Yesterday, the City of Wilmington performed a Street Naming Ceremony for Wilmington’s own Dave Wooley at the corner of 16th & Claymont St. Remarks were made by City Council President Trippi Congo, Senator Darius Brown, Councilwoman Zanthia Oliver, Former City Council President Hanifa Shabazz, Community Leader Norman Oliver, along with Robert Tan and Dave Wooley’s brother, Terrance Johnson.
I would like to Thank Leonard Young (Delawareblack.com) for supporting my career over many years. You’re truly the best!!! ~ Dave Wooley
Dave Wooley is a nationally known veteran entrepreneur, producer, and director, based in Wilmington, DE. He has produced and directed, many world-class entertainment events including, television and sporting events, tours, and concerts. Wooley has been an adjunct business professor at Wilmington University since 1996. He’s also an NAACP Image Award, nominated writer, as well as co-author of Ms. Dionne Warwick’s best-selling autobiography, “My Life, as I See It” In 2020, Wooley was named “Talent/Content Advisor” for the Joe Biden Presidential Inaugural Committee. In 2021, Dave has been prominently featured in the Mike Tyson: The Knockout documentary on the ABC network.
Wooley recently produced, wrote, and co-directed the award-winning, critically acclaimed, “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over” documentary. The film features Elton John, Snoop Dogg, Bill Clinton, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, Quincy Jones, Alicia Keys to name a few. In February 2022, CNN acquired distribution rights to the film.
In retrospect, Wooley launched his producing career in 1985 at a nightclub named, Ambrosia, located 16th North Claymont St. Wilmington, DE.
As a young entrepreneur based in Wilmington, he single-handedly brought major recording artists to perform at the club. A few of the artists include The O’Jays, Norman Connors, Nancy Wilson, Wynton Marsalis, Phyllis Hyman, Gil Scott Heron, and The Whispers. In addition, Wooley brought many other top world-class entertainers to Delaware including Pattie Labelle, Tony Bennett, Dionne Warwick, Tito Puente, Frankie Beverly & Maze, BB King, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Loretta Lynn, Dizzy Gillespie, Queen Latifah, Four Tops, Run DMC, Temptations, and many others.
Moreover, Wooley’s producing career has extended into the sports sector. In 1988, he rose to national prominence as the only Black man in the country to be awarded exclusive paid-per-view and closed-circuit television broadcasting rights for several entire states to the Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks “Once And For All†match – the largest fight in history at the time. The fight grossed over $100 million dollars. Wooley owned the exclusive TV broadcast rights to the entire state of Delaware and Virginia. He later produced and owned the exclusive television broadcasting rights for several states to other iconic
sporting events, including Evander Holyfield vs. George Foreman Fight.
Wanting to create his world-class event, Wooley was the sole producer who came up with the idea for “The Clash of the Legends,†Wooley produced the paid-per view TV event which pitted retired NBA basketball players Julius “Dr. J†Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar against one another. A portion of the proceeds from the event went to benefit the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) as well as the Magic Johnson Foundation.
Wooley has enjoyed a stellar career that has spanned over 35 years. He has produced countless events and has worked with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. However, it all started on “16th and Claymont Street” in Wilmington DE.
Dave Wooley an African-American, entrepreneur, visionary, pioneer has always been based in Delaware. Throughout his career, he has brought national attention to Wilmington, DE as a City that features world-class entertainment and cultural diversity.
Wooley is a single father, who raised two daughters into adulthood. Veda Wooley is a practicing attorney. Davina Wooley received an MS degree in Computer Science from Georgia Tech.
Wooley truly believes, whom much is given much is required.
