The Steel Guitar Forum

Early 1940s video of Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys.

Appears to be Leon McAuliffe on steel & perhaps Tagg Lambert doing the singing.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Y2WI1YmEU

That is not Leon and was way ahead of Gene (Tag) Lambert's time.

Jerry

It actually looks like Ole Leon,,but,, could it be Noel Boggs?
T Harris

I'd be almost sure it's Leon. Check it when he smiles at 2:32. Also the way he lifts his hand away from the strings in one frame, it's one of his trademarks.

That's Leon.

It's from "Wyoming Hurricane", 1944.

Luke Wills on bass
Junior Barnard, guitar
Jesse Ashlock, fiddle
Cotton Thompson, fiddle and vocal
Leon McAuliffe, steel

I always thought Cotton was the best vocalist Wills ever had. He sang the definitive version of "Milk Cow Blues" with Johnnie Lee Wills band.

Here's Cotton and his own band, from 1948, with J.L. Jenkins on steel:

I'd sure like to see a tab for the melody part in the middle before the steel solo. I've just about got it but it would be nice to see the line written out correctly and to know if he's doin that on the E13