On Tue, 27 Apr 1999, Ph. Barnard wrote:
> I've been hearing some enthusiastic comments about a Western Swing CD
> re-release: Billy Jack Wills / "Crazy, Man, Crazy" / on Joaquin
> Records??
>
> Although it's possible I've heard this guy on a compilation, the name
> of *this* Wills isn't ringing a bell for me. Anyone know about this?
> A California act, and apparently this recording is a radio
> transcription from the early 50s.
Billy Jack was the younger brother of Bob. He played drums and bass for
the Texas Playboys for awhile and then started his own band. His music
was more rooted in the jump blues of the day than Bob's was, which puts
Billy Jack a bit closer to rock 'n' roll. His band was a hot one,
featuring the likes of Tiny Moore on electric mandolin and fiddle, the
underacknowledged steel guitar wizard Vance Terry, and trumpeter Dick
McComb. Not only did they play with a lot of energy and excitement, but
they were also pretty musically sophisticated, and they put out some
complex swing stuff that came close to be-bop. I'd start with Joaquin's
first volume of radio transcriptions (titled Billy Jack Wills and his
Western Swing Band), and then if you can't get enough, go for Crazy, Man,
Crazy.--don
