Bob Wills steeler Fred......? Circa 1946

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 12 Jun 2012 3:56 pm

He was with Bob in the Tommy Duncan era for sure.His last name,if anyone recalls.I bet Herb Steiner knows.
Thanks for any replys.
Ray

Bryce Baker · Post by **Bryce Baker** » 12 Jun 2012 4:49 pm

Herb Remington was playing steel with Bob from 1946 thru most of 1949. Tommy Duncan was with Bob for part of that time.

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 12 Jun 2012 5:53 pm

Hey Bryce,a freind of mine heard Tommy on Willies Roadhouse,he said when the break came in the song he called the name Fred to play steel.
It's my understanding that Bob had like 635 people that worked for him over the years,could be this Fred wasn't with him to long or was s session player during that recording.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 13 Jun 2012 3:49 am

Hey Ray, did you ever hear of a steel player named J.L. Jenkins? He played with Bob's brother, Johnny Lee Wills, at around that same time frame. I worked with him some in southern California......JH in Va.

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 13 Jun 2012 7:57 am

No Jerry didn't know him.The last time I saw Johnny Lee,Buzz Evans was playing for him in Laughlin,Buzz was the reason I went.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 13 Jun 2012 1:14 pm

J.L. Jejenkins was more of a Noel Boggs type Steel non pedal player. I heard he played with Johnny Lee Wills in Oklahoma, came out to the West Coast for while with Merle Lindsay and the Oklamona Night Riders, and also played and recorded with Luke Wills.

I don't recall hearing of a Steel player named Fred with Bob Wills.

At the start of the 50's Tommy Duncan recorded eight sides on Entro Records using the Ole Rasmussen Band on which I played Steel Guiter. Tommy had been appearing the O.R. Band on a lot of out of town one-nighters, so Tommy and the Band were very familiar with each other and it was easy to work up arrangements.

Bobby Bowman · Post by **Bobby Bowman** » 14 Jun 2012 8:45 am

I don't remember a Fred. I called Herby R and he doesn't either.
BB

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 14 Jun 2012 8:50 am

Did he perhaps say "friend" rather than "Fred?"

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 14 Jun 2012 9:03 am

Thanks Bobby,Dixie says hey and keep getting better.

Chris,a freind of mine heard the song so I don't really know what he may have said.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 14 Jun 2012 1:15 pm

Could it have been Les "Carrot Top" Anderson. He recorded "This Is The Southland" with Bob Wills in
the mid forties. I don't think he stayed with Bob too long.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 14 Jun 2012 5:00 pm

Billy Tonnesen wrote:Could it have been Les "Carrot Top" Anderson.

If it were "Carrot Top" maybe he said "Take it away, RED (not Fred)." ??

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 14 Jun 2012 8:05 pm

Good point Jimbeau!!!

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 15 Jun 2012 8:06 am

The song Tommy is singingis "Silver Dew on the Blue Grass Tonight"

Chas. J. Wagner · Post by **Chas. J. Wagner** » 15 Jun 2012 9:08 am

In this YouTube version of SDOTBGT, with Tommy Duncan singing, the steel solo starts at about 1:03...but unfortunately there is no "call out" by Bob.

Regarding "Red"...here's a bio on Les (Carrot Top) Anderson. From this exert, it would seem unlikely that Bob Wills was calling out "Red"...

He was also called "Red" Anderson throughout his career up to when he joined Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. It seems that Bob Wills had a pet peeve of sorts that no one knew why about anyone using the name 'Red' and so "Red" Anderson became known as "Les" Anderson on the steel guitar. But when "Les" left Bob Wills' group in 1946, the name stuck with him.

Regarding "Fred"...if this is indeed the name we're looking for, could it possibly be Fred T. Tavares (SGHOF 1995)? He would have been in his 30's in 1946. I can't tie him to Bob Wills directly, but he is credited playing steel (as are several of the well known steelers of the day) on a reissue compilation album of various artists that includes Bob Wills (2005 - Stompin' Singers & Western Swingers: More from the Golden Age of Western Swing).

Morgan Scoggins · Post by **Morgan Scoggins** » 15 Jun 2012 12:46 pm

When Herb was hired by Bob wills in 1946,he replaced Roy Hunnicutt who moved over to play steel in another of the Wills Brothers bands fronted by Luke Wills. Western Swing bands were so popular in those days they had to have more than one band for a popular group like the Texas Playboys. Herb said that Noel Boggs had recently left Bob Wills to join another band and I guess Roy filled in for a short timr before Herb came aboard.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 15 Jun 2012 1:49 pm

IMHO, Bob's Steeler on "Silver Dew On The Blue Grass Tonite", on the original record was Noel Boggs.
As I remember, Jimmy Wyble and Cameron Hill were the lead Guitar players along with "Alex B." on trumpet.

Chas. J. Wagner · Post by **Chas. J. Wagner** » 15 Jun 2012 2:18 pm

Billy, your memory appears to jive with allmusic.com. Amoung others, "Silver Dew on the Blue Grass Tonight" shows on an album titled "Bob Wills In Hollywood: 1943-1944". The album credits list Noel Boggs on steel, Jimmy Wyble on guitar, Cameron Hill on guitar and Alex Brashear on trumpet. Interestingly, Les Anderson is also listed on steel (doesn't say which tunes).