Willie and the Wheel

Willie Nelson, Asleep At The Wheel | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 3, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: BISMEAUX PRODUCTIONS
• ASIN: B001NKWLDA
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,809 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #47 in Music > Country > Western Swing

Editorial Reviews

Asleep at the Wheel has been reviving western swing music for almost forty years and Willie Nelson has been playing, well, just about every type of music (except maybe rap) for well over forty. The two acts come together on February 3 to salute the western swing sound on Willie and the Wheel .

Ray Benson told the 9513 - Willie s our lead singer, and we do all the Western swing stuff and I mean the old stuff. Milton Brown, Cliff Bruner, Spade Cooley, Bob Wills. It s got Willie, the Wheel, and some horns. It s gonna be pretty cool.-

In a separate interview with Live Daily, Benson explained the origins of the album - Jerry Wexler originally came up with this concept back when Willie was on the Atlantic label but before the record could be made, Willie left Atlantic for CBS Records and so the idea was shelved.-

Jump ahead to 2007 when the Wheel went out on the Last of the Breed tour with Nelson, Ray Price and Merle Haggard. Wexler went to one of the shows and started pushing to do the album again.

- Jerry wanted us to do this album and I'm glad we got to do it for him, and that he heard it before he passed on,- Nelson said in a statement.

Benson says they are also planning a tour together starting February 11 in Red Bank, New Jersey. - Willie and I are cooking up quite a concert. Not only will we be playing songs from the new album, we'll also perform Willie's classics together with Asleep at the Wheel and a full horn section. There will be a few surprises too!-
- Vintage Vinyl News

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bring It On Down, Wille and The Wheel, February 10, 2009

By 

prisrob "pris," (New England USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Willie and the Wheel (Audio CD)

Willie Nelson has once again found his forte. Willie has combined with the best Western swing band, Asleep At The Wheel, for a joyous romp through 12 tracks of classic American swing. You will find yourself smiling', stompin' your feet, clappin' your hands and singing along with the group.

Willie and his friends sound like they are having such a good time that we can't help but enjoy ourselves. This is one of the best CD's of the year. It is said that Jerry Wexler the rock n roll impresario tried to bring Willie and the Wheel together many years ago and finally realized his dream just before Wexler's death last year.

Willie and the Wheel start out with 'Hesitation Blies' and right away we know this is sumthin' great. The fiddling is the best there is, along with Willie's voice.

'Right or Wrong' Willie sings along with Ray Benson of the Wheel- this is the old time western dance hall songs from the 1940's.

'You gotta 'Fan It', cool it, fan it till the cows come home'- how often do hear this kind of lyrics that give you the picture of life down home.

'Bring It On Down To My House' is one of those tunes that lighten our steps and brings joy to the old bones.

'Corrine, Corrina' the old time song we all know is one of the better renditions around.

'Im Sitting On Top Of The World' sung with the Wheel's Elizabeth McQueen is a honky tonk send up that could be my favorite.

Vince Gill and Paul Schaffer introduce 'South' but it is Eddie Rivers that brings the song on home.

'Won't You Ride In My Little Red Wagon' brings us the sense of joy and fun to be had on this CD- a mix of jazz, blues and swing, it has it all.

Asleep At The Wheel has helped Willie connect with his inner Bob Wills, and the best of Willie's sounds. The fiddles, piano, and steel guitar bring this CD to life. Willie has never sounded better, and the Wheel has added the vibrance that brings this CD the feisty, swing sounds. Can't you see the couples whirling around the dance floor? Willie and the Wheel have brought us all down to the heart of Americana. My best friend found this CD-he was correct as always, this CD rocks!

Highly Recommended. prisrob 02-10-09

One Hell Of a Ride (4-CD Box Set)

Reinventing the Wheel

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This one HAD to happen!, February 5, 2009

By 

TxSwingFan "Real Country Fan" (Austin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Willie and the Wheel (Audio CD)

Good things come to those who wait. This album has been decades in the making, and if you're a fan of western swing, Willie, and/or Asleep At The Wheel, you're gonna love this one. Western swing is just one of the genres Willie Nelson's explored over the years, and he's darned good at it. Asleep At The Wheel has remained true to their western swing roots since the early seventies...both Willie and the Wheel are legends in and out of Austin. Willie sounds like he's channeling Tommy Duncan on the Bob Wills standards "Bring It On Down To My House", "Right Or Wrong", and "Corrine Corrine". I also especially like "Oh, You Pretty Woman", "I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None 'O This Jelly Roll", and "Won't You Ride In My Little Red Wagon". On the whole, the whole album brings back some very fond memories for me of some well-spent nights listening to the likes of Bob Wills, Ernest Tubb, Hank Thompson, and other western swingers. If this is roots music, it's obvious that Willie and the Wheel didn't get far from the roots of their raisin'!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Country Recordings in Years, February 8, 2009

By 

Art and Music - See all my reviews

This review is from: Willie and the Wheel (Audio CD)

This is one of the best country recordings in years. Congratulations to everyone who worked on the recording for doing an outstanding job.

Asleep at the Wheel are masters of the Western Swing repertoire, but they can also play standard Big-Band songs, rockabilly, honky-tonk country, blues, hot fiddle tunes, and more. And of course Willie Nelson is similarly versatile. This is a great matchup of talent.

There is a lot of energy here with expressive, joyful singing, dynamite arrangements, great songs, and red-hot musicianship throughout.

When I studied guitar with Eldon Shamblin many years ago, he told me that it is not possible to play Western Swing without knowing music theory. I think that's true, because of the arranging factor. Western Swing music features a good mix of arranging and improvising.

Most of the songs here are classics-and are good evidence that contemporary music often sounds thin and forced compared to the great songs of yesteryear.

If you like Bob Wills, Milton Brown, Hank Penny, Adolph Hofner, and similar musicians, you'll love this recording. And if you like good music but are new to Western Swing, please give this CD a try. There aren't many musicians who can play hillbilly jazz, and it is a real treat to hear it played right. Great stuff and every song is a gem.