Customer Reviews

Tribute To The Music Of Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys (Dance Version)

5 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

A friend loaned me the original release of this tribute CD from 1993, and I bought the "dance remix" version in hopes some of the great tracks would have extended choruses and jams. Well... only two tracks really add significant extra material ("Hubbin' It" and "Corine, Corina"). The four or five other tracks that are changed from the first CD usually have only a tacked-on intro of vocal doo-wops by Ray and Co. Worst remix is on the intro to "Yearning." The tricky key-shifted loop is jarring in a western swing context. Overall you'll get 4 and a half more minutes of music on this CD. So, maybe it's not a great "dance remix" effort, but damn these tracks still swing! And "Corine" is actually a pretty good expanded track. I also think the mix has a bit more bass and some brightening on top. Liner notes don't provide any extra info. Ray, if I could make a suggestion: next time drop "Got a Letter" with its lame sentimentality and give the band some room to kick a bit more!

This CD comes with a warning on the cover -- "Dance Versions: This may get you out of the line and into the swing." And it's a fair warning. You'll want to roll back the rug and cut loose. This CD tribute to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys has all the good-time, rambunctious spirit of 1940's radio barndances, as band leader Ray Benson brings out one guest artist after another to perform with the band. And it's an all-star line-up, with Chet Atkins, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, George Strait, Brooks & Dunn to mention only about half of them.

It kicks off with a rousing instrumental rendition of "Red Wing" and sails through gems like George Strait's "Big Ball's in Cowtown," and classic stompers "Bring it on Down to My House" and "Ida Red." Maybe the most fun is listening to Brooks and Dunn tear into the Blind Lemon Jefferson song, "Corine, Corina." Then there are the love and love-lost songs, including the sweetest version of "Lily Dale," modified to "Billy Dale," as sung by Dolly Parton. Also Vince Gill's "Yearning," Garth Brook's plaintive "Deep Water," Marty Stuart's even more plantive "Misery," and a fine version of "I Wonder if You Feel the Way I Do" by Merle Haggard.

There's much more on this CD packed with 18 great songs. And they swing with the trademark bluesy western blend that Bob Wills perfected. The CD comes with a booklet of Ray Benson's own thoughts on his discovery of Wills and a commitment to preserving his music. There's also a full description of each song, its place in the Wills canon, and an account of its recording for this album. Plus there's a great publicity shot of the man himself circa 1941 in gray Stetson, colorful silk tie, and big smile. (Ahh-h-h-h!!)

The CD was in poor condition - not good and certainly not Very Good, as advertised. It sticks in one place and the plastic box was cracked all the way across. It took over 4 weeks to arrive and was an "international" package that had to be signed for...so I won't order from this vendor again. ...The music was good Bob Wills though!

I LOVE this CD! (I've even hooked my 10-year-old son too!) This is Asleep At The Wheel at their best. I especially like "Big Ball's In Cowtown". You can't sit still and listen to this one! The list of featured guest singers adds a nice variety to the mix. It has a healthy amount of banter between Ray and the rest of the performers. Another favorite is "Hubbin' It" featuring Huey Lewis. I never would have pegged him for an AATW album but he's perfect for this one.
The only low spots for me are "Got A Letter..." (too slow for me) and "Corine, Corina" (sounds like the channel was changed to pop-country radio).
Overall, I highly recommend it for AATW fans and newcomers.