For the last 35 years of my life I have been listening to Texas music. Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, David Alan Coe, and all the other Texas outlaws made the change from Nashville back to Texas in the early 70’s. They started playing their kind of music instead of what the Nashville execs wanted them to play. Well they started a revolution in country music that is still strong today. I am not sure they call themselves outlaws anymore and Waylon has passed away but the essence of the music is still there with a lot of young artist that continue the tradition. I said all that to say this. Through all this revolution there was one thing that was constant and that was the sound of Asleep at the Wheel. Ray Benson started the group in 1971 and I started listening to them in 1975. So that is my Boni Fides for all of this. What Sharon? No, I do not know how to spell Boni Fides but I am sure this here laptop will spell it right. It’s French or Latin that means that I know what the hell I am talking about. I think. Well anyway, Asleep at the Wheel and Ray Benson has kept alive the genre, (good word huh?) of what is called Western Swing that was created by the great Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. Now, with all due respect to Bob and his band; Ray has taken Western Swing to an all new level. In my humble opinion, what now Sharon? Yes I can be humble at times, geez, anyway where was I, ah yes, Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel has made Western Swing, Texas Western Swing! And that my friends is the pinnacle of Country Music. There renditions of Bob Wills music can only be described as better that the original. The new Music that Ray is writing shows the depth of his commitment to this kind of music.
I started this blog to talk about Ray Benson’s Asleep at the Wheel BBQ Sauce, but I got to thinking how much I love this music and how through all the years Asleep at the Wheel has kept the music of Western Swing true to its roots. Now I have to write another Blog about how great his BBQ Sauce is and how honored Big Al’s Texas Rubs is proud to endorse and sell his Sauce.
God Bless Texas! God Bless Texas Western Swing! And God Bless the Band that keeps it Alive!
Here Endth The lesson.
Big Al
March 2010
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