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First ever anthology of Dot recordings by the greatest ever western swing steel guitar stylist!
Originator of several classic country instrumentals, all featured here: Steel Guitar Rag, Panhandle Rag and Take It Away Leon!
Classic Fifties recordings in fabulously restored sound!

Leon McAuliffe, the steel guitar-playing Tulsa bandleader, was one of the biggest names in western swing? a star long before he even had his own band. As a member of the legendary Bob Wills' Texas Playboys, he was not only in the best western swing group ever but also in one of the most progressive and blues oriented. Leon McAuliffe carried on in the same vein when he went out on his own.

In 1957, Leon McAuliffe signed to Dot. He stayed just over a year, but those recordings have always carried a legendary mystique and have long been sought after by collectors. Bear Family has gathered all of them in this collection, including two previously unissued sides and many classic tracks that have been unavailable since their original issue. Included are fantastic versions of Leon McAuliffe signature tunes like Steel Guitar Rag, Panhandle Rag, Take It Away Leon, the rocking Johnny Cake Road, the hard driving instrumental classic Honky-Tonk, and jumping swing blues like One O'Clock Jump and Summit Ridge Drive. Plus? of course? western swing standbys like Maiden's Prayer! Beside Leon McAuliffe's own influential and exciting steel guitar work, he's ably joined by legendary musicians like Cecil Brower and Keith Coleman on fiddle, guitarist Billy Dozier, saxophonist Rudy Martin, pianist Pee Wee Calhoun and bassist Teddy Adams. Although the emphasis is on instrumental selections, there are several excellent vocals by Leon McAuliffe himself.

Track Listing