Customer Reviews

Ride With Bob

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First the cover caught my eye, then the list of all star guests from Shawn Colvin to Lyle Lovett to Reba McEntire. As an easterner who grew up on pop music, I didn't know a thing about Asleep at the Wheel or Bob Wills, I am embarrassed to say. But after listening to this CD many times, I want to know more. Every song is a gem. Some will break your heart; try "Faded Love" with Shawn Colvin and Lyle Lovett. Others will make you laugh; try "Roly Poly" with the Dixie Chicks. The whole thing is evocative of another time, from "San Antonio Rose" with Dwight Yoakum to and "St. Louis Blues" with Merle Haggard. If you've tired of pop music like I have and turned to other forms like jazz and swing for listening entertainment, you'll love this album. Plus the liner notes are so creative and fun to read (really)! Thanks to Roy Benson and Asleep at the Wheel for a real treat.

Ray Benson and the other members of Asleep at the Wheel had never made any secret of the fact that Bob Wills was their biggest influence, but they emphasized the point by recording two tribute albums in the nineties devoted entirely to his music, of which this is the second. Both albums featured a star-studded line-up of guests.

Bob's best and most famous song is Faded love, though the song is generally associated with Patsy Cline who made it her own. Here Shawn Colvin and Lyle Lovett sing it as a duet and it works very well this way.

Among my other favorite tracks here are Roly Poly (with the Dixie Chicks), Heart to heart talk (with Lee Ann Womack), You're from Texas (with Tracy Byrd), Right or wrong (with Reba McEntire) and Going away party (with Willie Nelson and the Manhattan Transfer).

Another interesting track is Maiden's prayer featuring the Squirrel nut zippers - surely the least well-known guests here - I'd never heard of them till I heard them here. The version here is not based on Bob's standard recording but on a rare alternate version that Bob recorded with an arrangement reminiscent of Glenn Miller. The vocalist on this track is Katherine Whalen, who as an interesting voice that suits the song well.

All the tracks here are brilliant. Your favorites may be different from mine, but if you like real country music that swings, Texas style, this is for you.

Just received "Ride with Bob" for the Christmas season. As a long time fan and as a Country Disc Jockey, I've heard many Bob Wills tribute albums and a substantial share of orgional Will's recordings. Likewise, Ray Benson and AATW have shared time on my home stereo as well as on my old radio programs. Both have made significant contributions toward the genre or Western music in general and for Western Swing in particular. "Ride With Bob" is simply the best of the bunch. From song selections, performances, production, and the CD liner package, it's a quality piece of work. The only improvment would be to add "Big Balls in Cowtown" and "Milk Cow Blues". Thanks, Ray, for pulling it all together. You should earn several awards for this supreme effort.

This is the pinnacle of Texas Swing! They add variety by adding cameos by other artists, with the ATW band providing instrumentals to the visiting star's vocals, and it works sooo well! I never get tired of listening to this album because it's not one of those that just drones on with the same tempo and style in each track - it has tremendous variety.

Asleep At The Wheel has produced some very good albums, but this is the best I've heard. Very glad I bought it.

I HAVE THE LARGEST PRIVATE COLLECTION OF BOB WILLS' MUSIC, THAT I AM AWARE OF!

I HAVE "SAN ANTONIO ROSE" BY OVER 170 DIFFERENT ARTISTS,INCLUDING BING CROSBY!

BING RECEIVED A "GOLD ALBUM," IN 1942, FOR "SAN ANTONIO ROSE!"

THIS TRIBUTE, BY "ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL" IS ONE OF THE TOP FIVE CDs IN MY COLLECTION!

I HAVE GIVEN AWAY 9 COPIES OF THE CD (SO FAR!)

With some albums, it takes a play or two to get into the feel. Not with this one! From the first cut, you're having a great time! You will hear Asleep at the Wheel and a host of country stars enjoying themselves as they sing the music of Bob Wills. They're having a good time with the music, and also have a blast singing together. It must have been some party in the studio, 'cause you can 'hear' the fun they're having. (wish I'd been there) All the music comes from the repertoire of Bob Wills, except a great original song by Clint Black, dedicated to Bob Wills.

If you like western swing, or are maybe just newly getting into it, buy this one! And make sure to take it in the car on your next road trip. You'll be the happiest traveler on the road....

I'm a longtime fan of AATW and Ray Benson's honey voice. I've danced to them in Philadelphia, Kansas City, and St Louis. This is an excelent recording and the best tribute to Bob Wills ever. All the musicians are having a great time; so much, that it's easy to be infected by it. Anything that produces this much joy has to be a good thing. It's also a tribute to Ray Benson for knowing all these talented people and including them in this project. I wish I had been there. Thanks AATW

Another great one from the boys and Brother Ray, along with his many other talented friends. I always enjoy listening to this band - they never disappoint the masses. They are even better sounding in person and personify the texas swing era with a ton of energy. They get better and better.

I have been listening to Bob Wills and Asleep at the Wheel for several years. This is one of my favorites albums for several reasons. first, I really liked the addition of several favorite country stars and their rendition of Bob Wills standards. St. Louis Blues with Merle Haggard is particularly outstanding, loved the side comments (talk on, talk on). Milk Cow Blues has some great instrumentals, and Don Walser is a real treat with 'I ain't got nobody'. Again, annie does not deserve to hear this.

Wow, how should I start? This cd has a lot of really wonderful songs and Asleep At The Wheel has used original (more or less) arrangements for most of these cuts, however I am disappointed in the selection of vocalists. They really shine on songs like "Bob's Breakdown",using the talents of veterans like Tommy Allsup, Floyd Domino, and "newer" artists like Vince Gill. Don Walser is excellent on "I Ain't Got Nobody", an old song that's been around forever and a day!You'll really enjoy newer artists Dixie Chicks and Lee Ann Womack with their renditions of "Roly Poly" (the Chicks get show off their playing as well as singing) and "Heart to Heart Talk"...and I like Womack's version much better than the original. Tracy Byrd is ok in "You're From Texas", Reba McEntire really goes on "Right Or Wrong" (albeit a little heavy-handed)and of course Lyle Lovett is dead on on "Faded Love" with Shawn Colvin! I really enjoyed "End Of The Line", a song new to me. Where this cd is weak are the most famous of Bob Wills' songs, some of the newer singers just don't have the chops! Clay Walker ("Take Me Back To Tulsa"), Tim McGraw ("Milk Cow Blues"), and Mark Chesnutt ("Stay All Night") are very disappointing in their renditions of these venerable classics....they lack not only the right style for these songs, but the sense of having a good time. Overall, this cd is very good...any fan of western swing or c&w should have it! I enjoyed the way Asleep at the Wheel used original style arrangements, but wish for a better match of vocalists for some of the songs.