career
1.2 eddy arnold
1.3 later career , life

biography
early life , career

wiggins born ivan leroy wiggins on june 27, 1926 in nashville, tennessee. @ age of six, wiggins became fascinated hawaiian guitars heard on grand ole opry broadcasts, , particularly playing of burt hutcherson, family friend. afterwards mother purchased guitar him traveling salesman, , began taking lessons robert e. martin. developed skills enough age fifteen playing professionally paul howard , arkansas cotton pickers. here wiggins earned moniker little both youth , small stature. in 1943 joined pee wee king s band golden west cowboys, outfit included eddy arnold. when king s regular guitarist, clell summey, returned participation in world war 2, wiggins out of job.

with eddy arnold

soon after, still in 1943, arnold left golden west cowboys pursue solo career, , on advice of king hired wiggins first musician in new backing band. @ beginning of time arnold, wiggins played gibson eh-125, upgraded gibson console grande model. arnold promised wiggins lifetime employment in 1945, on condition wiggins not embarrass arnold. arnold s sound, built around wiggins steel guitar playing, became enormously successful point arnold held number-one position on billboard s country chart forty weeks in 1948. result wiggins became 1 of most-heard instrumentalists in country music, considerably younger of co-performers. therefore felt ostracized other musicians, , believed adversely affected him psychologically. 1952 arnold trending towards more popular sound, , wiggins guitar work moved towards background. further adding wiggins discomfort actions of arnold s manager, colonel tom parker. wiggins had been receiving $100 week in sales commissions, parker began claim music , record sales commissions himself. although arnold benefited financially parker s management, wiggins did not replace lost income. wiggins did not appear @ on 1954 s don t want know , , 1955 arnold had determined future directly tied popular music; wiggins utilized less , less 1950s progressed. finding less arnold, roy began making instrumental records in mid-1950s. of these records significant mainstream labels such dot, others budget labels such diplomat, , others niche country labels large , small such starday , stoneway. joined arnold s accountant, charles mosley, in insurance , real estate establishment in brentwood, tennessee. became employed vox instruments not spokesperson, agent acquire endorsements of other country-music instrumentalists. on arnold s recordings, steve sholes mute wiggins guitar, led resentment on wiggins part.

i have distinctive honor. ruined 80 million eddy arnold records.

his last recording arnold took place in 1961, wiggins continued tour arnold, given piece of arnold s publishing company, , remained employed him until 1968. arnold have kept wiggins on payroll, honoring lifetime contract, wiggins desired more active role in music world. wiggins took no longer needed arnold, , years had dreams arnold give him call session or tour.

later career , life

wiggins owned , operated music store close grand old opry s ryman auditorium in downtown nashville beginning in 1968, after leaving arnold. continued work opry, backing ernest ashworth, willis brothers, , george morgan, whom recorded , toured until morgan s death. in 1972, wiggins began hosting radio show wtms in murfreesboro, tennessee. show, entitled little roy wiggins music city show, originated music shop in nashville.

in 1973 morgan recorded tribute wiggins, mr. ting-a-ling (steel guitar man) featured wiggins playing.

wiggins shut down music store in 1974 when opry moved out of ryman. in 1980s moved pigeon forge, tennessee, used earn money playing tourists. included in steel guitar hall of fame in 1985. later in life suffered severe diabetes, complications caused death on august 3, 1999.