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The career of one of country music’s most successful early stars was derailed after he was convicted of murdering his wife.<\/p>\n
Spade Cooley was known as the self-proclaimed King of Western Swing in the ’50s. His band was one of the most popular live acts in the country during that era.<\/p>\n
The acclaimed fiddler scored hits including “Shame on You,” hosted an enormously popular TV show and also appeared in a number of Western movies.<\/p>\n
Cooley’s downfall came about in 1961, shortly after he filed for divorce from his second wife, Ella Mae, with whom he had three children.<\/p>\n
The bandleader\u00a0\u2014 who, according to Shame! Shame! A Saga of Spade Cooley, King of Western Swing<\/a><\/em>, was an alcoholic and also abused pills\u00a0\u2014 was wildly jealous of his younger, attractive wife, accusing her of multiple affairs.<\/p>\n After he filed for divorce, they attempted to reconcile, and on April 3, 1961, Cooley killed Ella Mae in their home by savagely beating her to death, reportedly crushing a cigarette against her skin afterward to make sure she was dead.<\/p>\n The murder took place in front of the couple’s daughter, Melody, who testified against her father in a sensational trial that ended in a conviction on Aug. 19, 1961.<\/p>\n Cooley was sentenced to life in prison on Aug. 22, 1961, but in another strange twist, the State of California granted him parole after he served eight years.<\/p>\n Cooley\u00a0\u2014 who had been a model prisoner\u00a0\u2014 was scheduled for parole on Feb. 22, 1970, but was granted a temporary furlough to perform at a charity concert on Nov. 23, 1969.<\/p>\n He completed the concert to a standing ovation, and afterward was reportedly excited about the prospect of a possible comeback.<\/p>\n But his excitement was cut short when he suffered a massive heart attack and died backstage at the event, bringing a fittingly bizarre end to one of the strangest stories in country music history.<\/p>\n Once one of country’s most recognizable stars, Cooley has been virtually forgotten in the decades since his death.<\/p>\n These 11 country stars were locked up for committing awful crimes. Some turned their life around while others (like No. 10) never seemed to have learned their lesson.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nCountry Music’s Most Horrific Crimes<\/h2>\n