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Asleep at the Wheel is an American country band based in Austin, Texas. Formed in Paw Paw, West Virginia in 1970, the group originally consisted of vocalist and guitarist Ray Benson, vocalist and drummer LeRoy Preston, steel guitarist Lucky Oceans, bassist Rob Silver, and pianist Danny Levin, who were joined later by bassist Gene Dobkin, and vocalist and guitarist Chris O'Connell. The band's current lineup includes Benson alongside vocalist and fiddler Katie Shore (since 2014), fiddler and mandolinist Dennis Ludiker (since 2016), pianist and keyboardist Connor Forsyth (since 2016), bassist Josh Hoag (since 2017), steel guitarist Flavio Pasquetto (since 2019), drummer Jason Baczynski (since 2020), and saxophonist Joey Colarusso (since 2021).
Asleep at the Wheel (AATW) was originally formed in January 1970 in Paw Paw, West Virginia.[1] The band's initial lineup featured lead vocalist and guitarist Ray Benson, second vocalist and drummer LeRoy Preston, pedal and lap steel guitarist Lucky Oceans (real name Reuben Gosfield), and pianist Danny Levin.[2] By the time they made their live debut a few months after forming, the band included Gene Dobkin on upright and electric bass, replacing Richard Fitzhugh who left after he "kind of went nuts", according to Benson.[3] By the end of the year the group had added two female backing vocalists, Chris O'Connell and Emily Paxton, although the latter had to leave after a few months due to "family matters".[4] In August 1971, the band relocated to Oakland, California and Levin remained in West Virginia.[5]
After adding pianist Floyd Domino (real name Jim Haber) to the lineup in 1972,[6] AATW signed with United Artists Records and issued its debut album Comin' Right at Ya the following year.[7] In February 1974, the group moved to Austin, Texas.[8] Dobkin was replaced by Tony Garnier,[9] Richard Casanova joined on fiddle,[10] and in the summer the group released its self-titled second album on Epic Records.[11] The next year saw the release of Texas Gold on Capitol Records, featuring original pianist Levin returning on fiddle, new drummer Scott Hennige (Preston switched to rhythm guitar) and saxophonist Ed Vizard.[12][13] For the 1976 album Wheelin' and Dealin', the group added second fiddler Bill Mabry and replaced Vizard with Link Davis Jr.[14] Shortly after its release, Chris York replaced Hennige and Pat "Taco" Ryan joined on saxophone.[15]
Two years and two more albums (The Wheel and Collision Course) for Capitol later, AATW suffered its first major lineup change in September 1978 when Preston, Domino and Mabry all left the band.[16] Johnny Nicholas took over rhythm guitar and piano duties, and the band reduced to a nine-piece lineup.[17] By December the group was an eight-piece following the departure of Davis, while Garnier and York had been replaced by Spencer Starnes and Fran Christina, respectively.[18] After the band released its first live album Served Live, Starnes was replaced by Dean DeMerritt.[19] Shortly thereafter, Lucky Oceans left the band to move to Australia with his family.[20]
In early 1980, AATW added vocalist Maryann Price and replaced steel guitarist Lucky Oceans with Bobby Black.[21] Later in the year, O'Connell took a temporary leave of absence from full-time touring,[22] and was replaced by Brenda Burns.[23] Several members left after a show on the final day of 1980, including Johnny Nicholas.[24] The group returned in early 1981 with new members Dan Tyack on pedal steel guitar, Falkner Evans on piano, Billy Estes on drums and Paul Anastasio on fiddle.[25] By the summer, Burns, Tyack, Estes and Pat "Taco" Ryan had been replaced by Jann Browne, Wally Murphy, Steve Schwelling and Michael Francis, respectively.[26][27][28]
