Bob Wills - Take me back to Tulsa

[Reedynn]

I like this version much more than the one I'm used to... (no "d" word!)

[cindyandrob]

Blue Ribbon Healers luvin this stuff!

[Bel5191]

Bob Wills is still the king

[johnreedcreative]

I do believe the first ride on steel is Bobby Koefer. Hard to see under the hat, but that right hand gives him away.

[ignatz18cu]

@johnreedcreative: Uh, Bobby Koefer uses only a thumb pick, uses a dobro style bar rather than a bullet-nosed bar, grips the bar differently, and usually has 3 or 4 fingers of his right hand hanging over the front edge of the guitar since he uses just the thumb pick.

[ignatz18cu]

Bob refers to the fiddler as "Joe", but it is not Joe Holley. I can't ID him. The twin steels are Gene Crownover on the first ride and Maurice Anderson on the second.

[Flint3162]

If I remember correctly, one of Bob's sidemen (Eldon Shamblin?) was given the very first Fender solid body....

[Varianna12]

Well I heard he went to a recording studio where one of the producers told Bob he had to cease interjecting. He said "Is that right?" Then packed up his band and left them standing there!

[fiddlestixgirl24]

Is the fiddle player Joe Holley?

[jerichothedrifter60]

bass player got one toofus

[susie869]

My Daddy sang this to Momma on the way to Miami, Ok from Tulsa, Ok to go get married after 3 weeks of knowing each other in 1962.

[ATSF1927]

I remember when Bob Wills would go to Tulsa, me and my Wife would load in the car and go see him and you can bet your bottom dollar there was a open dance floor me and wife danced our hearts out. He was a super entertainer, I sure miss him and his style of music.

[LittleRedWren]

I like to sing this when I have a LOT of laundry to do :)

[biastg]

Was the other fiddler Johnny Gimble? I know Johnny played with the Texas Playboys for a while. My father has a memory of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys: he was going to high school in Vian, Oklahoma. The band was on its way to play an evening gig in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and they needed to make a rest stop, so they stopped in Vian. They agreed to do an afternoon concert at the fire house. The schools closed early and all the businesses closed so that everyone could attend!

[btaylor1931]

Havin played with Bob for a while, it did'nt bo

ther me a bit to be tapped on the head with his fiddle bow, or be the brunt of a joke. Great band Great fun. Where did it go?

[Varianna12]

Bob Wills rules!!!! Can anyone tell me who the other fiddler was?

Also, who was "Luke?"

[Gatorrock787]

@Varianna12 Luke was the younger brother of Bob Wills and the seventh of the Wills’ family children.

[Varianna12]

@Gatorrock787 It sounded like Bob called the fiddler "Joe".

Was he a Wills??

[Varianna12]

Bob Wills rules!!!!

[budw84]

You don't know who Bob Wills is?!?! Just think of Elvis wearing a cowboy hat and playing a fiddle. Also, no one ever says Bob Wills 'was'.

[pistolpete1911a1]

Why do all you experts have to come on here and argue, just enjoy the music, nobody cares what you know

[Gatorrock787]

@pistolpete1911a1 Good Music to argue by.

[JRH22BFD]

@pistolpete1911a1 - I think Bob Wills is a genius. His music is an amazing, original combination fo so many different styles. But I have never been able to get over the inane falsetto cackling and crowing that he can't stop himself from injecting into almost every song. It is a spectacular misjudgment of what is entertaining. He was such an egomaniac that he had to horn in when other guys are playng or singing. Just awful. Awful.

[Gatorrock787]

@JRH22BFD I hate to admit that I tend to agree with you.. though not to quite the same degree! The rambling intro to the song is another example of Bob's high opinion of himself. The occasional "haw' injected into the songs is humorous ... but it can get old too.

[pistolpete1911a1]

@JRH22BFD It was HIS band and he was the boss, so I rekon he can horn in any time he likes, just sayin.

[wjc1952]

@JRH22BFD you must be a city person

[ihcatihj]

@JRH22BFD Its part of his music style. You are pea brained idiots of today.

[titanicluvphantom6]

@JRH22BFD you do not know what good music is...

[macgopaleen]

@JRH22BFD What makes Bob holler? Bet your bottom dollar, it's just because he feels that way. (Also, it's his band.)

[erdayo]

@JRH22BFD Lets just agree Bob Wills is a Genius and leave it at that.

[evankerry]

@JRH22BFD stfu

[oldstephen]

The bass player is playing a Fender Jazz bass obviously. This model was introduced in 1960.

[Gatorrock787]

@oldstephen good catch

[bc78260]

Down here in Texas "Bob Wills" is still the king. Yes Sir.

[MrBruceBarham]

during bob's fiddle intro "junior" shoulda went "yehawwwwwwwww"

[jackal59]

I suspect there were a number of alternate verses that Bob chose not to use on this broadcast:

Little girl ran 'round the outhouse

And I ran 'round to meet her

She pulled up her petticoats

And I pulled out - for Tulsa

[arlichar11]

this is wonderful...im 30 and im just discoverin the playboys....

[TheEldoradoKid]

The steel player is wearing a hat of the style that is sported by 'ol Jr. Brown. It so funny that Junior has adopted the "Texas folded taco" cowboy hat as his signature headgear. Check out some of his vids and you will see what I mean..

