The King of Western Swing: Bob Wills Remembered [Paperback]

Rosetta Wills (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2000

A finalist for the prestigious Ralph J. Gleason Book Award for excellence in books on music, the author's revealing biography of her father and his legendary career presents a very personal look at the remarkable Bob Wills.

Together with a first-time, inside look at the star's offstage life, the book offers "a treasure trove of rare photos," raves The Austin American-Statesman. Career milestones covered include Wills's gold record for "San Antonio Rose"; his induction into the Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame; and his being named by Life magazine one of the most important people in country music history.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rosetta Wills, a freelance writer whose articles on country music artists have appeared in The Austin American-Statesman, lives in Austin, Texas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications (March 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823077454
• ISBN-13: 978-0823077458
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,737,833 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No sense of direction, March 31, 2000

By 

JLC (Dallas, Tx) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The King of Western Swing: Bob Wills Remembered (Hardcover)

This book comes much closer to being an autobiography than a biography. Only about half of the book is really about Bob Wills, and it's a poorly-written book to boot. It's similar to listening to someone just "ramble" all over the place, from one subject and time period to another, with little or no warning. It never flows and is hard to follow. The only reason I give it even 1 star is for a few bits of information about Bob Wills that I might not have read anywhere else and it does have some good pictures.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and done with feeling, but unfocused., December 3, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The King of Western Swing: Bob Wills Remembered (Hardcover)

This book can't decide if it is a biography or an autobiography and doesn't succeed as either; it shifts between the author's feelings about her father, their relationship, and her personal growth, while simultaneously attempting to document Bob Will's life. The result is an awkwardly structured narrative, albeit with some interesting insights (but also some minor factual errors).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unique entertainment figure revealed with love., July 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The King of Western Swing: Bob Wills Remembered (Hardcover)

Bob Wills daughter, Rosetta, tells of a man who drew from his family's traditional musical roots in West Texas to develop a sound and a style that have influenced generations of musicians up to the present day.

Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Reba McIntire, George Strait, and others tell of debts owed to the influence of Bob Wills. The book reveals a humble, self-effacing personality secure in his musical talent and innovations. He brought diverse musicians together to produce a joyous sound, one that people flocked to dance halls to hear and to dance. He made them "feel good, feel happy" in spite of hard times.

Rosetta, through her dairy kept as a young girl, tells the touching story of tenuous ties with her famous father over the years. Bob Wills married five times, fathering six children. His schedule of daily radio broadcasts, club and dance hall performances, and eight movies may account for the nature of his relationships.

Fans from all walks of life have enc! ouraged Rosetta, telling in this book of their memories and devotion to her father and helping to keep his spirit close to her.