I met Johnny Wiggins at Fontana Dam playing in the band 1956, the big Bull Base when I was 16 he was 19. I loved his voice .One of the Best Friend I ever knew. Listening again as I sometimes do ! This song Honeymoon with the Blues I like to think was written thinking of me ! We were together most of 1956 and half of 1957 ! Never saw him again but heard him talking in the ER 1963 when he had an accident in Durham , N.C ! I was having miner surgery because of a spider bite ! He was in the room next to me ! Only knew this because I thought I was dreaming but My husband told me My dream was real ! Met him again at my sister's Restaurant , Oct of 1992 while eating lunch with my husband and 4 year old Grandson ! He told us so proudly about his children , especially John and Audrey making It big on the charts Nashville , Tenn. We ate and talked for a couple of hours and I felt we found Closure ! Then the news 3 months later of his death broke my heart , for his FAMILY and for The love I had always felt for him ! Sometimes I still think of this man in Dreams ! I knew Teenagers love But my heart Knew another LOVE that of a my children's Daddy who Understood and Loved Me for 59 years until I lost him 6 years ago . This is Just a part of My Story !
He was so good and of course was Dave Dudley who did this and worked on our shows , Et was a sweetheart and a special one in our hearts. Love to hear these, thanks so much.
Yea, he WAS good, i just found that out. It's a real shame that while they were all in the studio those 3 times they didn't just cut an albums worth of songs with Johnny. A whole big bunch of guys back in the 60's who didn't have the chops Johnny so clearly had,,, got record deals. Oh well.
+2packs4sure Show more is not on here, some aren't. I googled him and find he has died, he started out very young with ET, quite a history with him. I first saw ET in 1953,my dad loved him. I saved a program book and yrs later in the late 70's, my husband and I went to meet him and I got that book and had him sign it, he thought it was great I saved it. Got a kiss to boot. LOL
Johnny Wiggins - The drive behind the dreams by Todd Callaway Christmas 1965-Johnny Wiggins had been on the road with Ernest Tubb and his Texas Troubadours for several weeks. He was back home for the holidays, and as he walked through the front door of his house, he met his 3-year-old son John. Instead of a hug for daddy, little John ran. "He didn't recognize his own daddy," said Judy Wiggins, Johnny's widow, during a recent interview at her Allens Creek home. At that moment, Johnny Wiggins' life-long dream of becoming a country music star gave way to a higher calling-his family. "It really bothered him, being away from me and the kids," Judy remembered. "He knew he had to make a choice ... and he did-us." "Things were hard for him in the beginning," Judy said. So hard Wiggins had to work as a diesel mechanic at the Nashville Transit Authority, even though he had signed a recording contract in 1960 with his newfound friend Mel Tillis. Wiggins cut some records on Tillis' new record label, she said, but again the singles didn't receive much airplay. The transit authority job, however, would turn out to be Wiggins' big break. It seemed Ernest Tubb had his tour bus serviced at the transit authority, Judy said. "Johnny met some of the Troubadours and found out they were looking for a bus driver. Well, he let them know he could drive the bus and fix it and they hired him," she remembered. At the time, Tubb didn't know Wiggins played guitar and sang, but Judy said Johnny just wanted to get his foot in the door. And in 1962 Wiggins got his chance to take the stage as Tubb's "Singing Bus Driver." For the next three years, Wiggins was a featured act on Tubb's radio show, The Ernest Tubb Record Shop Jamboree, and toured with the Tubb and his Texas Troubadours while still driving the bus. Yet there was something missing in Wiggins' life, Judy explained. He agonized over splitting time between the road and his family, she said. So in December 1965 he made the decision to give up the big-time music business and raise his family. Wiggins took a job with WNC Paving Company where he worked until he died in 1993. But he never lost his love for music, Judy said. Wiggins' life ended tragically in 1993 when he was killed in an automobile accident. "It happened in seconds," Judy remembered. She and Johnny were passengers when the car they were riding in slammed into a concrete barrier on Interstate 40, flipping onto its top. Johnny's neck was broken. "It was Johnny's dream to be a Grand Ole Opry star, but he had to come home to take care of his family," said Kyle Edwards, friend and owner of the Stompin' Grounds in Maggie Valley. "In his own way, he was a philosopher. ... He was the most talented musician and mechanic I'd ever seen." "It's a tough business, but when you step on stage, that's worth all the trouble you've gone through," Wiggins said in a 1992 interview.
