Born in Alexander, Texas, on April 17, 1898, Dewey O. Wiley began learning the violin through mail order lessons at age five. After studying under Carl Venth, then dean of music at Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth, Wiley attended Midland College, where he taught violin, played football, and directed the college band. He married Willie Ruth Cole on January 1, 1921, and they had three children. From 1921 to 1934, he directed the Simmons College (now Hardin-Simmons University) Cowboy Band and then served as band director at Texas Technological College from 1934 to 1959, after which he retired. Wiley was the executive secretary of the Texas Music Educators Association for 22 years and was a member of numerous other music, band and educational organizations, as well. He died of heart failure in Lubbock on December 30, 1980. A son, Charles (Pete) Wiley, was longtime band director at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
The Handbook of Texas has published a more in-depth online biography of Dewey O. Wiley at http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/search.html
From the guide to the Dewey O. Wiley, Papers, U 49. 1., 1915-1981 and undated, (Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University)