[Pertile23]

It's unanimous!!! This is awesome! All thumbs up! Good taste.

[Avaalonn]

Of course Bob wills is great, but check out John England and the western swingers!

[nephetula]

the Fender Jag dates from 1962 or later and Maurice's burst 1000 from 1963 or later, so the videos likely from1963 or 1964

[holtridge]

That dude looks like Junior Samples.

[jehovahuponyou]

THIS IS A DAMN PRISON BAND FROM ARKANSAS STATE PEN, WHICH IS NAMED 'BOB WILLS' FOR THE FIRST WARDEN - DON'T YOU JACKASSES KNOW ANYTHING!

ROFL!

BOB WILLS IS STILL THE KING - GREAT VIDEO - THANKS FOR POSTING IT, GATOR!

[UncleDon8]

The guitar player is playing a Fender!!!! Must be one of the first Fenders made. Great history in this clip. Thanks!

[whitefeathertx]

AHHH- HAAA!!! Crownover can play!!!! A man after my own heart....with a razor!...to quote the GREAT Bob Wills.

[MxPower2]

AWESOME, timeless!!! Only one who can measure up is when Merle Haggard does his songs w the Texas Playboys in tribute. Oh and by the way, when he does; he plays the "role" of Bob EXTREMELY well. Right down to the "AaaH - Haaa"

[EddieErwinEngines48]

This is the P.C. version.... The one I know has a little different regards to whom picks the cotton and who gets the money LOL.

[DoogMcKracken]

You know twin fiddles is something that is unique to this part of the world. And it is amazingly beautiful. It is imitated by people from all over the world. In a big way because of Bob Will and the likes of Johnny

Gimble. And there are a few more of these masters in America.

[PhillipCreeper]

Gatorrock I don't think Umbrella understands that that is the way Bob Wills did during the songs. That was just one of the many great reasons that Bob and his band was so popular.

[UmbrellaFitzgerald]

this would be so much better if that retard talking at the start in the dark coat would STFU!

[Gatorrock787]

@UmbrellaFitzgerald You mean Bob Wills?

[rrtodd95]

@UmbrellaFitzgerald Then you won't like Bob Wills because he does that in almost every song.

I actually love it.

[1coosa]

@UmbrellaFitzgerald thats Bob Wills you gump

[jtraske]

@UmbrellaFitzgerald dude.... thats bob wills . apparently you dont know shit about this music. that was a huge part of his act and people loved him for it. bob wills told the record companies how it was gonna be done. period..

[driverbob]

@UmbrellaFitzgerald Idiot. That's Bob Wills. He always talks. It's part of his act.

[lilje55]

@UmbrellaFitzgerald uh, you're an idiot. Have some respect. That is Bob Wills.

[lilje55]

@UmbrellaFitzgerald ummm.. you're an idiot.  Have some respect. That "retard" is Bob Wills.

[LittaGangsta]

@UmbrellaFitzgerald go back to new jersey

[2000toddowen]

Excellent.

That bass works damn good.

[troynov1965]

Bob Wills........ one of the greatest of all time !!!  His music is timeless.

[millenia44000]

this is a classic

[Badgerjohn27]

KVOO - which was the pretty much the only radio station in Tulsa during the 30's - would broadcast live Texas Playboys shows from the Cain's Ballroom every afternoon.

Now, it's just another 24-hour political news-talk station. But at least Cain's still hosts some good live music.

[guambetty]

Okay tulsavintagedigital---- so is that Billy Jack Wills on the guitar by the piano player? Thanks!

[guambetty]

Thank you tulsavintagedigital !

[tulsavintagedigital]

this 1958ish?

[Gatorrock787]

@tulsavintagedigital No it's early 60s. From a local country music show on Dallas TV station WFAA.

[tulsavintagedigital]

@Gatorrock787 thanks! I was thinking it might have been from Ozark Jubilee

[TXRangers5807]

@Gatorrock787 its 1955 actually

[Gatorrock787]

@TXRangers5807 whatever

[Gatorrock787]

@TXRangers5807 @tulsavintagedigital This originally aired no earlier than 1958 because earlier, on the same show, Terry White and the Nuggets play a version of Don Gibson's "Oh, Lonesome Me" which was written in that year.

[TXRangers5807]

@Gatorrock787 it wont let me post the link, go to google and type in bob wills wfaa, and its the first result



[Gatorrock787]

@TXRangers5807 Just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's right. I have this entire show from WFAA. And it includes "Oh Lonesome Me"... which as I explained, wasn't written until 1958. I guess I can't convince you.

[TTmaniax]

Sweet. Just found more awesome music. This is rare Gold, my pedigreed dwogs.

[MrDecatur217]

i met the lead guitar player in oklahoma,. he told me he was i did not believe him ,. about a year later they had a get together and down in front was that same man,. playing the lead

[guambetty]

Who`s the fiddler on stage with Bob Wills?

[tulsavintagedigital]

@guambetty George Clayburn I'm pretty sure.

[guambetty]

Anybody know who wrote " BIG BEAVER?

[dcgilleland]

@guambetty When Bob was a young man pickin' cotton one time, he heard a ol' black man hummin' the tune.

Don't know if Bob named it or not.

[guambetty]

Obsessed with Bob Wills and his Playboys---did not realize he has been gone 35 yrs.. SO SAD