Real name: Walter Wesley Ortgiesen, Jr.

Born in Dixon, Illinois, on February 1, 1929. He graduated from Dixon High School in 1947. In 1951, he joined the US Air Force, serving four years during the Korean War. He had planned a career in chiropractic and was a student at the Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1956, but left school to pursue a career in show business. In December 1955, he performed for the "Tree of Lights" telethon on WOC-TV in Davenport, Iowa. That performance led to Holly hosting "The Circle 6 Ranch," a regularly-scheduled program that aired old cowboy movies. This show eventually became "The Circle 6 Cartoon Corral." Holly also had his own barn dance show, "The Wes Holly Show," also on WOC-TV. "Cowboy Wes" was featured regularly as a presenter and a performer on WOC-TV for four years, from 1956 until 1959.

Wes and his second wife, Eileen, made appearances at the Grand Ole Opry during the 1960s, also appearing on WLS-AM's National Barn Dance. Locally, they were regulars at the Candlelight Inn in Sterling, Illinois. In 1972, Wes and Eileen took their act, "The Sounds of Holly," to Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, and numerous other Nevada cities. They performed at famous casinos such as the Silver Slipper and the Frontier.

Wes Holly passed away on March 27, 2008, in White Bluff, Tennessee.

First wife was Joy (McCoy) Holly