Wiley was born a cowboy in Mississippi where his parents were corn and cotton sharecroppers. His father always had horses and mules around the farm. Wiley learned how to ride and how to care for horses because his family relied on them to get around town and to help with the farming. In 1970, with his sister by his side, he decided to move to New York City to look for work and to better his life. He has since become a successful crane engineer and plans to retire soon. He got involved with the Federation of Black Cowboys when his friend, James Poties, suggested he come by and meet the cowboys. He has been involved ever since and was also one of the founding members of the Federation. His father was a big influence in his life and he is in the process of passing on the family’s cowboy tradition to his son.