Biography
Asleep at the Wheel is an American Western swing music group formed in 1970 in Paw Paw, West Virginia, by Ray Benson (born Ray Seifert), along with steel guitarist Reuben Gosfield (known as Lucky Oceans) and rhythm guitarist Leroy Preston. The band's origin story began when Benson and Oceans, both students at Antioch colleges in Ohio and Maryland respectively, met Preston in Boston in 1969. After spending formative months in a cabin near Paw Paw, West Virginia, bonding and developing their musical foundation, the band played its first gig on August 25, 1970, as an unannounced opener for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna at L'Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C.—a performance arranged through connections with the legendary Hog Farm commune. The band relocated to Oakland, California in 1971, where they quickly gained a following and recorded their debut album, Comin' Right at Ya, in Nashville in 1972. At Willie Nelson's invitation, they moved to Austin, Texas in 1974, where they have remained based ever since and became the torchbearers of Western swing music.
Throughout their career spanning over five decades, Asleep at the Wheel has become the most iconic Western swing band of the modern era, successfully blending Bob Wills' Western swing tradition with Count Basie-style big-band jazz and contemporary country elements. The band's lineup has evolved considerably over the years, with Ray Benson remaining the only constant member. Key early members included pianist Floyd Domino, who joined after a one-song audition in the early 1970s, and female vocalist Chris O'Connell, whose sultry voice became a signature element of their sound in the late 1970s. The band achieved significant commercial recognition in 1977 with the album The Wheel, which climbed into the top 40 of the Country charts and earned two Grammy nominations, while Rolling Stone named them Best Country Western Band and the Academy of Country Music awarded them Touring Band of the Year. Despite facing challenges in the 1980s when record labels abandoned efforts to push them into mainstream success, the band persevered through touring and diversified revenue streams, including a famous partnership with Budweiser that resulted in the iconic jingle "For all you do, this Bud's for you." By the late 1980s, they had rebounded to release some of their most successful albums. Over their career, Asleep at the Wheel has won nine Grammy Awards, released over 20 albums, charted more than 21 singles on the Billboard country charts (with their highest-charting single being "The Letter That Johnny Walker Read" at number 10 in 1975), and been inducted into the ACL Hall of Fame, establishing themselves as the rightful caretakers of Western swing music.
Fun Facts
- The band's first gig on August 25, 1970, was completely unannounced—they were invited by the Hog Farm commune (led by Wavy Gravy) to open for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna at L'Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., after a gas station attendant in West Virginia told the Hog Farm school bus about the hippie band living by the railroad tracks.
- In the 1980s, when record labels abandoned the band and they struggled financially, their manager secured a partnership with Budweiser that led to Ray Benson's distinctive deep baritone voice becoming iconic in the famous jingle 'For all you do, this Bud's for you'—a commercial that aired throughout the decade.
- Pianist Floyd Domino was hired after just a one-song audition in the early 1970s; he had changed his name from Jim Haber and was a jazz-trained musician from Berkeley who became a crucial part of the band's evolving sound.
- The band's 1977 album The Wheel was a breakthrough moment, climbing into the top 40 of the Country charts, earning two Grammy nominations, and resulting in Rolling Stone naming them Best Country Western Band and the Academy of Country Music awarding them Touring Band of the Year—yet they still struggled to achieve mainstream commercial success that satisfied record labels.
