Asleep at the Wheel

For over three decades Asleep at the Wheel has been steadfastly dedicated to reviving, with slight modernization, the Western swing pioneered by Bob Wills in the '30s and '40s, a hybrid of country, big-band jazz, Cajun fiddling, and be-bop. With frequent personnel changes (there have been more than 80 lineup changes over the past 30 years), Asleep at the Wheel has become a dependable attraction in country and roots-rock circles. The group was founded by three Easterners: lead guitarist/vocalist Ray Benson, rhythm guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Leroy Preston, and pedal steel guitarist Lucky Oceans; female singer Chris O’Connell joined for the debut album. At first they mixed satiric originals with Western swing standards, to the incomprehension of their early record companies. Today the Grammy-winning group is acknowledged as the leading practitioner and champion of Western Swing.

After a few years in San Francisco, Asleep at the Wheel resettled in Austin, Texas, in 1974. The following year the group signed with Capitol and began to reach the country market with such deadpan songs as “The Letter That Johnny Walker Read” (#10 C&W, 1975) and versions of “Bump Bounce Boogie” (#31 C&W, 1975) and “Nothin’ Takes the Place of You” (#35 C&W, 1976). Each of its Capitol releases since 1976 garnered at least one Grammy nomination; the group snagged its first in 1978 when its version of Count Basie’s “One O’Clock Jump” won for Best Country Instrumental Performance. (The band has since won a total of seven Grammys.)

Though the group’s recordings have sold only moderately, Asleep at the Wheel has retained a strong live following. For the critically acclaimed 1993 Bob Wills tribute album, Benson - the group’s sole remaining founding member and leader - assembled such artists as Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Chet Atkins, Garth Brooks, Huey Lewis, Lyle Lovett, and Merle Haggard, who were joined by Texas Playboys Eldon Shamblin and Johnny Gimble and Asleep alumni Lucky Oceans, Chris O’Connell, and Floyd Domino. “Red Wing” from the Wills tribute album won the 1993 Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance. Another Wills tribute, Ride With Bob (#24 C&W, 1999), featured yet more guests, ranging from Lyle Lovett to Tim McGraw to the Dixie Chicks.

from The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Simon & Schuster, 2001)