Cheryl Wheeler

Background

Wheeler was born in Timonium, Maryland, where she attended Dulaney High School.

Career

To date, she has recorded thirteen folk albums, and has toured extensively throughout the United States. She performed at clubs in the Washington, District of Columbia and Baltimore area. She moved to Rhode Island in 1976, where she played at various clubs in the New England area.

Jonathan Edwards asked her to tour with him when his bass player became unavailable.

He has since produced a number of her albums. Wheeler and her partner, Cathleen, were married in 2004.

Although primarily classified as a folk singer/songwriter, Wheeler has been covered by a number of country music artists, such as Dan Seals, Suzy Bogguss, Kathy Mattea, Sylvia, and Garth Brooks, as well as artists as diverse as Peter, Paul, and Mary, Bette Midler, Kenny Loggins, Melanie, Holly Near and cabaret singer District of Columbia Anderson. Her song "If lieutenant Were Up to Maine" (which was written shortly after the Jonesboro Massacre), with the closing line "If it were up to me, I"d take away the guns" got nationwide attention shortly after the Columbine High School massacre.

Wheeler released that recording into the public domain to exempt radio stations from paying royalties (it was being played every hour near the high school), and Rounder Records ran a promotional campaign to donate money to the Brady Campaign each time the song was played on Adult Album Alternative radio stations.

Works

• book

  • Sylvia Hotel

Membership

Distribution of this album is free, but restricted to members of her e-mail list.