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Bob Wills is the undisputed 'King of Western Swing.' Whether he was the originator, the best fiddler, the best arranger, or whatever is an ongoing discussion among die-hard fans of the man and the genre. But Bob Wills put the big beat in country music and thus is long overdue in Bear Family's up-tempo hillbilly series 'Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight.' This carefully compiled selection spans Bob Wills' career from 1939 until 1963 and picks material from his stints with Vocalion/Columbia and Kapp, Master, MGM, + Liberty. Among the highlights of the CD are several classics: the old blues Keep Knocking But You Can't Come In, which Wills had initially played with his erstwhile partner, the legendary Milton Brown, in the Fort Worth Doughboys; country writer Cindy Walker's gem Don't Be Afraid of Your Age; and the influential Twin Guitar Special. Outstanding, however, is the tasteful compilation of Bob Wills's up-tempo dancefloor smashes - he was renowned for operating the best dance orchestra in the South-West, some say in the entire USA (but we leave that to the already mentioned die-hard fans and experts). Many of the (almost) career-spanning swing smashes may seem unfamiliar to those who have missed out on Bear Family's box sets of the man. Many featured string band sizzlers from various labels and periods have never been arrayed in that way. Bob Wills mostly stuck to his tried-and-true formula. Still, this CD features concessions to trends such as hillbilly boogie and rockabilly, as well as picking on themes of contemporary pop lore, like spreading gossip about 'Jolie Blonde.' The CD is a must for dancing and will make you smile. It proves once again that Bob Wills could catch his charisma and his band's fire on a platter and serve a tasty stew of various ethnic ingredients of American music, delivered with the bouncing beats of hot jazz and bawdy blues. Grab your partner and get to it. It will have you holler out "Ah-Haah" in no time. Guaranteed!

Track Listing

Sales Points

• 1-CD (Digipak) with 36 page booklet, 30 tracks. Total playing time approx. 79 min.