Spade Cooley - King of Western Swing - not really

The Boots and Saddle club had a contest to determine who was "The King of Western Swing" in the late 40s. The Bob Wills Band and the Spade Cooley band competed...and Spade won. But it was just a local group that did it in Hollywood. Needless to say, Bob Wills is THE king of western swing, and my hero.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Western
• Swing
• country
• music
• fiddle

[dgtxdutch]

Spade's music had it's merits. He hired top musicians and then there was Tex Williams who eventually left with most of the musicians. BUT BOB WILLS IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE UNDISPUTED KING OF WESTERN SWING!

[travhank1]

@BigBingFan It only grates on the nerves of folks that are not from Texas or Oklahoma, lol. My grandma used to say "there he goes agin' with that ahhh", "he's makin' it hard for Tommy Duncan to sing", lol. Tommy Duncan musta never noticed, neither did I. 

[travhank1]

Cooley's music was like that of the then-current big band orchestras, and its sound was drawn from those dance-oriented hot bands like Bob Wills and Milton Brown. In contrast to Bob Wills' work, the performances and arrangements of Cooley's orchestra were more big-band Swing than improvised Western.

[TheCrimsonsGhosts]

Spade was the King of Western Swing.

[Avaalonn]

although this is good, Bob Wills is the undisputed king of western swing. John England is an incredible modern artist.

[Basfdlr]

Spade Cooley is reported as being the first one who used the title of "King of Western Swing." He certainly had one of the biggest most diverse bands in the business. From the harp to the Jew's harp (Oh Oh PC!!!! MOUTH harp) piano accordion, fiddle and guitar, drums... he had 'em all. His band was so big that finances ultimately brought him down. Several band leaders called themselves or were called "The King of Western Swing" but Spade was the first who billed himself that way.

[dgtxdutch]

@BigBingFan the last time we saw Cliff, he was on stage with Floyd Tillman down at La Grange about 10-15 years ago. Adolph Hofner and brother Bash did a lot for that "sound" you speak of as well.

[BigBingFan]

@dgtxdutch

Being a dyed-in-the-wool, authentic Texan (Fort Worth) I hope I can speak from some stature on this...but, I wanted to know if you had heard of Cliff Bruner and His Texas Wanderers? Down in the Texas Hill Country, there are lots of German settlements & communities, and Cliff Bruner merged the Ooom-pah-pah of German accordian-type music with Western Swing. Very interesting sound. Just a thought if you hadn't heard of them.

[dgtxdutch]

@BigBingFan FRIEND, We ain't fightin' here, just discussing what we both love, that being Western Swing Music! Personally, I always figured Emmett Miller never got the credit for his contributions to the music. And then there was Bessie Smith. That is what makes W/S so unique. You keep looking-you keep finding. Have a good one today!

[BigBingFan]

@dgtxdutch

OOOPS! Should have said that Milton's biographer and other experts in the industry, called Milton the "Father of Western Swing" and Bob Wills "King of Western Swing."

I mistakenly said Bob was also "Father" in my comments. So, with that correction, I'll just listen to posts and cease commenting.....but, let me tell you, I am MOST ASSUREDELY a Texan. Lifelong-deep-rooted-and Fort Worth bred. End of story.

[BigBingFan]

@dgtxdutch

I most certanily AM from Texas. I love Bob Wills, but I have most of everything that Milton Brown ever did, and all the documentation called Milton, "Father of Western Swing," and called Bob Wills, "Father of Western Swing." I"m getting into no fights here, just relaying what many documentaries said, and what logic tells me: Spade Cooley was equal if not a better musician, had a better vocalist, and didn't yelp "Ya-Hoo" while his vocalist was singing--YIKES! Bob was great, yes.