▁who ▁had ▁decided ▁to ▁leave ▁Billy ▁Ward ▁and ▁the ▁Dom ino es ▁for ▁a ▁solo ▁career . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁De cca ▁Records ▁was ▁ready ▁to ▁sign ▁Wilson , ▁Green ▁died , ▁leaving ▁the ▁entire ▁job ▁of ▁management ▁to ▁T arn opol , ▁who ▁was ▁only ▁ 2 5 . ▁ ▁De cca ▁placed ▁Wilson ▁on ▁their ▁Brun sw ick ▁label , ▁which ▁had ▁become ▁their ▁de pository ▁for ▁black ▁recording ▁artists ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Bud dy ▁Hol ly ' s ▁Cr ick ets , ▁who ▁De cca ▁first ▁thought ▁were ▁black ▁until ▁they ▁actually ▁met ▁them ▁in ▁person . ▁The ▁break out ▁hit ▁for ▁Wilson ▁was ▁“ L on ely ▁Te ard ro ps ” ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁which ▁was ▁written ▁by ▁fled g ling ▁song writ ers ▁Ber ry ▁G ord y ▁Jr ., ▁G wend ol yn ▁G ord y ▁and ▁Ro quel ▁" B illy " ▁Davis . ▁According ▁to ▁Jack ie ▁Wilson , ▁“ L on ely ▁Te ard ro ps ” ▁was ▁originally ▁written ▁and ▁recorded ▁as ▁a ▁bl ues ▁ball ad . ▁After ▁playing ▁it ▁back ▁in ▁the ▁recording ▁in ▁the ▁studio , ▁it ▁was ▁T arn opol ▁who ▁instruct ed ▁De cca ' s ▁staff ▁producer ▁Dick ▁Jacob s ▁to ▁re configure ▁the ▁song ▁as ▁an ▁up - tem po ▁recording . ▁“ L on ely ▁Te ard ro ps ” ▁became ▁a ▁number ▁one ▁record ▁which ▁sky ro cket ed ▁Jack ie ▁Wilson ' s ▁singing ▁career ▁and ▁helped ▁provide