Wills, Bob

Wills, Bob

 orig. James Robert Wills

(born March 6, 1905, near Kosse, Texas, U.S.—died May 13, 1975, Fort Worth, Texas) U.S. country music fiddler, singer, and songwriter. Wills learned fiddle from his father. In Tulsa, Okla., in 1934 he formed the Texas Playboys; their radio performances made him a star in the Southwest, and in 1942 the group moved to California, performing in dance halls and films. They pioneered the “western swing” genre, which blended traditional hoedown fiddling with big-band swing and blues. Wills's best-known compositions include “San Antonio Rose” and “Panhandle Rag.”

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Wills, (James Robert) Bob (1905–75) country music fiddler, singer, bandleader, songwriter; born in Kosse, Texas. He played in bands in the late-1920s. In 1934 he formed the Texas Playboys, a band popular in the Southwest, before moving to California in 1942 to perform in movies and dance halls. Although he was a traditional hoedown fiddler, his band helped popularize western swing in the 1950s and 1960s with an eclectic repertory of country, jazz, blues, and pop. His own best-known compositions include "Faded Love," "Maiden's Prayer," and "San Antonio Rose."