Why was Big Chief Wetherington called Big Chief?

Answer 1

Jim "Big Chief" Wetherington was given the nickname "Big Chief" by Leroy Abernathy, a noted southern gospel quartet song writer and singer. Big Chief, my uncle, joined the Statesmen Quartet in 1948 and was introduced to the audience during his first show as "James S. Wetherington." Mr. Abernathy noted Uncle Jim's dark complexion and reportedly said something to the effect of , "...who's going to care about James S. Wetherington? You should call him the "Big Chief!" The name just stuck and he was Big Chief from then on. I have always suspected, but have never been able to verify, that the name was also given so audiences would know that uncle Jim had a native American heritage and was not black. Uncle Jim was very dark (as all of our family is) and remember, they were a southern gospel quartet that traveled and performed heavily in the south from 1948 on until his death in 1973. I have heard stories that uncle Jim was cornered and threatened by more than one good ol' boy who thought he was black, so I think the name stuck, in part at least, to avoid those prejudice's. If you notice on some of the album covers with his picture on them, his face is whitened, further underscoring my suspicions. Marc Wetherington (Big Chief's Nephew)