Spade Cooley
Spade Cooley | |
|---|---|
Spade Cooley (1944) | |
| Born | Donnell Clyde Cooley December 17, 1910 |
| Died | November 23, 1969 (aged 58) Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Other names | King of Western Swing |
| Criminal status | Paroled - died before grant of parole enacted |
| Criminal charge | First-degree murder |
| Penalty | Life in prison |
| Details | |
| Victims | Ella Mae Cooley (née Evans) |
| Date | April 3, 1961 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Western swing |
| Occupation(s) | Big-band leader, actor, television personality |
| Instrument(s) | Fiddle, vocals |
| Years active |
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| Labels | Westernair, Columbia, RCA, Decca, OKeh |
Donnell Clyde "Spade" Cooley (December 17, 1910 – November 23, 1969) was an American Western swing musician, big-band leader, actor, television personality, and convicted murderer. In 1961, he was tried and convicted for the murder of his second wife, Ella Mae Evans.