Bob Wills is driving me nuts....

[Edward Meisse]

I think Bob's vocalizations were alot of fun. But he was one of a kind. Everyone else I've heard do it sound like they're trying to copy him. Not good.

[Doug Freeman]

Got a taker on the Ole Rasmussen CD, btw.

[Billy Tonnesen]

Doug:.
Yes, Ole wanted to be just like Bob Wills which was his idol. At the time we were making the recordings we all cringed a little bit when Ole couldn't restrain himself. However, good or bad, it has identified the band over the years. Around 1951 or 1952 the band got to back Tommy Duncan on his Entro Records releases and we all gave a sigh of relief that Ole would not be there or commenting during the songs (Tommy would never have allowed it).

All of Ole's Capitol Records were produced by Lee Gillette and Ken Nelson who were both masters at producing Country records.

[Casey Lowmiller]

I can't imagine Bob & the boys' music without Bob's hollerin' and encouragin' his boys to play to their fullest!!!

Casey

[Joseph Barcus]

yeah I tend to turn bob wills stuff off when it comes on xm radio for the very same reason he just could not keep his mouth shut

[Clyde Mattocks]

I think the story goes that when Art Satherly was producing one of his first sessions for Bob, he
wasn't familiar with the way he did things. After
about a minute of recording, Art cut the song and
came out of the control room into the studio with a
puzzled look on his face and said "Someone keeps
SHOUTING out here!"

[Casey Lowmiller]

Clyde,

Rest of the story goes that Bob Wills told everyone to pack it up and told Art that if you want Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys, you're going to get Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys and Bob's hollers were a part of the sound.

Bob didn't give in to Art's request to stop his shouts, and Art who was very famous for being stubborn, was very wise & caved in and agreed to let Bob holler when he wanted to.

If it wasn't for Art being smart enough to cave, we might not have all this great Bob Wills music to listen to.

"...and he hollers cause he loves to play!"

Casey

[Roy Davis]

...by talking while the guys solo! And otherwise injecting far too much scatting and "oh yes"'s that I can tolerate.... Does anyone else feel this way about Wills' recordings?

"Not in Texas"

[Andy Volk]

For me, Bob's noises are part of the charm of the Playboy's records. I expect to hear him go at it and it wouldn't be quite the same without him. He announced his players names and made his sidemen stars in their own right. I agree that it's really lame when others imitate Bob. He was inimitable. What I really hate is players of vocalize over their own solos: Errol Garner, Keith Jarrett, etc. I played with a jazz pianist years ago who was way, way better than me but he drove me off the wall with his grunts, groans, and tics. If you're autistic, you get a pass. Otherwise cut it out!

[John Rosett]

"A man after my own heart...with a razer!"

[AJ Azure]

For me, Bob's noises are part of the charm of the Playboy's records. I expect to hear him go at it and it wouldn't be quite the same without him. He announced his players names and made his sidemen stars in their own right. I agree that it's really lame when others imitate Bob. He was inimitable. What I really hate is players of vocalize over their own solos: Errol Garner, Keith Jarrett, etc. I played with a jazz pianist years ago who was way, way better than me but he drove me off the wall with his grunts, groans, and tics. If you're autistic, you get a pass. Otherwise cut it out!

what about scatting with your solo ala George Benson?..sounds cool when George does it.terrible when others do it..especially off key hehe

[Chris Scruggs]

It's never bothered me in the slightest.

As many have said on this thread, Bob Wills' music was released in the era of 78 rpm records, before liner notes. His introducing of his lead musicians and constant coaxing of them to give their all is what helped to make them so unique. That was a part of Wills' ability to pull great performances out of his (sometimes less than virtuoso) players. Many times bands were formed largely from former Playboys that didn't have the magic and energy of a Wills band. Tommy Duncan's solo effort was one of these.

Bob was known to say,"Do you know how good of a musician you are? You are as good as the audience THINKS you are!" Bob convinced audiences and listeners that these guys each had something special. If it weren't for Bob's hollering, we might not be so familiar with names like:

Tommy Duncan
Leon McAulliffe
Eldon Shamblin
Jesse Ashlock
Louie Turner
Al Strickland
Noel Boggs
Herb Remington
Tiny Moore
Bob Koefer
Millard Kelso
Joe Holley
Alex Brashear
Junior Bernard
Johnny Gimble

These names are so well known to players and casual listeners alike because of Bob putting their names out there for all to know. Many of these phrases have stayed in the greater musical vocabulary. "Domino!", "Take it away, Leon!", "You know what low means!" are terms that are almost synonymous with country music itself.

I love the Art Satherly story. Whether or not we like Bob's hollering or not, Bob Wills was an artist who stuck with his guns and the hollers in question are a trademark ingredient to his great Swing sound.

"Ah Ha!"

Chris

[Chris Scruggs]

One more thing,

The MGM Records version "Faded Love" has no hollering or talking on it at all. When Bob was asked after the recording,"Why didn't you holler?" he replied,"I only holler when I feel it".