+2packs4sure Thanks for that, once music is in your life, it is always there, I know when my husband retired, it was an enormous loss to him but he was tired, and I have traveled with him, he was always traveling. He would call me from on the road, and on his way home after driving all night to get home, and say pack your bagsDarlin we're going to Chicago for the wknd. He knew I needed to get away. When the kids were not in school they were on the road or on a wknd where he was close to home I drove to meet him. Some are gone alot, and it is hard on the kids, but they understood and I did to, it was his job. On many occasions he would pack up our 3 yr old and take him with him, as he had the motorhome, and it was just him and daddy. A great relationship they had. Several times he would go for a week on the road with ET as they were good friends. Then our twins came along, but we still had fun and our dear friends took to them and they became "aunt" and "uncle" to them. My kids miss that yet. It can survive it. My hysband would at that time known Johnny, I came along in 1962 and the first one I knew was Geo Hamilton and at that time, was my heart throb, along with Jack Greene, who was a great friend to me til he died. Many memories stored away. Widow of KenAllen
Love these pictures, I can save these for my book of treasures, ET and our dear Jack Greene who we have now lost. We were great friends also, a lovely guy. Thanks again.
+2packs4sure Would love to know about him, is he living? We have lost all our friends, Well ET is the one who got Jack to start singing, and not for him, and my hubby, then Jack would not have been in my life. Miss them so much, 2 adorable people
Thanks for posting, John Wiggins ... back in 1998 I saw a video for the John & Audrey Wiggins song "Somewhere In Love," which was also getting some airplay on the radio ... It was the first cut on a CD called "The Dream," which I bought immediatly .... the title track started with Ernest Tubb introducing Johnny Wiggins singing "Honeymoon With The Blues" ... the clip only lasted for one verse and I wondered if would ever hear the rest of the song ... Thanks for making my day.
He definitely was a talented guy, like I said in my description, Johnny was a better singer than MANY other guys who had record deals and were cutting and releasing records. He just decided he didn't want to be a road warrior like Ernest Tubb and went another direction. From what I've read he was just a very good man period.
My dad co-signed for a car for Johnny. He ran off with the car and left my old man to pay his note. Lesson - Nobody will hose you over like your own blood.
Awesome!!!
I met Johnny Wiggins at Fontana Dam playing in the band 1956, the big Bull Base when I was 16 he was 19. I loved his voice .One of the Best Friend I ever knew. Listening again as I sometimes do ! This song Honeymoon with the Blues I like to think was written thinking of me ! We were together most of 1956 and half of 1957 ! Never saw him again but heard him talking in the ER 1963 when he had an accident in Durham , N.C ! I was having miner surgery because of a spider bite ! He was in the room next to me ! Only knew this because I thought I was dreaming but My husband told me My dream was real ! Met him again at my sister's Restaurant , Oct of 1992 while eating lunch with my husband and 4 year old Grandson ! He told us so proudly about his children , especially John and Audrey making It big on the charts Nashville , Tenn. We ate and talked for a couple of hours and I felt we found Closure ! Then the news 3 months later of his death broke my heart , for his FAMILY and for The love I had always felt for him ! Sometimes I still think of this man in Dreams ! I knew Teenagers love But my heart Knew another LOVE that of a my children's Daddy who Understood and Loved Me for 59 years until I lost him 6 years ago . This is Just a part of My Story !
Everything I've read through the years said he was a great guy..
Never ever forget you Johnny !
Love and miss you Daddy!
Johnny was your dad?
I miss Johnny and my Dad as well. They're doing some good jamming now Amy.
He was so good and of course was Dave Dudley who did this and worked on our shows , Et was a sweetheart and a special one in our hearts. Love to hear these, thanks so much.
Yea, he WAS good, i just found that out.
It's a real shame that while they were all in the studio those 3 times they didn't just cut an albums worth of songs with Johnny.
A whole big bunch of guys back in the 60's who didn't have the chops Johnny so clearly had,,, got record deals.
Oh well.
Click on SHOW MORE below the description to learn more about Johnny Wiggins.
+2packs4sure Show more is not on here, some aren't. I googled him and find he has died, he started out very young with ET, quite a history with him. I first saw ET in 1953,my dad loved him. I saved a program book and yrs later in the late 70's, my husband and I went to meet him and I got that book and had him sign it, he thought it was great I saved it. Got a kiss to boot. LOL
Johnny Wiggins - The drive behind the dreams
by Todd Callaway
Christmas 1965-Johnny Wiggins had been on the road with Ernest Tubb and his Texas Troubadours for several weeks. He was back home for the holidays, and as he walked through the front door of his house, he met his 3-year-old son John. Instead of a hug for daddy, little John ran.
"He didn't recognize his own daddy," said Judy Wiggins, Johnny's widow, during a recent interview at her Allens Creek home.
At that moment, Johnny Wiggins' life-long dream of becoming a country music star gave way to a higher calling-his family.
"It really bothered him, being away from me and the kids," Judy remembered. "He knew he had to make a choice ... and he did-us."
