Post Script: In 89 years, singer did what many only dream of
By JOHN WARREN, The Virginian-Pilot
© March 6, 2004

CHESAPEAKE — The way the story goes, Willie Phelps was almost Roy Rogers, name and all.

Republic Pictures had put out a call for a singing cowboy, and Phelps was on his way to a tryout. A young singer named Len Slye snuck in without an appointment and won the role. His name was changed to Roy Rogers.

In the mid-1930s, after achieving local notoriety on WTAR Radio, Phelps left for Hollywood with his brothers Norman and Earl – the other two-thirds of the country music trio Norman Phelps and the Virginia Rounders. The Phelps Brothers – Willie on guitar, Earl on fiddle and Norman on stand-up bass – sang in several movies and starred in several movie shorts.

They rubbed elbows with the likes of Rogers, Gene Autry and Tex Ritter. The brothers spent one long afternoon in a bar with Willie’s idol, Tom Mix.

“Willie and his brothers, they did everything in their lifetime the rest of us dream about,” said Ed Beard, Phelps’ son-in-law and a musician.

William Thomas Phelps Sr.
1914 -2004
A celebration of Willie’s life, open to the public, will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Eagle’s Club No. 795, 516 Post Ave., Chesapeake.
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By 1940, the Phelps brothers grew homesick. Back in South Norfolk, they bought an old amusement park by the Elizabeth River, named it “Fernwood Farms” and made it a dance hall and recording studio.

The dance hall was said to be the largest on the East Coast. On Thursdays and Saturdays, the brothers and their perfectly pitched “blood harmony” were the feature act.

“Willie stood out,” said T.T. Dyer, a sometimes-singer at the club. “He was the best looking of them. And he knew how to handle a crowd.”

Fernwood Farms hosted the likes of Patsy Cline, Jimmy Dean, Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow and Bill Monroe.

Willie wrote hundreds of songs. One, “I’m Beginning to Forget You,” was later recorded by Elvis Presley.

A fateful raid in 1959 by the state alcohol board effectively ended the good times at Fernwood Farms.

Decades after his brothers died, Phelps performed with new incarnations of The Virginia Rounders. Three years ago, friends said his singing voice was as strong as ever.

When news that Phelps, 89, was on his death bed came to his old friend Woodie Nordan on Monday , Nordan brought a guitar to Phelps’ bedside. Nordan sang the song “I Want to Die With a Guitar in My Hand.”

At the conclusion, Nordan quietly laid the guitar on Phelps’ chest, and the request was realized.

quote:

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Len Slye snuck in

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Ironic...he certainly was "Sly".

I live right next door to Chesapeake, Virginia and I just found this out on the Forum.

Willie was a professional all the way and I am as proud of playing in Willies band as anyone I ever worked with in the past 40 something years, That includes About 5 years in Nashville too.

I have seen the pictures of Willie in his younger days when he was in Hollywood and He was a very handsome man, Probably a lot more so than our cowboy heroes that we used to see on the silver screen on Saturdays.

Except for a flat tire, Willie might have become Roy Rogers. Fate has a way of Changing History.

The last time I remember playing with Willie, I slipped off from work and went to the Chesapeake Virginia city park and I asked Ed if He needed a bass player, He explained to me that there was no money in it, The gig was voluntary for a senior citizens event. I think I told Ed, Hell I don't need any money for playing with Willie and played The job, We all had a great time it may have been one of the last times that Willie was still able to get around and Perform really well.

It was really funny that day, Willies pal and mine , Sonny Roper had mixed Willie a special "Pepsi" in a one litre bottle and it was on the stage on top of my amp. Ed and Bobbie were performing and they wern't too keen on Willie having a drink. But Sonny and I both knew that a small one never hurt Willie and actually helped pep him up some. Willie decided it was time for a little nip and made it up on stage by himself and asked me if I had seen his "Pepsi", I handed it to him and stood in front of him to block him from Ed and Bobbie's view while he had a couple of nips and just then Ed and Bobbie's song ended. Willie strutted out in Front and said "I think I'm ready to sing a few now" in a real loud voice.

I'll always cherish that memory of Willie, because he was such a pro and a trouper even in his advanced years.

Maybe I should have explained earlier that Bobbie Is Ed Beard's wife and the daughter oF Willie Phelps.

My heart goes out to the family and our mutual pal, Sonny Roper who I know will miss him as much as anybody. He was Willies shadow in past years and Willies stage guitar was hand made by Sonny, It is a real Beauty of a Flattop Guitar.

Save me a place in the band, Willie and I'll see if I can sneak your "Pepsi" past St Peter

John Floyd

[This message was edited by John Floyd on 06 March 2004 at 07:44 PM.]

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 09 March 2004 at 04:59 AM.]

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kd...and the beat goes on...