Roy Wiggins

Roy Wiggins (June 27, 1926 – August 3, 1999), known professionally as Little Roy Wiggins, was an American steel guitarist who is best known for his work with Eddy Arnold. Wiggins began playing professionally at a young age. As Eddy Arnold's first hire, he developed a signature "ting-a-ling" sound that helped make Arnold the most popular country entertainer for a period. As Arnold moved towards pop music, Wiggins' instrumental work was faded to the background, and then dropped entirely. Wiggins then made several solo instrumental recordings, and toured with other country musicians. Late in life he played for tourists in Tennessee.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 27, 1926 (Nashville), Died August 3, 1999 (Sevierville)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1944 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: steel guitar, electric guitar, leader, guitar, songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	E0VB-4198	10-in.	4/16/1950	What, where and when	Golden West Cowboys ; Pee Wee King	Vocal trio, with string band	songwriter
Victor	E0VB-4267	10-in.	4/26/1950	A prison without walls	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-4268	10-in.	4/26/1950	Cuddle buggin' baby	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-4269	10-in.	4/26/1950	Enclosed, one broken heart	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-4270	10-in.	4/27/1950	Tie me to your apron strings again	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-4285	10-in.	4/27/1950	A million miles from your heart	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-5501	10-in.	8/20/1950	The lovebug itch	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-5502	10-in.	8/21/1950	White Christmas	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-5503	10-in.	8/21/1950	Santa Claus is coming to town	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-5839	10-in.	11/9/1950	There's been a change in me	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-5845	10-in.	11/10/1950	Jesus and the atheist	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-6279	10-in.	12/13/1950	Kentucky waltz	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-6280	10-in.	12/13/1950	Something old, something new	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-6281	10-in.	12/13/1950	May the good Lord bless and keep you	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E0VB-6282	10-in.	12/13/1950	I'm writing a letter to the Lord	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E1VB-1188	10-in.	2/20/1951	Look what thoughts will do	Oklahoma Wranglers ; Guy Willis	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar, leader
Victor	E1VB-1189	10-in.	2/20/1951	Shine, shave, shower	Oklahoma Wranglers ; Guy Willis	Male vocal solo, with vocal harmonies and string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar, leader
Victor	E1VB-1198	10-in.	2/20/1951	If I should need you (would you say "yes")	Oklahoma Wranglers ; The Willis Brothers	Male vocal solo, with vocal harmonies and string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar, leader
Victor	E1VB-1199	10-in.	2/20/1951	I know you'll never change	Oklahoma Wranglers	Male vocal solo, with vocal harmonies and string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar, leader
Victor	E1VB-1784	10-in.	4/18/1951	I wanna play house with you	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E1VB-1790	10-in.	4/16/1951	He knows	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	E1VB-2003	10-in.	4/17/1951	Country kisses	Oklahoma Wranglers ; Guy Willis	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	E1VB-2004	10-in.	4/17/1951	Warm beer and a cold, cold woman	Oklahoma Wranglers ; Guy Willis	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D4AB-0519	10-in.	12/4/1944	The cattle call	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D5AB-0494	10-in.	7/9/1945	Many tears ago	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D5AB-0495	10-in.	7/9/1945	I walk alone	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D5AB-1218	10-in.	11/21/1945	(I'll have to) live and learn	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D5AB-1219	10-in.	11/21/1945	Be sure there's no mistake	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D5AB-1220	10-in.	11/21/1945	I couldn't believe it was true	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D5AB-1221	10-in.	11/21/1945	I talk to myself about you	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D6VB-1870	10-in.	3/20/1946	All alone in the world without you	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D6VB-1871	10-in.	3/20/1946	Can't win, can't place, can't show	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with vocal trio and string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D6VB-1872	10-in.	3/20/1946	What's life without love	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D6VB-1873	10-in.	3/20/1946	That's how much I love you	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D6VB-1875	10-in.	3/20/1946	Chained to a memory	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-0730	10-in.	5/18/1947	Don't bother to cry	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-0732	10-in.	5/18/1947	I'll hold you in my heart (till I can hold you in my arms)	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-0733	10-in.	5/18/1947	Bouquet of roses	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-0734	10-in.	5/18/1947	What a fool I was	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-0735	10-in.	5/18/1947	Little angel with a dirty face	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-0737	10-in.	5/18/1947	Take them cold feet outa my back (before I kick you out)	Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers	Male vocal duet, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-0738	10-in.	5/18/1947	Old buttermilk sky	Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers	Male vocal duet, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-0739	10-in.	5/18/1947	Cornbread, 'lasses and sassafrass tea	Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers	Male vocal duet, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-0740	10-in.	5/18/1947	My adobe hacienda	Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers	Male vocal duet, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-1517	10-in.	8/18/1947	When you were sweet sixteen	Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers	Male vocal duet, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1518	10-in.	8/18/1947	Poppin' bubble gum	Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers	Male vocal duet, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-1519	10-in.	8/18/1947	You blacked my blue eyes once too often	Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers	Male vocal duet, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1521	10-in.	8/18/1947	There's a hole in the bottom of the sea	Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers	Male vocal duet, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1522	10-in.	8/18/1947	Near you	Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers	Male vocal duet, with comic dialogue and string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1523	10-in.	8/18/1947	You won't do it no more	Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers	Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1524	10-in.	8/18/1947	Last ole dollar	Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers	Male vocal duet, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1525	10-in.	8/19/1947	The prisoner's song	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-1526	10-in.	8/19/1947	Rockin' alone (in an old rocking chair)	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-1527	10-in.	8/19/1947	It makes no difference now	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-1528	10-in.	8/19/1947	Will the circle be unbroken (my family circle)	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-1529	10-in.	8/19/1947	Seven years with the wrong woman	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-1530	10-in.	8/19/1947	Molly darling	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-1531	10-in.	8/19/1947	I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-1532	10-in.	8/19/1947	Who at my door is standing	Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-1533	10-in.	8/14/1947	Answer to rainbow at midnight	Panhandle Punchers ; Texas Jim Robertson	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1534	10-in.	8/20/1947	Then I turned and walked slowly away	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1535	10-in.	8/20/1947	Texarkana baby	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1536	10-in.	8/20/1947	(In the) hills of tomorrow	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1537	10-in.	8/20/1947	My daddy is only a picture	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1539	10-in.	8/20/1947	There's not a thing (I wouldn't do for you)	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-1541	10-in.	8/20/1947	Anytime	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, electric guitar
Victor	D7VB-2821	10-in.	12/17/1947	A heart full of love (for a handful of kisses)	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-2825	10-in.	12/17/1947	You know how talk gets around	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D7VB-2826	10-in.	12/17/1947	Just a little love (will go a long, long way)	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D8VB-4086	10-in.	12/20/1948	I wish I had a girl like you, mother	Eddy Arnold	String band, with male vocal solo and piano	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D8VB-4087	10-in.	12/20/1948	My mother's sweet voice	Eddy Arnold	String band, with male vocal solo and piano	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D8VB-4088	10-in.	12/20/1948	There's no wings on my angel	Eddy Arnold	String band, with male vocal solo and piano	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D8VB-4089	10-in.	12/20/1948	The echo of your footsteps	Eddy Arnold	String band, with male vocal solo and piano	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D8VB-4096	10-in.	12/21/1948	Don't rob another man's castle	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D8VB-4104	10-in.	12/22/1948	Show me the way back to your heart	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D8VB-4106	10-in.	12/22/1948	One kiss too many	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-1237	10-in.	4/5/1949	I'm throwing rice (at the girl I love)	Eddy Arnold ; Ben Lambert	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-1239	10-in.	4/5/1949	Why should I cry?	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-1240	10-in.	4/5/1949	C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-2233	10-in.	9/13/1949	Take me in your arms and hold me	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-2235	10-in.	9/13/1949	Evil tempt me not	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-2236	10-in.	9/13/1949	When Jesus beckons me home	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-2237	10-in.	9/13/1949	Will Santy come to shanty town	Eddy Arnold ; Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-2238	10-in.	9/13/1949	Beautiful Isle of Somewhere	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-2239	10-in.	9/13/1949	The lily of the valley	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-2240	10-in.	9/13/1949	Softly and tenderly	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-2241	10-in.	9/14/1949	Mama and daddy broke my heart	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-2242	10-in.	9/14/1949	Nearest thing to heaven	Eddy Arnold	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-2244	10-in.	9/14/1949	I'll never slip around again	Panhandle Punchers ; Texas Jim Robertson	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Victor	D9VB-2245	10-in.	9/14/1949	Revenge	Panhandle Punchers ; Texas Jim Robertson	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, steel guitar
Columbia	CO43173	10-in.	4/26/1950	What, where and when	Leon McAuliffe and his Western Swing Band	String band, with male vocal trio	songwriter

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wiggins, Roy," accessed November 24, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/355917.

Wiggins, Roy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/355917.

"Wiggins, Roy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 November 2024.