"Things were hard for him in the beginning," Judy said. So hard Wiggins had to work as a diesel mechanic at the Nashville Transit Authority, even though he had signed a recording contract in 1960 with his newfound friend Mel Tillis. Wiggins cut some records on Tillis' new record label, she said, but again the singles didn't receive much airplay.
The transit authority job, however, would turn out to be Wiggins' big break. It seemed Ernest Tubb had his tour bus serviced at the transit authority, Judy said.
"Johnny met some of the Troubadours and found out they were looking for a bus driver. Well, he let them know he could drive the bus and fix it and they hired him," she remembered. At the time, Tubb didn't know Wiggins played guitar and sang, but Judy said Johnny just wanted to get his foot in the door.
And in 1962 Wiggins got his chance to take the stage as Tubb's "Singing Bus Driver." For the next three years, Wiggins was a featured act on Tubb's radio show, The Ernest Tubb Record Shop Jamboree, and toured with the Tubb and his Texas Troubadours while still driving the bus.
Yet there was something missing in Wiggins' life, Judy explained. He agonized over splitting time between the road and his family, she said. So in December 1965 he made the decision to give up the big-time music business and raise his family.
Wiggins took a job with WNC Paving Company where he worked until he died in 1993. But he never lost his love for music, Judy said.
Wiggins' life ended tragically in 1993 when he was killed in an automobile accident.
"It happened in seconds," Judy remembered. She and Johnny were passengers when the car they were riding in slammed into a concrete barrier on Interstate 40, flipping onto its top. Johnny's neck was broken.
"It was Johnny's dream to be a Grand Ole Opry star, but he had to come home to take care of his family," said Kyle Edwards, friend and owner of the Stompin' Grounds in Maggie Valley. "In his own way, he was a philosopher. ... He was the most talented musician and mechanic I'd ever seen."
"It's a tough business, but when you step on stage, that's worth all the trouble you've gone through," Wiggins said in a 1992 interview.
+2packs4sure Thanks for that, once music is in your life, it is always there, I know when my husband retired, it was an enormous loss to him but he was tired, and I have traveled with him, he was always traveling. He would call me from on the road, and on his way home after driving all night to get home, and say pack your bagsDarlin we're going to Chicago for the wknd. He knew I needed to get away. When the kids were not in school they were on the road or on a wknd where he was close to home I drove to meet him. Some are gone alot, and it is hard on the kids, but they understood and I did to, it was his job.
On many occasions he would pack up our 3 yr old and take him with him, as he had the motorhome, and it was just him and daddy. A great relationship they had. Several times he would go for a week on the road with ET as they were good friends. Then our twins came along, but we still had fun and our dear friends took to them and they became "aunt" and "uncle" to them. My kids miss that yet. It can survive it. My hysband would at that time known Johnny, I came along in 1962 and the first one I knew was Geo Hamilton and at that time, was my heart throb, along with Jack Greene, who was a great friend to me til he died. Many memories stored away. Widow of KenAllen
My father went to Highschool with Johnny in Mills River NC.
He is 80 and has many memories he shared of him.
How cool, I'd love to hear some of those stories, or one even.
Love these pictures, I can save these for my book of treasures, ET and our dear Jack Greene who we have now lost. We were great friends also, a lovely guy. Thanks again.
I've gathered some good pictures of ET and the gang over the years.
+2packs4sure Keep them coming, like them so much
+2packs4sure Would love to know about him, is he living? We have lost all our friends, Well ET is the one who got Jack to start singing, and not for him, and my hubby, then Jack would not have been in my life. Miss them so much, 2 adorable people
In case you missed it. ua-cam.com/video/OcBLrO_I46g/v-deo.html
+2packs4sure Thanks for this link, nice
Thanks for posting, John Wiggins ... back in 1998 I saw a video for the John & Audrey Wiggins song "Somewhere In Love," which was also getting some airplay on the radio ... It was the first cut on a CD called "The Dream," which I bought immediatly .... the title track started with Ernest Tubb introducing Johnny Wiggins singing "Honeymoon With The Blues" ... the clip only lasted for one verse and I wondered if would ever hear the rest of the song ... Thanks for making my day.
That's great, glad you got to hear the whole song. Johnny kicked butt on it too.........
ET had a knack for finding talent! Even his bus driver was great!
He sure did !!
This is my granddad Burt’s brother. Such a talented man.
He definitely was a talented guy, like I said in my description, Johnny was a better singer than MANY other guys who had record deals and were cutting and releasing records.
He just decided he didn't want to be a road warrior like Ernest Tubb and went another direction.
From what I've read he was just a very good man period.
My dad co-signed for a car for Johnny. He ran off with the car and left my old man to pay his note. Lesson - Nobody will hose you over like your own blood.
Well nobody's track record is flawless and that's the first negative thing I've ever heard about Johnny..
Johnny is my girlfriends cousin