Over the past week or so, I’ve received brand-new CDs from two top contemporary western-swing acts: the Brazos Valley Boys and the Hot Texas Swing Band. Both of these terrific aggregations continue to help keep western swing alive, compelling, and viable, and you’ll be hearing a cut from both of them over the course of Saturday’s SWING ON THIS, along with tracks from other recent discs by Eric Diamond and Hayes Griffin.
And to go with those good new releases I’ve got some certified classics, including the original (1936) version of Leon McAuliffe’s greatest hit and a couple of T-town superstars — one country, one rock — with their renditions of, respectively, standards from Bob Wills and the Sons of the Pioneers.
Of course we’ve got Bob himself, as well as brother Johnnie Lee, Spade Cooley, Cow Bop, Cliff Bruner, Curly Lewis, and many more. It’s a big hour of fun, and it’s yours for free at 7 p.m. Saturday over Tulsa’s KWGS, 89.5 FM, live-streaming everywhere at publicradiotulsa.com. C’m’on along!
1. :Steel Guitar Rag,” Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
2. “When the Bloom Is on the Sage,” Hot Texas Swing Band
3. “Comin’ in for Rye,” Hank Thompson
(for BRENT DOUGLAS and the GLASS LIFTERS and HAMILL TIME)
4. “Take Me Back to Tulsa,” Billy Parker
(for CAROLE & JACK BENDER)
5, “Tumbling Tumbleweeds,” Leon Russell
(in memory of LINDA BLANCK)
6. “The Thingamajig,” Johnnie Lee Wills and His Boys
(for CYNTHIA HACKATHORN)
7. “I Love Being Here with You,” Brazos Valley Boys
8. “Over Moonlit Waters,” Cliff Bruner’s Texas Wanderers
9. “You Were My Dream Last Night,” Ole Rasmussen and His Cornhuskers
(for WAYNE WARD)
10. “Four in the Morning,” Eric Diamond
11, “This Ain’t the Same Old Range,” Bob and Johnny Boatright
12. “Birth of the Blues,” Noel Boggs Quintet
(for ROSE SINCLAIR)
13. “Jazz Me Blues,” Hayes Griffin
14. “Honey Song,” Spade Cooley and the Western Swing Dance Gang
15. “Anytime,” Cow Bop
(for MARK MATHEOS)