Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys

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BOB WILLS AND HIS TEXAS PLAYBOYS

Bob Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975) was an American Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western swing, he was universally known as the King of Western Swing (after the death of Spade Cooley who used the moniker "King Of Western Swing" from 1942 to 1969.) Wills formed several bands and played radio stations around the South and West until he formed Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys in 1934 with Wills on fiddle, Tommy Duncan on piano and vocals, rhythm guitarist June Whalin, tenor banjoist Johnnie Lee Wills, and Kermit Whalin, who played steel guitar and bass. (More from Wikipedia)

Chuck Berry met Muddy Waters on a trip to Chicago in May 1955, who suggested that he contact Leonard Chess of Chess Records. (The story of Chess Records and their musical roster is told in the 2008 film, Cadillac Records). To Berry's surprise, Leonard Chess was most interested not in his blues material, but in his performance of a traditional country song called "Ida Red" (as recorded in 1938 by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys). The song was rewritten by Chuck Berry and was released on May 21, 1955 as the million seller "Maybellene".

(June 2013/1)