I'm going to spend this Thanksgiving out in West Texas with relatives, and I have a little problem. They always make me play guitar for them. I can usually satisfy them with some Rolling Stones (no pun intended), Beatles, Deep Purple, Lynryd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, SRV and things like that which everyone my parents age and younger usually likes. The older members of the family tolerate it, but they always ask me if I can play any of "that cowboy swing music", which I assume is what the rest of the world calls western swing. My Granddad was a drummer in a professional western swing band back in the '50s. So this year I was thinking that maybe I could learn a Western Swing song to play for them. I think they'd enjoy it and it would be something nice to do for them.

The problem is, I don't even know what song to learn or where to start because despite the fact that I'm supposed to be Texan and all, I've avoided country music as if it were poison. So if someone could explain to me exactly what western swing is, which artists fall into that category, and suggest some songs for me to learn then I'd really appreciate it.

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Website: http://www.rebeccalaird.com
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YouYube is a good place to start. There are even some videos of Mark Knoffler playing Western Swing with Chet Atkins.

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Stagemaster
Roadhouse Strat
Epi Traditional Pro Les Paul
Ovation Celeb
Esteban Celestial Night(nicely tweeked)
Blackheart tube amp

TGS, try Bob Wills on You Tube.Your Grandad will know all that stuff... Hope this helps.. Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

Listen to Ray Benson (Asleep at the Wheel) and Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers for starters.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

I'll second Bob Wills. Here's how to combine the Stones & Bob:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xECNrYxRUA

Doug -

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"I don't trust nobody, not even myself" - Willie Dixon

Rosanne Cash has a new cd titled The List. Give it a listen.

Enjoy,
John.E

Brad Paisley's "Make a Mistake" Fits the bill

See if you can find some Asleep at the Wheel. They do a lot of Bob Wills type stuff.

I see Mike beat me to it!