Asleep At The Wheel

Asleep At The Wheel

Asleep At The Wheel is an American western swing band from Paw Paw, United States, formed in 1969 by Ray Benson and Lucky Oceans (Reuben Gosfield). The group is based in Austin, Texas, and has remained active since its formation.

Career and recordings

The band begins by opening for acts such as Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna in Washington, DC, before moving to East Oakland, California at the invitation of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. After being mentioned in Rolling Stone by Van Morrison, the group signs to United Artists. Its debut album, Comin' Right At Ya, appears in 1973 on United Artists, and in 1974 the band moves to Austin at Willie Nelson’s request.

Across its career, Asleep At The Wheel releases more than twenty studio albums and charts more than twenty singles on the Billboard country charts. Its highest-charting single is “The Letter That Johnny Walker Read,” which reaches No. 10 in 1975.

Awards and recognition

The band wins nine Grammy Awards. It also receives a range of honours connected to Ray Benson and the group, including a Mid-South Regional Emmy Award for the making of A Ride With Bob, recognition from Austin mayor Kirk Watson, and the Darrel K. Royal Music Patron Award from The Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association. In 2007, The Austin Chronicle recognises the band for Band of the Year and Best Country Band and includes it in its Hall of Fame.

Ray Benson is inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 2002, receives The Texas Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996, and is named an Outstanding Producer by the National Academy of Recording Arts in 1988. He also receives multiple Citations of Achievement from Broadcast Music, Inc. for work in country music.

Style and membership

The group is associated with country, folk, and western swing. Members listed with the band include Lucky Oceans, Ray Benson, Johnny Nicholas, Emily Gimble, Tim Alexander, Richard Casanova, Floyd Domino, Michael Francis, Larry Franklin, Danny Levin, Elizabeth McQueen, John Michael Whitby, David Miller, Eddie Rivers, Jason Roberts, David Sanger, Katie Shore, Haydn Vitera, Bobby Black, and Leroy Preston.