Dale Wiley is shown in Crane in March 2020.

CRANE – It’s not where he expected to be, but perhaps it’s where he’s supposed to be. Life, after all, doesn’t always turn out the way we plan — but if we’re lucky, it shows us things we never dreamed.

That, in a sense, is the story of Dale Wiley, a man who has packed multiple careers, causes and now a calling into a life of less than 50 years.

A Stone County native, Wiley has worked as an attorney, practicing for more than 20 years; in environmental efforts, where he owned American Green Holdings, a company that led to a namesake character on the TV show CSI; as an author of several novels; and in music, where he led Slewfoot Records, a label that linked him with both local and big names.

But today, as he sits at a table at his parents’ house in Crane, his world has changed.

Things, after all, came to a screeching slowdown in late 2019, when he suffered a series of strokes. Unexpected at his age, the first three didn’t make a significant impact, he says. But the fourth made a big difference. His prognosis is good, thankfully, but life is different.

Among other things, the strokes ultimately affected his heart and ears — but not necessarily in a medical sense, nor even in a negative way.

“It took me until the fourth (stroke),” he says. “I was really doing this all wrong. I needed to slow down; listen to God more, listen to me less.”

“I kind of felt like I finally realized the best thing I could do would be to sit down and listen to other people.”

Those efforts led to another one: Wiley began a podcast called The Dale Wiley Show, for which he interviews “regular” people about their lives, experiences and observations and shares them with the world.

“I realized, honestly, so many people who don’t ever get thought of as inspirational are some of the most inspiring people,” says Wiley, who has interviewed dozens of people in the weeks since its start in January.

“I haven’t done one a day, but I’ve done a lot,” he says. “It’s wildly entertaining to just sit back and listen.”

Those people represent a wide variety of backgrounds, viewpoints and beliefs. Before social distancing, many of his guests came to his parents’ home to chat, where he is recuperating. Some individuals include Bob Hackley, who spoke on fighting at the Battle of Iwo Jima; John Moore, retired president of Drury University; a number of local ministers; people who recall growing up in a very rural Ozarks; and many other “ordinary” Ozarkers, each with a unique story to share.

While some guests are new friends of Wiley’s, others throwback to other times in his life. A number tie to his work in the music business in the early 2000s with the aforementioned Slewfoot Records, which was active from around 2000 to 2004. Eventually, Wiley closed the business in light of low profitability.

“I realized I have a talent for moving people from absolute obscurity to relative obscurity,” he says, speaking of his time with Slewfoot Records. In its heyday, some of Slewfoot’s associated names include The Morrells, Domino Kings, Duane Jarvis and others. The label had stronger star power, too, including Hank Locklin, who had connections with Dolly Parton and Vince Gill.

But still, it seems a lot of the label’s focus was on finding names and making them known.

“We’re talking about artists that maybe nobody’s heard of, or (that) people in a very small area have heard of, and getting people to learn about them and listen to them over a one-, two-, three-, or four-album period,” Wiley told a Springfield News-Leader reporter in 2002. “We know that unless we catch lightning in a bottle, we’re looking at our artist development in a period of years rather than months.

“Still Slewfoot has sold more than 10,000 albums in North America and Europe and is helping to fuel a growing interest in Americana music across the nation and even in Europe. In July, the Domino Kings headlined at the Festival Country Rendezvous in France before thousands of fans.”

Perhaps Wiley’s talent for connecting people and sharing them with the world is still shining through. And even as his recovery progresses, Wiley plans to take the gift of lessons he’s learned and make lasting changes in his life.

“Ultimately, probably five years before the strokes happened, I decided I really wanted to write and do more stuff than practice law,” he says. “Then the stroke just made the decision for me.”

“I realized I just needed to listen. That’s really where this all came from.”

Want to listen?

Click here to visit The Dale Wiley Show’s website and listen to the podcast, and here to connect via Facebook.

Ozarks guidebook now available

“Passport to the Ozarks,” a guidebook of 61 off-the-beaten-path places to see in southwest Missouri, is now available to preorder! The book is only $25 (with free shipping) and features photos and short stories about the destinations.

It’s the perfect book to take on a road trip, give as a gift, or simply read to learn more about the Ozarks. A few examples of destinations include Topaz Mill, Steak Inn, McClurg Jam, Cooky’s Cafe and many more.

Click here to order your copy!

Resources

“All-Slewfoot Records lineup to play in Crane,” Michael A. Brothers, Springfield News-Leader, July 7, 2001

“Everyone’s invited to Crane Broiler Festival,” Gail Reyonlds, Springfield News-Leader, Aug. 22, 2003

“Homespun talent, homegrown labels,” Michael A. Brothers, Springfield News-Leader, Nov. 17, 2002