By summer 1982, the lineup of AATW featured Anastasio's brother Tom on bass and Roy McCrory on drums.[29] Richard Hormachea replaced McCrory a few months later.[30] Browne had left by 1983 as O'Connell returned full-time,[26] and during 1984 Billy Cochran replaced Paul Anastasio.[31] By early 1985, the band featured Junior Brown on lap steel guitar, Tim Alexander on piano, Mike Grammar on drums and Larry Franklin on fiddle.[32] That year, the band issued Pasture Prime, its first album in five years, which featured contributions from several of the 1981–85 lineups.[33] In 1986, O'Connell left AATW after becoming pregnant with her second child.[34]
Later in 1986, AATW signed with Epic Records again and recorded 10,[35] which saw the debut of steel guitarist John Ely, bassist David Dawson and drummer David Sanger.[36] In summer 1988, Dawson was replaced by Jon Mitchell.[37] Ricky Turpin took over from Franklin in 1991,[38] and shortly after the release of Greatest Hits: Live & Kickin' the next year, Ely, Mitchell and Sanger were replaced by Cindy Cashdollar, David Miller and Tommy Beavers, respectively.[22][39] Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys followed in 1993, after which Barbara Lamb of Ranch Romance replaced Turpin and Sanger returned on drums.[40][41] After the release of The Wheel Keeps on Rollin' in 1995, Lamb was replaced by Monty Gaylord.[42] Jason Roberts (fiddle, mandolin) and Chris Booher (piano, fiddle) joined AATW the next year, followed by Rosie Flores (vocals, rhythm guitar) in April 1997.[43][44] After Flores departed, the band issued Merry Texas Christmas, Y'all in 1997 and a second tribute album, Ride with Bob, in 1999.[22]
By the spring of 2000, John Michael Whitby had taken over from Chris Booher on piano.[45] After the release of The Very Best of Asleep at the Wheel in 2001, Cindy Cashdollar left to pursue other projects.[46] She was replaced by Jim Murphy.[47] Later in the year, long-term saxophonist Michael Francis also left, with Murphy taking over saxophone duties.[48] In early 2003, Haydn Vitera joined to give the band a two-fiddler lineup for the first time since 1978, debuting on that year's Live at Billy Bob's Texas and Remembers the Alamo.[49][50] Eddie Rivers replaced Murphy in June 2004.[51] Just under a year later, Vitera left and Elizabeth McQueen joined as second vocalist and guitarist.[52]
In late 2006, Walt Roberts joined on second fiddle,[53] although less than a year later he had left again.[54] Also in 2007, former pianist Floyd Domino returned to the band.[55] The group collaborated with Willie Nelson on Willie and the Wheel in 2009, and later in the year Dan Walton took over from Domino.[56] In January 2014, McQueen left to raise her children and was replaced by Katie Shore, who also played second fiddle.[57][58] Jason Roberts left a few months later, at which point Shore became the primary fiddler in the group.[59] Around the same time, pianist Emily Gimble (the granddaughter of fiddler Johnny Gimble) and saxophonist/clarinetist Jay Reynolds joined the band.[60]
After the release of a third Bob Wills tribute album, Still the King, AATW became an eight-piece again with the addition of lead fiddler and mandolinist Dennis Ludiker in January 2016, followed by Connor Forsyth replacing Gimble in May.[61][62][63] By 2017, Josh Hoag had also joined on bass, marking the end of David Earl Miller's 25-year tenure in the band.[64] The band issued New Routes in 2018, its first album of new material since Reinventing the Wheel in 2006.[65] In June 2019, Eddie Rivers retired and Jay Reynolds left; they were replaced temporarily by returning steel guitarist Cindy Cashdollar (and later Lucky Oceans) and saxophonist Chloe Feoranzo, respectively.[66][67]
In September 2019, Italian steel guitarist Flavio Pasquetto joined AATW as the full-time replacement for the retired Rivers.[68] Late the following year, long-time drummer David Sanger was replaced by Jason Baczynski.[69] Starting with the band's 50th anniversary shows in 2021, Joey Colarusso joined on saxophones.[70]
