Although a case could probably be made for steel-guitarist and future bandleader Leon McAuliffe, Tommy Duncan was the most high-profile of all Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys of the ‘30s and ‘40s — next to Bob himself, of course. His easygoing and warm vocal style, which… Read More »20 AUGUST 2022
From the feedback I’ve been getting for SWING ON THIS, a couple of artists many of you love to hear are Michael Nesmith, the almost criminally lowballed pioneer of California country-rock, and the great Texas songwriter Cindy Walker. Well, this week, how about a song… Read More »13 AUGUST 2022
This week on SWING ON THIS, a version of the Western-swing standard “Bring It on Down to My House” like you’ve never heard before, by a ‘60s artist that Scott Gregory and I have featured on our HIDDEN SIXTIES specials a few times. You may… Read More »6 AUGUST 2022
I’m not exactly sure why, and it doesn’t happen very often, but for some reason or other I’ve got a preponderance of songs about Texas on this week’s edition of SWING ON THIS. They come to you courtesy of Bob Wills and his brother Johnnie… Read More »30 JULY 2022
The votes are in, and “Shellacked,” the new SWING ON THIS feature that offers a weekly tune direct from the original 78 rpm shellac record, looks like a hit. For Saturday’s show, we’ll actually start off with the “Shellacked” entry for the week: 1947’s “Rose… Read More »23 JULY 2022
We have a mystery to deal with this Saturday on SWING ON THIS, and I hope someone out there will be able to help me figure it out. John Hamill, who has been supplying the show with wonderful (and sometimes weird) slabs of vinyl for… Read More »16 JULY 2022
Following the debut song from Bob Wills this Saturday night, SWING ON THIS will feature a number sung by one of his top Texas Playgirls of the ’40s and ’50s, Ramona Reed. Ramona passed away on Saturday, June 25, at the age of 91. Sadly,… Read More »9 JULY 2022
This week, SWING ON THIS features some especially nice material from three of the four famous bandleading sons of Uncle John and Emma Wills. (No. 3 son Luther J. didn’t make the playlist this time around, but he’ll certainly be back soon.) I’ll start things… Read More »2 JULY 2022
NOTE: ALTHOUGH IT’S STILL NOT CLEAR WHETHER AN OPERATOR ERROR OR COMPUTER ERROR WAS TO BLAME, THE 18 JUNE BROADCAST WAS A REPEAT OF 11 JUNE. WE SHOULD BE BACK ON TRACK NOW. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING. Bob Wills was never one to… Read More »25 JUNE 2022
The votes are in, and it looks like the new SWING ON THIS feature, “Shellacked,” is something you want to hear more of (and excuse me for ending a sentence with a preposition). So listen for the second in the series this Saturday; it’s one… Read More »11 JUNE 2022