Members
- Lucky Oceans - original (from 1969 until 1979)
- Ray Benson - original (from 1969)
- Johnny Nicholas (from 1978 until 1980)
- Emily Gimble (from 2014 until 2016)
- Tim Alexander
- Richard Casanova
- Floyd Domino
- Michael Francis
- Larry Franklin
- Danny Levin - fiddle
- Danny Levin - mandolin
- Elizabeth McQueen
- John Michael Whitby
- David Miller
- Eddie Rivers
- Jason Roberts
- David Sanger
- Katie Shore - background vocals
- Katie Shore - fiddle
- Haydn Vitera
- Bobby Black
- Leroy Preston - drums (drum set)
- Leroy Preston - guitar
Original Members
- Ray Benson - original
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Bob Wills - Primary musical inspiration and stylistic influence; Ray Benson was listening to Bob Wills in the 1960s and the band's entire musical philosophy was built around reviving and expanding Western swing (Western swing standards and arrangements) [1960s onwards]
- Count Basie - Jazz big-band influence; Benson envisioned a band that could 'take the wide open spaces of Western Swing and decorate them with Count Basie-style big-band jazz' (Big-band jazz arrangements and orchestration) [1960s onwards]
- Van Morrison - Early career supporter who provided helpful words and endorsement that created industry buzz leading to record label interest (General career support and industry credibility) [Early 1970s]
- Wavy Gravy (Hugh Romney) - Founder of the Hog Farm commune who discovered the band and provided their first major performance opportunity (First major gig at Washington D.C. concert) [1970]
- Willie Nelson - Invited the band to relocate to Austin, Texas, which became their permanent home base and the center of their career (Career relocation and Austin music scene integration) [1974]
Key Collaborators
- Lucky Oceans (Reuben Gosfield) - Founding member and steel guitarist; childhood friend of Ray Benson from Philadelphia suburbs (All early albums and performances) [1970-1980s]
- Leroy Preston - Founding member and rhythm guitarist; Vermont farm kid who met Benson and Oceans in Boston in 1969 (All early albums and performances) [1970-1970s]
- Floyd Domino (Jim Haber) - Jazz-trained pianist from Berkeley who joined after a one-song audition and became a key member of the band's sound (Albums from early 1970s onwards) [Early 1970s onwards]
- Chris O'Connell - Female vocalist who became a full-time member and whose sultry singing became a signature sound of the band (Albums and performances from late 1970s) [Late 1970s-1980s]
- Johnny Gimble - Guest fiddler on debut album who opened the door to the world of Bob Wills (Comin' Right at Ya (1972)) [1972]
- Tommy Allsup - Producer of the band's debut album (Comin' Right at Ya (1972)) [1972]
Artists Influenced
- Modern Western Swing Revival - Asleep at the Wheel became the torchbearers and caretakers of Western swing music, claiming the throne vacated by Bob Wills and establishing themselves as the definitive modern Western swing band (All albums and performances) [1974 onwards]
- Texas Country Music Scene - Became a Texas institution and major influence on the Austin music scene after relocating there in 1974 (All Austin-based work) [1974 onwards]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Still the King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys | 2015-03-03 | Album |
| Ride With Bob | 1999-01-01 | Album |
| Western Standard Time | 1988-08-23 | Album |
| Jake & Friends | 2021-11-10 | Album |
| Texas Gold | 1975-01-01 | Album |
| Duets | 2007-12-24 | Album |
| Still the King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys | 2016-12-29 | Album |
| Willie and the Wheel | 2009-02-03 | Album |
| Tribute To The Music Of Bob Wills | 1993-01-01 | Album |
| Western Standard Time | 1988-11-01 | Album |
| Half a Hundred Years | 2021-10-01 | Album |
| New Routes | 2018-09-14 | Album |
| 10 | 1987-05-12 | Album |
| Asleep At The Wheel | 1974-07-24 | Album |
Top Tracks
- The Letter (That Johnny Walker Read)
- Hot Rod Lincoln (Western Standard Time)
- Riding High In Texas (feat. Billy Strings)
- Miles and Miles of Texas
- If Tommy Duncan's Voice Was Booze (Obsessed With The West)
- The Letter That Johnny Walker Read (Texas Gold)
- Roly Poly (Ride With Bob)
- Big Ball's In Cowtown (Strait Out Of The Box)
- Get Your Kicks on Route 66
- Texas
External Links
Tags: #2008-universal-fire-victim, #country, #folk
References
Heard on WWOZ
Asleep At The Wheel has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 21, 2025 | 15:21 | Xmas In Jailfrom Merry Texas Christmas Y' All | Homespun Americanaw/ Ol Man River |