Bob Wills: Alumni Question

Rich Paton · Post by **Rich Paton** » 16 Apr 2000 8:28 am

Does anyone know of where I can find an article or information about(listing)ALL of the musicians who have ever worked in the Texas Playboys with Bob Wills?
I run out of memory, just trying to remember all the steel players!

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 16 Apr 2000 4:37 pm

Rich, sorry I can't help you that request, but if you hear about such an article off this site, could you possibly post it's source here?
I would love to have such a listing, trying to track down who played with him and then with his brothers and Tommy Duncan is sometimes quite maddening.
I suppose it would be somewhat easier if we had a Texas Playboys list.

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Rich Paton · Post by **Rich Paton** » 17 Apr 2000 5:25 am

Thanks...I received some e-mails on this post including one from Dayna. When get all the ducks in line, I'll put it back up here.
I think it's going to be a long list.

I read a big feature article about Western Swing and Texas Swing fiddling last night, in a 1995 issue of Fiddler magazine. Just the list of players with Bob Wills in bands before the Playboys were commisioned is a whole bunch of cats![This message was edited by Rich Paton on 17 April 2000 at 06:27 AM.]

Steve England · Post by **Steve England** » 17 Apr 2000 8:09 am

It may be easier to just throw out a name and let folk guess if he ever played with Bob

Charles Townsend's book San Antonio Rose has pretty comprehensive session notes for all the playboy recordings, but doesn't include the road players, of which there were very, very, many. I remember there was a similar thread a couple of months ago where people covered a lot of Bob's steel players. You may want to try a search for it

Vernon Hester · Post by **Vernon Hester** » 17 Apr 2000 9:20 am

I'll look at the credits on a tape I have .This was made in 84 I believe and there is a long list, as you know Bob had some 240 musicians working .Maybe Bobby Lee could help you out as he was one of the names.
Vern

Ed Naylor · Post by **Ed Naylor** » 17 Apr 2000 9:28 am

It's a small world.About 15 minutes ago I received in the mail some tapes and photos from Dale "Pete" Amend . He played steel with with Bob Wills from 1946-1953. He later played the Ozark Jubilee w/Red Foley. He is 75 years old and will be on our Southern Ohio Steel Show. He also sent photos playing his Steel at the "Little Opra" at Caddo, Ok. Ed Naylor

Steve England · Post by **Steve England** » 18 Apr 2000 10:34 am

Ed, did "Pete" ever record with Bob? The name seems to ring a bell, but i can't place him in relation to the Playboys. Vernon do I read you correctly, our leader a Texas Playboy??
Is this true b0b? Don't be modest now!

Ed Naylor · Post by **Ed Naylor** » 18 Apr 2000 1:15 pm

Steve- I have never met Pete personally, but I must assume he did record with Bob Wills. He sent some new songs he wrote and they were great. He has an 11 yr old grandaughter that sings great also. Lindsney Nichole is her name. The promo package she sent me was really impressive. She also plays fiddle and we will have her on our S. Ohio Steel Show this year. I have tons of old memorabilia and if there is something specific you are looking for maybe I can help in your research. Ed

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 18 Apr 2000 2:01 pm

I had an amazing experience the other night. I met a fiddle player that didn't play with Bob Wills.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Homesite

Richard Bass · Post by **Richard Bass** » 18 Apr 2000 3:08 pm

After 30 plus years of playing in Texas with Faron and several other artists, I now realise that every musician in Texas over 50 yrs old played with Bob at one time or another. I don't think there are any exceptions. This is said with tongue firmly in cheek. Someone mentioned that Bob had over 250 musicians go through his band over the years. I think it's closer to 7000!!!!
Richard

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Al Johnson · Post by **Al Johnson** » 20 Apr 2000 11:30 am

Years back I read an article that Merle Travis wrote, he said everywhere he went
people would come up and say I went to
school with Bob Wills. Merle's thought was
they couldn't build a school that big. Same
with fiddlers I reckon.

Vernon Hester · Post by **Vernon Hester** » 23 Apr 2000 5:23 am

I looked at the tape again this morning and
Bobby Lee is listed as a Texas Playboy.Might be a twin or some-kin to our forum Bob, But I know someone that will set us straight.
Hey. you fellas need to order Bob and Roy's CD.Some nice clean picking they do a good job
Vern

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[This message was edited by Vernon Hester on 23 April 2000 at 06:25 AM.]

Garryharris · Post by **Garryharris** » 24 Apr 2000 2:13 pm

Received a letter and pictures from a Bonnie Elliott of New Mexico. On the back of one of the pictures is the listing of the band members on the front. She says that the steel player showing on the front is Gene Crownovel and he was the lasst steel player that played for Bob Wills. The writing for the surname is uncertain.

Steve England · Post by **Steve England** » 25 Apr 2000 7:02 am

Thats Gene Crownover. He was a great steel player, and somewhat underated as far as Bob's steel players IMHO. I have a real nice album he put out on Delta records in the early eighties (?) with a bunch of other Texas Playboys. Liek a lot of the good ones, I don't think he is with us any more.