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ray Benson | 1970–present |
|
all Asleep at the Wheel (AATW) releases | |
Katie Shore | 2014–present |
|
all AATW releases from Still the King (2015) onwards | |
Dennis Ludiker | 2016–present |
| ||
Connor Forsyth |
|
| ||
Josh Hoag | 2017–present |
|
| |
Flavio Pasquetto | 2019–present | steel guitars | Better Times (2021) | |
Jason Baczynski | 2020–present | drums | ||
Joey Colarusso | 2021–present |
|
|
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lucky Oceans (Reuben Gosfield) |
|
|
| |
LeRoy Preston | 1970–1978 |
|
| |
Danny Levin |
|
|
all AATW releases from Texas Gold (1975) to Served Live (1979) (plus The Wheel Keeps on Rollin' (1995) and Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | |
Gene Dobkin | 1970–1974 |
|
| |
Chris O'Connell | 1970–1986 |
|
| |
Emily Paxton | 1970–1971 | backing vocals | none – live performances only | |
Floyd Domino (Jim Haber) |
|
|
| |
Tony Garnier | 1974–1978 | bass | all AATW releases from Asleep at the Wheel (1974) to Collision Course (1978) (plus Western Standard Time (1988), Back to the Future Now: Live at Arizona Charlie's Las Vegas (1997) and Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | |
Richard "Corky" Casanova | 1974–1975 (died 2014) | fiddle | Asleep at the Wheel (1974) | |
Scott Hennige | 1975–1976 | drums |
| |
Ed Vizard |
|
Texas Gold (1975) (plus Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | ||
Link Davis Jr. | 1976–1978 |
|
all AATW releases from Wheelin' and Dealin' (1976) to Served Live (1979) | |
Bill Mabry | fiddle |
| ||
Pat "Taco" Ryan | 1976–1981 |
|
all AATW releases from The Wheel (1977) to Framed (1980) | |
Johnny Nicholas | 1978–1981 |
|
Served Live (1979) (plus Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | |
Fran Christina | drums |
| ||
Spencer Starnes |
|
bass |
| |
Dean DeMerritt | 1979–1981 | Framed (1980) | ||
Maryann Price | 1980–1982 | lead and backing vocals |
| |
Bobby Black | 1980–1981 | pedal steel guitar | Framed (1980) (plus Asleep at the Wheel (1974) as a guest) | |
Brenda Burns | lead and backing vocals | none – live performances only | ||
Falkner Evans | 1981–1985 |
|
Pasture Prime (1985) | |
Paul Anastasio | 1981–1984 | fiddle | ||
Billy Estes | 1981 | drums | Framed (1980) | |
Dan Tyack | pedal steel guitar | none – live performances only | ||
Michael Francis | 1981–2001 |
|
| |
Wally Murphy | 1981–1985 | pedal steel guitar | Pasture Prime (1985) (plus Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | |
Jann Browne | 1981–1983 | lead and backing vocals | none – live performances only | |
Steve Schwelling | 1981–1982 | drums | Pasture Prime (1985) | |
Tom Anastasio | 1982–1986 | bass |
| |
Roy McCrory | 1982 | drums | none – live performances only | |
Richard Hormachea | 1982–1985 | Pasture Prime (1985) (plus Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | ||
Wes Starr |
|
Asleep at The Wheel (1985) | ||
Billy Cochran | 1984–1985 | fiddle | none – live performances only | |
"Professor" Tim Alexander |
|
|
| |
Larry Franklin | 1985–1991 |
|
| |
Mike Grammar | 1985–1986 | drums | Pasture Prime (1985) | |
Jamieson "Junior" Brown | lap steel guitar | |||
David Sanger |
|
|
all AATW releases from 10 (1987) onwards (except Wide Awake! Live in Oklahoma and Live at Ebbets Field 1973) | |
John Ely | 1986–1992 | steel guitars | all AATW releases from 10 (1987) to Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys (1993) (plus Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | |
David Dawson | 1986–1988 | bass | 10 (1987) | |
Jon Mitchell | 1988–1992 |
|
| |
Ricky Turpin | 1991–1994 |
|
| |
David Earl Miller | 1992–2017 |
|
