Asleep at the Wheel

Monday October 14, 2024 08:00 PM EDT 10/14/2024 8:00 PM

Cost: $45+

Disclaimer: All prices are current as of the posting date and are subject to change.
Please check the venue or ticket sales site for the current pricing.

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CRITIC’S PICK: Asleep at the Wheel, City Winery—Even founding frontman Ray Benson has probably lost count of how many musicians have passed through his country swing outfit since its 1973 debut recording. But regardless of the players, and even when he veered into some musical side roads, he kept the magic of his Longhorn roots alive. Fifty-plus years later, he’s still at it, recently melding his Texas swing with reggae (!) on a new release, recorded in Jamaica titled Swingin’ and Skankin’ (credited to just Ray Benson, not the full band), which will be featured on this rare Atlanta stop. The seemingly odd musical pairing makes sense when you hear it, especially when he brings ska into the vibe. Wait’ll you experience his Rasta version of Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited.” But you’ll get some of Asleep’s hits too, making this a must see for all displaced Texans who treat Benson like the living legend he is. — Hal Horowitz

From the venue:

City Winery Atlanta presents Asleep At The Wheel on October 14th at 8pm!

For over fifty years, Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel has traversed the globe as an ambassador of Western swing music, introducing its irresistible sound to generation after generation. More than 100 musicians have passed through the Wheel, but Benson remains the frontman and keeper of the vision, racking up more than 30 albums, ten Grammy awards, and literally millions of miles on the road. “I’m the reason it’s still together, but the reason it’s popular is because we’ve had the greatest singers and players,” Benson explains. “When someone joins the band, I say, “˜Learn everything that’s ever been done, then put your own stamp on it.’ I love to hear how they interpret what we do. I’m just a singer and a songwriter, and a pretty good guitar player, but my best talent is convincing people to jump on board and play this music.”

Asleep at the Wheel has collaborated with genre-spanning friends, including Willie Nelson on 2009’s Grammy-nominated “Willie and the Wheel” and other critically acclaimed artists like Brad Paisley, Jamey Johnson, Merle Haggard, George Strait, the Avett Brothers, Amos Lee, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Lyle Lovett on “Still the King,” their 2015 critically acclaimed and Grammy-winning tribute to Bob Wills. On their latest release, “Half A Hundred Years,” Asleep at the Wheel continued their contributions to the American music landscape when three original members””Chris O’Connell, Leroy Preston, and Lucky Oceans””returned after 40 years to lend their voices and musicianship to several tracks on the album, along with Emmylou Harris, Lee Ann Womack, George Strait, Lyle Lovett, and Willie Nelson.

Asleep at the Wheel represents an important cornerstone of American roots music, even though some of its members and audiences represent a new generation. That far-reaching appeal remains a testament to Benson’s initial vision. “It took me 60 years, but I’m doing what I’m meant to do””singing and playing and writing better than I ever have. A bandleader is just someone who gathers people around them to play the best music they can play. I just try and make the best decisions possible and kick some ass every night onstage.”

More information

At City Winery

650 North Ave. N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30308
(404) 946-3791
citywinery.com

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