Talk:Bob Wills/Archive 1

Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was the biggest influence on Western Swing and Bon Wills
 * http://www.neonbridge.com/Articles/2000-2002/Willie%20Nelson.htm
 * http://www.americanamusicplace.com/album_details.asp?inventoryID=905&cart=true
 * http://www.mp3.com/django-reinhardt/artists/6280/biography.html
 * Um, no he wasn't, and none of those three links work. 24.19.56.18 (talk) 15:37, 27 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Correct, he wasn't. And who is "Bon Wills"? TuckerResearch (talk) 20:54, 8 August 2010 (UTC)

Interestingly enough, I HAVE found one or two bits in books about Western Swing that substaniate that Reinhart DID have SOME influence on one or two WS guitarists, although not specifically on Wills.Steve Pastor (talk) 22:16, 8 August 2010 (UTC)

Guitarist??
I dunno if I would classify Bob Wills as a guitarist in WikiProjectGuitarists, but he did hire and fire some of the best in the business. Oh, and yeah, he originated the phrase "Take it away, Leon!" which intro'ed some very adept steel guitar work by Leon Mc Auliffe. Whoa! Now there's a guitarist without a Wikipedia entry. Jim, K7JEB.
 * Banner has been removed; thank you for calling my mistake to my attention and giving me the chance to correct it. Badbilltucker 13:09, 21 August 2006 (UTC),


 * FWIW, Bob Wills played the fiddle. Jim, K7JEB

Yes, during the war
See January 16, 2006 edits. WWII offered many opportunities in defense related activities in the Los Angeles Basin. The migration that started in the 30s during the Dust Bowl and Depression continued. Wills moved there after getting out of the military in 1943 knowing that there were aready lots of his fans in the area. The war continued until 1945. If you need specific references, I can get them for you, but you should be able to find them in the links. Steve Pastor 15:45, 16 January 2007 (UTC)

An appropriate infobox needs to be added to this article...
The current infobox was added by the server when section headings were added. But, you know, Bob Wills was the kind of guy who just didn't fit the mold. Even now his music is lumped under the "country" umbrella, when most people who write about him write that his music was jazz and swing, and not country. But the jazz and swing people don't seem to know he exists. Maybe it's appropriate that his biobox doesn't fit the mold. Steve Pastor 22:51, 29 January 2007 (UTC)

Minstrel Category?
I notice that Genethedancingmachine added the category Blackface Minstrel Performers to the article in February. Now, I'll admit to not being the most erudite scholar of Bob Wills's career, but is there some kind of source to substantiate that association?Cool moe dee 345 15:15, 26 April 2007 (UTC)
 * "1929 Bob Wills and Edna move to Ft. Worth, have first child.
 * Bob Wills works in “blackface” medicine show with guitarist.
 * First recording, Brunswick, Bessie Smith tune"
 * From Bob Wills web site
 * There may be more if you look around some more. Steve Pastor 15:44, 26 April 2007 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Bob Wills.jpg
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"King of Western Swing"
No one approaches Bob Wills' importance or popularity in Western swing, but this was never a title for Wills during his lifetime. It belonged only to Spade Cooley, and, considering Wills and his unenthusiastic relationship with Cooley, I don't believe he would have liked being tied to it. Wills was, and considered himself so, his own man. I left it in the article since so many of Wills' fans&mdash;perhaps unfamiliar with the history between Wills and Cooley&mdash;insist on using it, but I'm not certain it belongs in the introduction. Maybe we need a &#61;&#61;Fan activity&#61;&#61; section toward the end of the article. TestsPoint (talk) 01:59, 2 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I note that that particluar phrase is not referenced. You may, of course delete it, or rephrase it somehow. Regarding Cooley and Wills, I don't really see how their relationship is that important. "Fan activity" section? What??Steve Pastor (talk) 15:30, 2 May 2008 (UTC)
 * It can't really be deleted or rephrased&mdash;it's used by so many fans, and by his daughter in the title of a book, I think. –Now, for the preaching– Wills was more than just the "King" or even the "Father" of Western swing&mdash;he was its guiding light. He wasn't the first Western string dance band to incorporate popular music into performances or even to improvise, but his 50,000 watt radio show airing out across the plains from Tulsa twice a week gave both those local and barnstorming bands direction and even popularity. The relationship between himself and Cooley makes it unlikely he would have appreciated being compared to Cooley. Not taking anything away from Cooley&mdash;he was one of the greatest Western swing artists and innovators&mdash;but I don't think Wills would like Cooley's title. TestsPoint (talk) 21:46, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Sound file
I have added a file with Bob Wills band and Jimmy Rogers singing, however it says it was recorded in 1938 and Rogers died in 1933. Can anyone add any info here? Gandydancer (talk) 14:06, 2 September 2011 (UTC)

Hi Gandydancer. Jimmy Rogers is the composer, not the vocalist. Tommy Duncan is the vocalist. By the way, while the 1972 public domain claim for sound recordings is a rather gray area, and probably wouldn't hold up in court in most states, I believe the composition itself is probably not public domain. Again, Rogers is the composer, and I don't know that his compositions have passed into public domain. Also it says this is dubbed from an LP. That means that particular transfer is copyrighted, so again it's not public domain, even if a dub from the original Vocalion 78rpm issue might be. 78.26 (talk) 15:42, 2 September 2011 (UTC)


