Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys

About

Western swing band founded in 1934 by Bob Wills after leaving The Light Crust Doughboys, active until 1965, reuniting for a final recording session with an ailing Wills in 1973. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1968, and into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame (as "Early Influence") in 1999.

More than 600 artists played with the Texas Playboys during their lifetime, and several spin-off groups achieved significant success on their own, including Johnnie Lee Wills & His Boys and Billy Jack Wills And His Western Swing Band.

See also Bob Wills & Tommy Duncan, The Texas Playboys.

After the initial breakup in 1965, the band continued performing briefly as The Texas Playboys, led by Leon Rausch. They would reunite again as The Original Texas Playboys Under The Direction Of Leon McAuliffe from 1973-1986, until the death of pianist Al Stricklin. At that point, Leon Rausch and Tommy Allsup purchased the rights to use the name Bob Wills' Texas Playboys from Betty Wills and continued touring.

Original Lineup:
Founded in Waco, Texas, 1933
Fiddle - Bob Wills
Piano, Vocals - Tommy Duncan
Steel Guitar - Kermit Whalen
Tenor Banjo - Johnnie Lee Wills
Bass/Rhythm Guitar - June Whalin

Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Lineup:
Fiddle/Mandolin/Vocals - Bob Wills
Vocals - Tommy Duncan
Fiddle - Joe Holley
Fiddle/Electric Mandolin - Johnny Gimble, Tiny Moore
Steel Guitar - Leon McAuliffe, Herb Remington
Guitar - Eldon Shamblin
Piano - Al Stricklin

Final Lineup:
(Selected by Wills for the 1973 reunion For The Last Time)
Leader - Bob Wills
Fiddle – Hoyle Nix, Keith Coleman, Merle Haggard
Fiddle/Mandolin - Johnny Gimble
Steel Guitar – Leon McAuliffe
Electric Guitar – Eldon Shamblin
Piano – Al Stricklin
Bass – Leon Rausch
Drums – Jody Nix, Smokey Dacus