Ride With Bob

Performer: Asleep at the Wheel
Artist: Tracy Byrd; Dwight Yoakam; Vince Gill; Dixie Chicks; Lyle Lovett; Reba McEntire; Merle Haggard; Tim McGraw; Shawn Colvin; Willie Nelson
Producer: Ray Benson
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Asleep At The Wheel: Ray Benson (vocals, guitar); Cindy Cashdollar (steel guitar); Jason Roberts (mandolin, fiddle, background vocals); Michael Francis (clarinet, alto, tenor & baritone saxophones); Chris Booher (piano); David Miller (bass, background vocals); David Sanger (drums). Additional personnel: Willie Nelson, The Manhattan Transfer, Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Merle Haggard, Lee Ann Womack, Shawn Colvin, Lyle Lovett, Steve Wariner, Vince Gill, Dwight Yoakam, Don Walser, Ray Benson, Tracy Byrd, Clay Walker, Mark Chesnutt, Clint Black (vocals); Tommy Allsup (guitar); Herb Remington (steel guitar); Johnny Gimble (mandolin, fiddle); Floyd Domino, Curly Hollingsworth (piano); Viktor Kraus (bass); The Dixie Chicks, The Squirrel Nut Zippers. Recorded in California, Tennessee and Texas in 1998 & 1999. Includes liner notes by Ray Benson. RIDE WITH BOB won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Recording Package. "Bob's Breakdown" won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance. RIDE WITH BOB was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Country Album. "Going Away Party" and "Roly Poly" were nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals. "Cherokee Maiden" won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo Or Group With Vocal. Performers include: Tracy Byrd, Shawn Colvin, The Dixie Chicks, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Lyle Lovett, Manhattan Transfer, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, The Squirrel Nut Zippers, Clay Walke, Don Walser, Steve Wariner, Lee Ann Womack, Dwight Yoakam. THE MAKING OF RIDE WITH BOB was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video. Recording information: Bismeaux Studio (06/08/1998-03/15/1999); Hum Depot (06/08/1998-03/15/1999); Loud Recording, Nashville, TN (06/08/1998-03/15/1999); Westwood Studio (06/08/1998-03/15/1999). Arrangers: Ray Benson; Tim "Herb" Alexander ; Janis Seigel. Asleep at the Wheel devoted its entire career to Western swing, which is commonly known as the music Bob Wills created. They became the standard bearers for the genre, making sure that it was still an integral part of the country music mainstream. Since their entire career feels like a living monument to Wills, it almost seems unnecessary for them to record tributes to the "King of Western Swing" -- that is, until you hear the records. Ride With Bob, their sequel to the award-winning Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills, has more guest appearances than its predecessor, but it's every bit as enjoyable. The fact of the matter is, Asleep at the Wheel played this music better than anybody else at the close of the century, and these are some of the greatest songs in popular music -- "New San Antonio Rose," "Roly Poly," "Cherokee Maiden," "Right or Wrong," "Faded Love," "Take Me Back to Tulsa," and "Stay All Night" always sound fresh, and the band draws out excellent performances from Dwight Yoakam, the Dixie Chicks, Ray Benson, Reba McEntire, Lyle Lovett and Shawn Colvin, Clay Walker, and Mark Chesnutt, respectively, on these songs. It's a testament to both the group and the songs that nobody here -- not the Squirrel Nut Zippers or Manhattan Transfer -- sounds out of place. This is warm, generous, rich music that's endlessly listenable, much like Wills himself. And the Clint Black-sung cover of Waylon Jennings' tribute "Bob Wills Is Still the King" is a nice touch. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Ray Benson, the driving force behind the 1993 all-star CD A TRIBUTE TO BOB WILLS, continues his role as keeper of the Western Swing flame with RIDE WITH BOB. An all-star lineup gathers to salute music that's jazzy, bluesy, toe-tapping and just plain fun. AATW serves as the "house band," as each guest artist steps up to the mike to demonstrate how Wills' music lends itself to a variety of arrangements and any number of wildly disparate vocal styles. The track featuring Willie Nelson and Manhattan Transfer is just as good a fit as the one featuring the Squirrel Nut Zippers, for example. Other highlights include Tim McGraw's bluesy take on "Milk Cow Blues," and longtime Wills booster Merle Haggard's terrific version of "St. Louis Blues." Dwight Yoakam was born to sing "New San Antonio Rose," while Reba McEntire, tearing into "Right or Wrong," sounds like she hasn't had so much fun in years. While these marquee names are the obvious draw on RIDE WITH BOB--other artists include the Dixie Chicks, Clint Black and Shawn Colvin--the quality of the music itself can't be denied. As Clint Black sings near the end of the CD, "Bob Wills Is Still the King."

Q (9/00, p.96) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...A rootin' tootin' treat..." Dirty Linen (12/99-1/00, p.59) - "...the P.T.Barnum of western swing....an agreeably matched set of theater and arena-scaled collaborations..." Mojo (Publisher) (12/00, p.132) - "...Arguably the band's most star-studded offering. A tribute to the music of the Texas Playboys..."

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