WILLS, BOB
(1905–1975)
WILLS, BOB (b. Kosse, Tex., March 6, 1905–May 13, 1975) Wills was the father of modern WESTERN SWING, a hybrid music that combined old-time country fiddling and songs with jazz, blues, boogie-woogie, and even Mexican-American sounds to form a musical dialect that is still strongly identifiable. Although only a moderately talented musician, Wills single-handedly shaped the most important band in this style, The Texas Playboys , and his characteristic Ah-ha interjections and introduction of the…