Despite her parents' best efforts to encourage a direction towards classical music, the environment in Nashville, plus the early local programming on radio, convinced her that she wanted to play piano in the honky-tonk style.
"Down Yonder" soon became a national hit in both the country and pop categories in Billboard record charts, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.
[4] This success was turned into appearances on the Grand Ole Opry starting in 1952, which led to an eventual full-time gig there in 1953, fulfilling her long-time dream.
Wood gained the title, Queen of the Ragtime Pianists,[1] sometimes shared with junior fellow plunker Jo Ann Castle.
In 1984, Del Wood appeared in the movie Rhinestone, starring Dolly Parton and Sylvester Stallone as the pianist in the Wild Possums Band.