Faded Love was a fiddle tune written by his grandfather. I think that record meant something special to him.

Chris

[Joseph Barcus]

It was said one time that he payed hi band very well ans tipped them alot. still I have no place in my heart for his talking why musicians were playing. you are only as good as the band behind you. but yet he was a powerful man. I guess one my say that del reeves do-a-do-a-do got old after a while as well. or roger millers dumb things he did

[Mike Neer]

I love Bob's schtick. I find it incredibly entertaining and at times he sounds very devious.

[Andy Volk]

AJ - Benson scatting is cool - it's in tune and a conscious decision that he can turn on and off like a light switch. Jarrett moaning, grunting and spritzing through a piano solo however is just annoying as his his overall crappy attitude. Jarrett disrespects his audience; Wills made music for his audience.

[AJ Azure]

AJ - Benson scatting is cool - it's in tune and a conscious decision that he can turn on and off like a light switch. Jarrett moaning, grunting and spritzing through a piano solo however is just annoying as his his overall crappy attitude. Jarrett disrespects his audience; Wills made music for his audience.

Andy you just hit on a very interesting subject. peforming for your audience.I see music as two types of entities on stage. there are entertainers and then there are performers. Entertianers do it first for their audience. Performers do it first for their own self gratificaiotn.

The 20s, 30s, 40s seemed to be more about an entertainer. Somewhere between the 50s and now it started shifting more towards the performer and less the entertainer. This would mostly apply to popular music which of course this stuff was in Bob Wills time. This would further be expnaded upon if you consider that all this music and music of that era was first geared towards dancing.

As far as a scatting you should hear some of the Berklee guitarists I've heard singing along to their solos. it's fine if their amps are loud enough and they're away from a mic. If not...ick.

[Reece Anderson]

While playing with Bob Wills for a good while, I found him to be a good man, businessman, breakdown fiddle player, and a very giving individual.

Watching him share the spotlight night after night with every musician on the band provided a rare opportunity for me to observe the things which in my opinion made him not only successful, but unique.

No matter who he called on to play a solo, he would point his bow at them, and much like watching a tennis match, you could see every head in the house turn toward the player. Bob would show his musical approval with a big smile while at times mentioning their name and also saying something he is famous for, like ahhhh- haaaa, which to me showed appreciation, and therefore a tribute to the player. Many times both on stage and on record he called the players by name. Ask yourself when you last heard an artist call out a musicians name. Bob had a great way of bringing out the best in everyone, and the crowds knew it. Not only was Bob Wills a crowd pleaser, he saw to it that the Texas Playboys were as well.

Few artists today even mention the name of their band, much less introduce and share the spotlight which draws attention away from themselves. As most will agree, we seldom hear the name Bob Wills without also hearing,............. AND................, "THE TEXAS PLAYBOYS".

Someday another artist will recognize Bob Wills formula for success which will be refreshing and also considered by some to be unique. Meanwhile I will continue to listen to great musicians playing intro's and endings which are completely talked over by DJ's, and the players who play their hearts and souls out but are so buried in the final mix they can barely be heard much less be identified.

[Ron Whitfield]

Another aspect of all this is that solo's back in that era weren't anywhere near as revered as they are today by those that love a particular instrument and it's player/s from today's perspectives. To many, solo's were a time for something other than pure listening, like commercials and various banter.
If I'm wrong, I'd like to hear from Reese, Billy, Ray, or anyone from those golden years who actually participated.

[Andy Volk]

Bob could keep a crowd of 5000 people happy and dancing by giving them what they enjoyed without pandering or playing too far over their heads.5000 people! Miles turning his back to the audience was perhaps the ultimate flip side to the Wills approach. In effect, telling the audience, "You paid to get in but I'm not here to entertain you. You're privileged to watch a great artist work."

[Ron Whitfield]

And I for one, wish I could again be so disrespected!

[Twayn Williams]

I love the hollers and patter.

Bob Wills was a freak of nature, no one could possibly replace him.

I'm from the Miles Davis stage presence school (though I'm obviously not in Miles league...)

[Brian LeBlanc]

What the H does this half to do with

Steel Without Pedals

[Doug Freeman]

Another aspect of all this is that solo's back in that era weren't anywhere near as revered as they are today by those that love a particular instrument and it's player/s from today's perspectives. To many, solo's were a time for something other than pure listening, like commercials and various banter.
If I'm wrong, I'd like to hear from Reese, Billy, Ray, or anyone from those golden years who actually participated.

I dunno, you listen to those Radio Rancho and Hollywood Barndance airchecks...plenty of fans cheering on Joaquin, Merle, et al. And I know I've heard live recordings from other genres of the day—Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington—where the same thing happened. I'd venture to guess there may have been more interest in soloists from the general listenership back then than ever. But it's all circumstantial evidence and conjecture on my part as I'm "only" 52.

One thing I can say for sure about Bob Wills: my younger daughter, 10 years old, sure gets a kick out his Ah-Ha's when we listen in the car. Silly fun for all.

[Brad Bechtel]

Moved to Music from Steel Without Pedals.