Shame on You: The Ballad of Spade Cooley is an original stage play written about the real-life story of Spade Cooley, a popular western swing performer from the 1950’s. While famous initially for his music, the performer later became infamous for the brutal killing his wife Ella Mae and was eventually convicted of his crimes.

The play recounts the events leading up to Ella Mae’s murder, as well as the aftermath that ensues. The story takes real-world documents, including the official police interrogation tape, court transcripts, and Spade’s personal notes and letters from prison.

Shame on You: The Ballad of Spade Cooley was selected for CSU Sacramento’s Playwrights Collective in 2019 where it received a live table reading.

Here is an excerpt of the scene where Spade is interrogated by the police shortly after he murders his wife.

4