all AATW releases from Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys (1993) to Lone Star Christmas Night (2016) (except Wide Awake! Live in Oklahoma and Live at Ebbets Field 1973; plus Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | |
Cindy Cashdollar |
|
steel and slide guitars | all AATW releases from Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys (1993) to Hang Up My Spurs (2002) (plus Live at Billy Bob's Texas (2003), Live from Austin, TX (2006) and Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | |
Tommy Beavers | 1992–1995 | drums | Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys (1993) | |
Barbara Lamb | 1994–1995 | fiddle | The Wheel Keeps on Rollin' (1995) | |
Monty Gaylord | 1995–1996 | none – live performances only | ||
Jason Roberts | 1996–2014 |
|
all AATW releases from Back to the Future Now: Live at Arizona Charlie's, Las Vegas (1997) to Remembers the Alamo (2003) (except Wide Awake! Live in Oklahoma), and from The Best of Asleep at the Wheel on the Road (2006) to Still the King (2015) (plus Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | |
Chris Booher | 1996–2000 |
|
| |
Rosie Flores | 1997 (touring) |
|
none – live performances only | |
John Michael Whitby | 2000–2007 |
|
| |
Jim Murphy | 2001–2004 |
|
| |
Haydn Vitera | 2003–2005 |
|
| |
Eddie Rivers | 2004–2019 |
|
all AATW releases from The Best of Asleep at the Wheel on the Road (2006) to New Routes (2018) (plus Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | |
Elizabeth McQueen | 2005–2014 |
|
all AATW releases from The Best of Asleep at the Wheel on the Road (2006) to Still the King (2015) (plus Half a Hundred Years (2021) as a guest) | |
Walt Roberts | 2006–2007 |
|
none – live performances only | |
Dan Walton | 2009–2014 | piano |
| |
Jay Reynolds | 2014–2019 |
|
| |
Emily Gimble | 2014–2016 |
|
| |
Chloe Feoranzo | 2019 (touring) |
|
Better Times (2021) |
Period | Members | Releases |
---|---|---|
January – spring 1970 |
|
none – live performances only |
Spring – fall 1970 |
| |
Fall 1970 – spring 1971 |
| |
Spring – August 1971 |
| |
August 1971 – early 1972 |
| |
Early 1972 – February 1974 |
|
|
Spring 1974 – spring 1975 |
|
|
Spring 1975 – early 1976 |
|
|
Early – August 1976 |
|
|
August 1976 – September 1978 |
|
|
September – December 1978 |
|
none – live performances only |
December 1978 – spring 1979 |
|
|
Spring 1979 – early 1980 |
|
none – live performances only |
Early – late 1980 |
|
|
Early – late 1980 |
|
none – live performances only |
Spring – summer 1981 |
| |
Summer – late 1981 |
| |
Late 1981 – summer 1982 |
|
|
Summer – fall 1982 |
|
none – live performances only |
Fall 1982 – 1983 |
| |
1983 – early 1984 |
|
|
Early 1984 – early 1985 |
|
none – live performances only |
1985–1986 |
|
|
1986 – summer 1988 |
|
|
Summer 1988 – early 1991 |
|
|
Early 1991 – mid-1992 |
|
|
Mid – late 1992 |
|
|
Late 1992 – summer 1994 |
|
|
Summer 1994 – early 1995 |
|
none – live performances only |
Early – late 1995 |
|
|
Late 1995 – 1996 |
|
none – live performances only |
1996 – April 1997 |
|
|
April – late 1997 |
|
|
Late 1997 – spring 2000 |
|
|
Spring 2000 – summer 2001 |
|
|
Summer – late 2001 |
|
none – live performances only |
Late 2001 – early 2003 |
|
|
Early 2003 – May 2004 |
|
|
June 2004 – spring 2005 |
|
none – live performances only |
Spring 2005 – early 2006 |
| |
Early – late 2006 |
|
|
Late 2006 – early 2007 |
|
none – live performances only |
Early 2007 – summer 2009 |
|
|
Summer 2009 – January 2014 |
|
|
January – spring 2014 |
|
none – live performances only |
Summer 2014 – January 2016 |
|
|
January – April 2016 |
|
|
April 2016 – summer 2017 |
|
none – live performances only |
Summer 2017 – June 2019 |
|
|
June – September 2019 |
|
none – live performances only |
September 2019 – fall 2020 |
| |
Fall 2020 – May 2021 |
|
|
May 2021 – present |
|
|
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