 * Thanks. Aw yes, I see.  Though it sure is Jimmy Roger's style, isn't it?  I know someone that is quite knowledgeable about this sort of thing.  I will ask her opinion, OK? Again, thanks for the quick response. Gandydancer (talk) 16:08, 2 September 2011 (UTC)

Discography, Singles: "Maiden's Prayer" moved from 1935 to 1938, added "Wang Wang Blues" 1936, "Home In San Antone" 1943
I've been editing the "Maiden's Prayer" song article and learned that Vocalion 03924 (instrumental version of "Maiden's Prayer") wasn't released until 1938, although recorded 9/23/1935. Notice that the Vocalion catalog number is now in logical sequence. This does not affect the 1941 version with vocals by Tommy Duncan. For more details see Discussion at "Maiden's Prayer."

I added "Wang Wang Blues," which was the A-side of Vocalion 03173, recorded 9/24/1935, released 3/1936. (B-side was a cover of "I Can't Be Satisfied" by Blues legend Big Bill Broonzy, a tune which was apparently borrowed by Hank Williams for the songs "Move It On Over" and "Mind Your Own Business," although no credit was given to Broonzy or Wills.)

I also added "Home In San Antone," which was the A-side of Okeh 6710, recorded 7/14/1942, released 11/1943. (It was featured in the 1945 film Lawless Empire, covered by Ray Price on his 1962 tribute album San Antonio Rose, and already listed at 1943 in country music.) Reference: Praguefrank's Country Music Discographies: Bob Wills – part II.

It would probably be a good idea to arrange the songs within each year in catalog number sequence (or else alphabetically), but I'm not in the mood. Preservationist957 (talk) 14:04, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

aaaaaAAAAH! HAAAAaaaa
Who is the singer of the peculiar "aaaaaAAAAH! HAAAAaaaa" vocal that is especially prominent on Silver Dew on the Blue Grass Tonight? It does not seem to be Wills himself, but the fact ought to be appropriate the the Texas Playboys section.CountMacula (talk) 23:52, 14 July 2013 (UTC)
 * Is there some evidence to suggest that it's not Bob? To me it sounds like a characteristic example of his enthusiastic accompaniments to Tommy Duncan's main vocals, and the recording information for this song (as shown on page 347 of San Antonio Rose: The Life and Music of Bob Wills lists no additional vocalist. --Arxiloxos (talk) 15:44, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
 * The two vocalists overlap in Silver Dew and in other songs.CountMacula (talk) 15:55, 15 July 2013 (UTC)


 * I am barely familiar with Bob Wills's music and was assuming that Bob did the main vocals. A video of San Antonio Rose at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C08jmN1sM8 shows otherwise.  Tommy is doing the main vocal, and the lead fiddle and aaaa haaa vocal is by Bob.  IMO the article should mention somewhere, if it doesn't yet, these peculiar, seemingly characteristic, vocals that seem to run through Bob Will's music.CountMacula (talk) 16:11, 15 July 2013 (UTC)

While Tommy Duncan sang vocals on most songs, Wills would frequently add, let's call them, vocal elements; such as the ahhas you mention, calling on the soloists, sayign "won;t be long now", etc. It WOULD be confusing to a casual listener. Not sure how to make it more clear in the article, which is abut Bob. Maybe something in the lead section, because this is one of his most noted characteristics. You hired Bob Wills, didn't you? he told one producer who wanted him to stop it. Steve Pastor (talk) 16:46, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
 * Maybe we can identify a suitable quotation from an appropriately authoritative reviewer. Some potential examples, although none of them are as definitive as one might desire: an Allmusic review of one of the Tiffany Transcriptions says, "And, as always, the exuberant yelps and catcalls of Wills himself are either charming or irritating, depending on your personal inclination."  The GBooks excerpt for Country roots: the origins of country music, p. 138  says "There is no trademark in country music more immediately identifiable than Bob Wills' exuberant "aaaaah-ha!" (Unfortunately this page doesn't appear to be directly viewable in GBooks.)  Milton Brown and the Founding of Western Swing by Cary Ginell comments that Wills's "exuberant stage presence" came in part from his early minstrel-show experiences, while Charles Townsend's San Antonio Rose has a somewhat different take on that question. --Arxiloxos (talk) 19:24, 15 July 2013 (UTC)


 * It's hardly authoritative, but my father had seen Bob Wills /Playboys some in his youth. He stated that Bob was never the main singer, but led the band as part of it. Often the callouts were either introductions of a soloist to the audience or more direction/cheering-oriented (Yes, yes...). Bob's voice is fairly distinctive and higher pitched and I doubt it could be confused for a 'real' singer such as Tommy Duncan whose voice is relatively smooth and polished. The styling is common in black gospel and even soul, James Brown used the callout routinely (Lemme hear the horns....Play it! on "Get offa that thing") and with Bob's early exposure to black music it seems a logical extension. The same technique is used by modern artists such as Wayne Hancock and Raul Malo of The Mavericks, altho these are likely based upon Will's stylings. Ken (talk) 18:25, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

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