Book club to discuss autobiography of Billy Edd Wheeler

‘Hotter Than a Pepper Sprout’ tells story of Swannanoa singer-songwriter’s life and career

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
September 10, 2020

The autobiography of Swannanoa’s Billy Edd Wheeler, “Hotter Than a Pepper Sprout: A Hillbilly Poet’s Journey From Appalachia to Yale to Writing Hits for Elvis, Johnny Cash & More,” will be the subject of the Sept. 14 virtual book club. The free event is hosted by the Swannanoa Valley Museum & Heritage Center.

Before Billy Edd Wheeler penned iconic songs for artists like Johnny Cash, June Carter, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers and a long, impressive list of vocalists, he was a young student in the 1950 at what was then known as Warren Wilson Vocational Junior College. His journey to Swannanoa, where he has now lived for nearly six decades, began in the wild and wonderful hills of West Virginia. 

From humble Appalachian roots to inductions into multiple music halls of fame, a rich variety of people and experiences helped shape the accomplished playwright, author and poet into a Renaissance man. A natural storyteller, Wheeler paints a vivid picture of his life into his autobiography, “Hotter Than a Pepper Sprout: A Hillbilly Poet’s Journey From Appalachia to Yale to Writing Hits for Elvis, Johnny Cash & More” — the subject of this month’s Swannanoa Valley Museum book club.

The museum will host a free virtual discussion about the memoir on Zoom from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 14.

The title is a nod to Wheeler’s most well-known composition, “Jackson,” which netted Johnny Cash and June Carter a Grammy Award in 1967. Countless artists have performed songs written by Wheeler, including “The Rev. Mr. Black” by the Kingston Trio; “It’s Midnight” by Elvis Presley and “Coward of the County” by Kenny Rogers. His song “The Coming of the Roads” was performed by Judy Collins and Peter, Paul and Mary. 

In 1964, Wheeler recorded and released his song “Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back,” an homage to the disappearing out houses of his youth, which became his biggest hit as a recording artist when it peaked in the top 5 on the country charts. 

Wheeler was born in the heart of coal country in Boone County, West Virginia. He left a volatile home life at a young age and made his way south to Swannanoa, where he would earn a high school diploma from Warren Wilson in 1951 and a junior college degree in 1953. Two years later, he completed his undergraduate studies at Berea College and enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a student pilot.

Upon his return from military service, Wheeler participated in a graduate program at Yale, where he majored in playwriting. He would go on to write more than a dozen plays, including the outdoor drama “Hatfields & McCoys,” a long-running production in Beckley, West Virginia. 

The prolific artist was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000; the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and the N.C. Music Hall of Fame in 2011. He has been recognized with 13 awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. He is the recipient of honorary Doctorates of Human Letters from Berea and Warren Wilson College.