Which Billy Briggs is it?

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Billy Briggs... who is he?

The Billy Briggs who played sax with Reece Anderson in Dewey Groom's outfit in the early 1950s, and is of course a veteran of the Texas Playboys who works with some Texas
Playboys spin-off group's to this day.
I believe he has even recorded with
Dayna Wills on some of her 1990s recordings.
He is still playing around the Dallas Ft.Worth area.
Reece Anderson mentioned they still work some
western swing jobs with him now and then.

The thing is there was another Billy Briggs who was a steel player and recorded with a few Swing bands circa the 1940s, so that's got to be a different guy.

I asked Reece about this Billy Briggs mystery and he mentioned, "I also knew a
fiddle player from Dallas named Billy Briggs, but he killed himself about 30
years ago."

Hmmm, it could be the guy... but I guess my mystery question is..........Who was the Billy Briggs who recorded for Imperial Records as early as 1950.
His classic pieces of country boogie include 'Chew Tobacco Rag' and 'Chew Tobacco Rag No#2'. (Spade Cooley cut a version of one of these), both sides are from 1950.

Imperial Records was based in Los Angeles, but most of it's early roster were
southern R&B and country acts, most of the R&B was from New Orleans, while in 1949 the label had a series of sqare dance 78rpm records.
Then there's this marvelous fellow Billy Briggs, who I can't find any more info on.
He was the singer on his sides, which were done in a marvellous striding boogie style, with a nice bit of complimentry steel work.

Does anyone have an idea who this guy is?

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The future ain't what it used to be

Mitch Drumm · From: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

Jason:

if maurice is correct, then there must be 3 billy briggs. the fiddle player who committed suicide 30 years ago, the sax playing briggs, and the steel man/vocalist briggs.

the guy who recorded for columbia, imperial, and some other small labels began his career with the swing band "the sons of the west" in the late 30s. he played steel much in the style of bob dunn and in fact sat in for bob at times. he died in california in 1985.

he recorded at least 20 sides for imperial--including the immortal "full-blooded texan". his best known tunes are probably chew tobacco rag and panhandle shuffle. the latter was done as an instrumental with the sons of the west in 1941, and redone with classic lyrics in 1949 with his group "the XIT boys". the lyrics mention a lot of small towns in the texas panhandle--kinda reminiscent of milton brown's "brownie special" in that regard. a billy briggs cd would be a wonderful thing, but only a few of his recordings have been reissued.

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

Jason....when I was playing steel for the Rogers Twins in Amarillo, Texas, in 1949-50 at the Star Club, there was another club in town called the Avalon, that we considered our main competition. The band at the Avalon was "Billy Briggs & the XIT Boys". Billy Briggs played a single-neck standup steel and also played sax....and as I remember it, the sax was his primary instrument. I may be wrong, but it is my impression that this Billy Briggs is the same Billy Briggs that played on Dayna Wills recent CD's. I used to play for Amos Hedrick (Famous Amos, formerly with Hank Thompson) who was also on the first two of Dayna's albums, but he died since of a brain tumor and I can't ask him. I am also curious....I didn't realize that there was more than one Billy Briggs.
GENE JONES http://genejones.bizland.com

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Mitch, I also suscribe to the 3 Briggs theory, and now you mention it, it's Billy Briggs of the Sons of the West and the XIT boys.
Very cool, I now recall reading that Billy cut vocal sides, but didn't put two and trwo together.

Gene, I will catch up with you off Forum on the topic of Amarillo. Talk about a history lesson, thanks guys.

I'd love to see a Cd release on Billy, great stuff and in the same vibe as my hero Gene O'Quinn.

Steve England · From: Austin, TX

I think the three Billy Briggs theory must be correct. The Billy Briggs who played on Dayna's album also plays with Jim Alexanders Western Swing band, and a bunch of western swing reunion shows. But he is not the same Billy Briggs as was with the XIT Boys. Mitch is the song you are thinking of called Panhandle Shuffle?

Dayna Wills · From: Sacramento, CA (deceased)

I wish someone would do a series on the horn players in Western Swing. Ain't Billy Briggs great? He does some great stuff on Dave Alexander's album, The Legends Of Western Swing Collectors's Edition featuring Johnny Gimble, Bobby Boatright, Maurice Anderson, Eldon Shamblin, Pee Wee Lynn, Leon Rausch,Smokey Montgomery, Tommy Perkins, and Billy Briggs. Love that Canadian Sunset.

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