Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys Steelers

[Steve Green]

Amazingly, The Texas Playboys do not have a Wikipedia page. Bob Wills does, as does the Light Crust Doughboys. But not The Texas Playboys.

I'm trying to figure who played steel with the Playboys over the years. I know of:

1. Leon McAuliffe
2. Herb Remington
3. Bobby Koefer

But I'm sure there were others. Anyone know where I can find a chronology of Texas Playboys steelers, and what years they played with the group?

Thanks.

[Allan Jirik]

San Antonio Rose, The Life and Music of Bob Wills by Charles R. Townsend (University of Illinois Press, 1976) is a fairly complete biography. Not only does Townsend document the Playboys' personnel changes but he included a complete discography and a filmography as well. Noel Boggs, Billy Bowman and Gene Crownover come to mind as other Playboy steelers. If you can find the book it might be a good starting point.

[Mike Neer]

Maurice Anderson
Vance Terry
Bob White

[Ron Ross]

i believe i heard some where that bobby bowman played with bob for a short time

[Jim Cohen]

I think that was Billy Bowman.

Also, I think Tommy Morrell did a spell with him and possibly Albert Talley too.

Seems to me there was a thread like this a few years ago which produced a long list of steelers for BW. I did a quick search but didn't turn it up yet.

[Chris Bauer]

Roy Hunnicutt though I'm hazy on when or for how long.

[Bryce Baker]

Noel Boggs
Gene Crownover

[Roger Shackelton]

Phil Sperbeck was a Texas Playboy for a short time in 1966. He was on a Bob Wills album recorded in Nashville.

[Chris Lucker]

Add to the list Les Anderson and perhaps, Buster Magness -- a steeler I was told was shared from the Johnny Lee Wills Band.

[Mike Neer]

Shorty Messer
Hambone Cunningham

[Jeff Keyton]

A teacher of mine from the Brazos Valley in Tx, Tommy Howard, picked for Bob on shows for a few years in the early 60's.

[Gene Jones]

Reference to a comment above:

There was a Bobby Bowman steeler who played with Pee Wee King in the late 1940's, but no proof that he was ever with Wills. There was a Billy Bowman who did work with Wills.

I worked with his brother, Billy Bowman (guitarist and vocalist)out of Norman, Oklahoma, in 1949, and I knew him from his visits with his brother Bob in Norman, Oklahoma.

Due to the passage of time, the "Bobby's and Billy's of that era are intertwined and confusing. Let it suffice, that the remembrances of old musicians are not reliable.

[Jim Cohen]

Due to the passage of time, the "Bobby's and Billy's of that era are intertwined and confusing.

Not to mention all the "Billy-Bob"s!



Nice to see you 'round these parts, Gene.

J.

[Cal Sharp]

Here's an interview with Herb Remington in his hometown newspaper from a few years ago.

[Steve Green]

Here's an interview with Herb Remington in his hometown newspaper from a few years ago.

Great stuff, Cal. Thanks for posting. I love the story about Noel Boggs at the Battle of the Bands

[Cal Sharp]

Oddly enough, Herb, Buddy Emmons and Sneaky Pete are all from South Bend. And me, too; that's why I know.

[Gene Jones]

......and, as to who was the best of all those steelers who worked for Wills, Bob Wills own answer to that question was: "The steel player who is working for me now".

Was Wills a diplomat? Yes.

[Billy Tonnesen]

This is somewhat a guess about Roy Hunnicut. I think he replaced Noel Boggs when he left in the mid 40's. Then around 46 or 47 Bob put together a Band for his Brother Luke Wills which was to share in the nights at the 97th Street Corral in Los Angeles. Herb Remington was considered for the job but when Bob heard Herb he swithched out Roy to the Luke Wills band and hired Herb for the Playboys. Like I said I am sort of guessing on this from hearsay.

[Hook Moore]

i believe i heard some where that bobby bowman played with bob for a short time

I think Bobby told me he did get to be a playboy for a short time as a teenager. If memory serves me correctly, Bobby's dad made him quit to finish school !
Hook

[Fred Shannon]

Hook, you're absolutely right. Matter of fact it was Bob Wills who gave Bobby his last name---Bowman. His real moniker is Jones. Just a little lagianappe.


phred