Texas Music Front and Center as Asleep at the Wheel Comes to Crockett Friday
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – When Asleep at the Wheel takes the stage at the historic Ritz Theatre on Friday, Nov. 21, it won’t just be another tour stop. For founder Ray Benson — now 55 years into leading one of America’s most enduring bands — returning to Crockett means connecting once again with a slice of Texas history that inspired him from the very beginning.
“I’ve lived in Texas for 50 years, so I know a lot about Texas,” Benson said in an interview with The Messenger. “Crockett’s been there a long time, and it’s got so much history. And of course it’s got a statue of Lightning Hopkins, who’s one of my heroes. I used to get to see him play.”
It’s that sense of continuity — the lineage of Texas music handed down from generation to generation — that Benson has spent decades preserving. Formed in 1970, Asleep at the Wheel became the modern torchbearer for Western swing, the lively, improvisational, fiddle-driven style popularized by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys.
And Benson’s band has done far more than simply keep the old songs alive. Over the years, more than 100 musicians have come through the Wheel, adding new voices and interpretations while keeping the music rooted in tradition. The band has earned ten Grammy Awards, collaborated with legends including Willie Nelson and George Strait, and produced more than 30 albums — all while racking up millions of miles on the road.
“I’m the reason it’s still together,” Benson said, “but the reason it’s popular is because we’ve had the greatest singers and players. When someone joins the band, I say, ‘Learn everything that’s ever been done, then put your own stamp on it.’ I love seeing how they interpret what we do.”
Their most recent work continues that spirit. Asleep at the Wheel’s latest album, Riding High in Texas, released in June, spans the energy of the band’s earliest days to their most recent explorations. Their 50th-anniversary album, Half A Hundred Years, featured the return of three original members along with guests like Emmylou Harris, Lee Ann Womack, Lyle Lovett, and Willie Nelson.
The band’s Crockett performance is presented by the Piney Woods Fine Arts Association (PWFAA) as part of its annual concert series. PWFAA has brought world-class performers to Crockett for decades, and Asleep at the Wheel’s return continues that tradition.
Benson said that although the music has stayed true to its roots, the industry around it has changed beyond recognition.
“When I came into the realm, we had 45 RPM records and LPs,” he said. “Then cassettes, 8-tracks, CDs — and now streaming. The delivery system is totally different. The technologies are light-years ahead of what we used to have.”
But the democratization of recorded music, he added, is a beautiful thing.
“Now a kid getting into music today can study 10 different decades of music just by picking up a phone,” Benson said. “When we started the band in ’69, we had to go into attics to find 78 RPM records. It was a treasure hunt.”
Even as artificial intelligence creeps into the music world, Benson said he believes real musicianship will only grow in value.
“There will always be room for AI-generated music,” he said, “but I think it’ll put a premium on going live to see a real person play real music.”
One of those real musicians is the Wheel’s young fiddle player and vocalist, Ian Stewart, now 32, who Benson says has “a long musical life ahead of him.”
The current touring show showcases that blend of old and new — a cross-section of the band’s entire 50-year journey.
“When you come to see us, you’re going to hear everything from my very first record in 1973 to the current record,” Benson said. “You’ll see a whole range of what we’ve been doing for the last 50 years.”
The upcoming Crockett concert will be the band’s third performance in the community over their long career, and Benson said the familiarity makes the return feel special.
“I’ve been to Crockett many times,” he said. “We’ve played there twice before over the last 50 years. It’s a great Texas town.”
Tickets for the Nov. 21 show are $45 and $35. For tickets and more information, contact PWFAA at www.pwfaa.org or call (936) 544-4276.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
