Bob Wills

Western Swing

From: ARTSEDGE
Series: Swing, Swing, Swing
Length: 11:59

Explaining Western Swing Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: Western Swing
From: ARTSEDGE

Wills-bob_small In the 1930s, two types of American music, the rural Country/Western and the urban Swing Jazz, were combined to create Western Swing, a popular type of music that crossed racial boundaries. In this episode we’ll learn about the roots of Western Swing, and hear the music of its most famous performer, Bob Wills.

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Piece Description

In the 1930s, two types of American music, the rural Country/Western and the urban Swing Jazz, were combined to create Western Swing, a popular type of music that crossed racial boundaries. In this episode we’ll learn about the roots of Western Swing, and hear the music of its most famous performer, Bob Wills.

Transcript

MUSIC – REDSTICK RAMBLERS - THE BARNYARD BACHELOR

This is “Swing, Swing, Swing,” a celebration of Swing Music. I’m Connaitre Miller of the award-winning group Afro-Blue at Howard University and in this segment, we look at Swing with a countrified twang.

MUSIC – REDSTICK RAMBLERS - THE BARNYARD BACHELOR

You’ve got a good idea in your head about how to label this kind of music. Maybe you’d say “country.” Or “country-western.” Maybe you’d call it “rock-a-billy” or Cajun. But there’s another name. One that goes way, way back.

MUSIC – REDSTICK RAMBLERS - THE BARNYARD BACHELOR

JUSTUS: We play swing music.

That’s Chas Justus. The guitar player on this song. It’s by the Red Stick Ramblers. And yes, he called their music “Swing.”

JUSTUS: There is actually quite a tradition of swing music in Louisiana and even in southwest Louisiana which there was Big Bands and a number of Caj...
Read the full transcript

Intro and Outro

INTRO:

(MUSIC) This is “Swing, Swing, Swing,” a celebration of Swing Music

OUTRO:

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Musical Works

Title	Artist	Album	Label	Year	Length
Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens	Asleep at the Wheel	The Very Best Of Asleep At The Wheel.	Bismeaux Records	2007	01:51
The Barnyard Bachelor	The Red Stick Ramblers	My Suitcase Is Always Packed.	Sugar Hill	2009	01:31
Old Fashioned Two-Step	The Red Stick Ramblers	My Suitcase Is Always Packed.	Sugar Hill	2009	01:11
Je T'aime Pas Mieux	The Red Stick Ramblers	My Suitcase Is Always Packed.	Sugar Hill	2009	00:38
Texas Playboy Rag	Bob Wills, Leon McAuliffe, Spade Cooley, Cecil Brower	Western Swing On The Radio.	Country Routes	1994	01:32
Somebody's Been Doing That Thing	Tampa Red	Tampa Red - The Guitar Wizard.	Legacy	1994	00:55
Somebody's Been Using That Thing	Milton Brown	Complete Recordings Of The Father Of Western Swing 1932-37.	Texas Rose	1994	00:43
Stompin' at the Savoy	Benny Goodman orchestra	Swing Era 1936-1937.	Big Band Sounds	2003	00:35
New San Antonio Rose	Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys	Bob Wills - San Antonio Rose.	Bear Family	2000	02:24
You're OK	Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys	Bob Wills - San Antonio Rose.	Bear Family	2000	01:10