The McCallum Theatre Is ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL For The Holidays

The McCallum Theatre presents Asleep at the Wheel and "Merry Texas Christmas, Y'all!" on Sunday, December 18, at 7:00pm.Asleep at the Wheel has recorded two albums of Texas-centric holiday music through its four-decade history, but it was just a few years ago that the group launched this first-ever western swing holiday concert. Expect a wonderful evening that combines Asleep at the Wheel's most popular songs, new material, and holiday favorites such as "Christmas in Jail," "Merry Texas Christmas, Y'all," "Mele Kalikimaka," "Swingin' Silent Night" and many more.

Asleep at the Wheel has seen miles and miles of Texas. They got their kicks on Route 66. In 2010, the band reached another milestone, their 40th Anniversary, and the band continues to introduce western swing to a new generation and take audiences on the ride of a lifetime with their play A Ride with Bob.

It started when Ray Benson, Floyd Domino and Lucky Oceans, along with Vermont farm boy Leroy Preston, Virginian Chris O'Connell, and Gene Dobkin, a bass player and classmate of Ray's from Antioch College, joined forces. They began with a simple goal - to play and revive American roots music.

Asleep at the Wheel opened for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna in 1970. A year later, they were coaxed into moving to California by Commander Cody, leader of Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen. The band's big break came when Van Morrison mentioned them in a Rolling Stoneinterview. The record offers began coming in and The Wheel started rolling.

The musicianship of Asleep at the Wheel is the stuff of legends. Taking a page from Bob Wills' book, the band constantly tours, with anywhere from 7-15 of the finest players Ray Benson can talk into jumping in the bus. The alumni roster is over 80+ members, and includes musicians who have performed with Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Lyle Lovett, Ryan Adams, and many more. Awards such as "Touring Band of the Year" (Country Music Association - 1976) and "Lifetime Achievement in Performance" (Americana Music Awards - 2009), and near dominance of the Grammy "Country Instrumental" category over the years, reflects the band's musicianship.

Asleep at the Wheel has garnered nine Grammy Awards and released more than 25 albums. In 2009, they earned a Grammy nomination in the new "Best Americana Album" category for their critically acclaimed collaboration with Willie Nelson, Willie & The Wheel. Another collaboration paired the band with the lead from Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys, Leon Rausch. It was Leon who first suggested to Ray in the 1970s that The Wheel record "Get Your Kicks (on Route 66)". They have now recorded the hit four times in four different decades, with the latest version featuring Leon.

Ray and Ann Rapp co-wrote the first musical drama about Ray's idol - A Ride with Bob: The Bob Wills Musical. At the core of the story is the conversation Ray intended to have when he was invited to meet with Wills in 1974, fresh off The Wheel's release of "Take Me Back to Tulsa." Unfortunately, that meeting never happened as Wills became ill and never recovered. In performances across Texas, and from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., the play was embraced by western swing fans with its inspired look into the life, loves and music of Bob Wills.

Ray Benson fell in love with western swing because of its unique combination of elements of American blues, swing and traditional fiddling and the demanding musical chops. Western swing is what Ray calls "jazz with a cowboy hat," and, thanks in large part to the Wheel's 40 years of promotion, is a living, creative genre of music today.

Any band that spends upwards of 250 days on the road each year has seen its share of dives, clubs, dance halls and auditoriums, and more recently, also in symphony halls. Originally debuted in collaboration with the Austin Symphony, the Wheel has presented their pops program in performances across the country, and released a CD in 2006 of their performance with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

Throughout their four decades, Asleep at the Wheel has driven the genre to the edge, explored new territories, picked up new passengers along the way, and crisscrossed the country to the delight of fans and critics alike. And, even though they're doing "forty," there's no chance of slowing down now.

Through the generosity of R.D. and Joan Dale Hubbard and BIGHORN Golf Club Charities, the McCallum Theatre presents Asleep at the Wheel and "Merry Texas Christmas, Y'all!" on Sunday, December 18, at 7:00pm.

Ticket prices for this performance are $57, $47, $37 and $27. Tickets are available at the Theatre's website at www.mccallumtheatre.com or by calling the McCallum Theatre Box Office at (760) 340-ARTS.

To post a comment, you must register and login.