Asleep at the Wheel at the Pines Theater...

I have forgotten how many times I've seen the famous western swing band Asleep at the Wheel. That's a good thing because the reason for that is that I have seen them so many times. Last night I added one more date to that list when the played the Historic Pines Theater in downtown Lufkin. It's the band's 50th year of operation.  

Of course in 50 years of operation many members have come and gone, most of them on to bigger and better things but the constant driving force and only original remaining is leader, vocalist and guitar picker Ray Benson. Ray is a national treasure. It's kind of like you took Louis Jordan, Cab Calloway, the Andrews Sisters and ran their music through a Bob Wills/western swing filter and this is what came out the other side. I think they have 10 Grammy nominations.  

As I think back on all the times I've seen them, and I think those times have all been in the East Texas area, I recall once at an outdoor Willie Nelson thing somewhere around Nacogdoches in the late 1970s. It had rained, everybody's car got stuck and The Wheel came out on stage with no electricity and played with an acoustic, a string bass and a sax. That's how to fulfill a performance contract. 

I can think of five or six shows that stand out in my mind over the years but there may be more.   

Always top quality musicians. I did not get all the band member names but you can bet their resumes are top of the line and you will be seeing these guys with other top outfits in years to come.  

In Texas you always need a fiddle, a steel guitar and don't forget that sax! 

I looked it up. Ray is 70 years old. Asleep at the Wheel is 50. He's been at his awhile now. 

Nice Telecaster guitar on stage with a Bob Wills logo on the back. They never used it but Bob is still the King. 

There are many good bands scheduled for stops in Lufkin at the Pines and at Temple Theater. I suggest you get a schedule.