What the heck is Western Swing?

What is Western Swing?

Western Swing music is a division of the American phenomenon called jazz. Many elements of musical roots are combined to form Western Swing Music including blues, Dixieland, ragtime, big band, country, pop and breakdowns.

Jazz music is typically defined by its improvisation. This means the featured instrumentalist delivers a continual reinterpretation of the melody being presented. Western Swing Music relies also on improvisation. Therefore, Western Swing Music is a form of jazz with heavy accent on the beat and its dance ability.

Western Swing Music is truly an American - Texas- Oklahoma developed art form. Bob Wills and Milton Brown can be credited with its beginnings back in the 1920's and 30's. Western Swing Promotions, with Legends of Western Music Swing Festival, has as its goal, the continuation and

promulgation of this wonderful music for the love of the music, musicians and fans.

*reprint from legends of western swing (http://www.westernswingfest.nstar.net/)

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Western Swing
Western Swing is a highly eclectic early form of Country music. It took traditional string bands and incorporated a Jazzy Big Band sound and elements of ‘30s popular music such as show tunes.

Tex Williams and Milton Brown were prominent practitioners of this enduring genre, but Texan Bob Wills is its undisputed figurehead. Recently, bands such as Asleep at the Wheel and Accident Clearinghouse have spearheaded a Western Swing revival.

* reprint from http://www.audiogalaxy.com/list/index.php?&styleID=110

Country Western Dancing

West Coast Swing dancing for many years was called Western Swing in certain parts of the country and Country Western dancing was called Country Western Swing. As both dances started to increase in popularity several years ago, it seems the "powers that be" straightened out the terminology.

Country Western dancing was originally partner style dances like the Schottische and Cotton Eyed Joe with very little lead and follow. It did not have a highly stylized form and you didn't have to be in closed position.

During the 1930's, Bob Wills' Band developed different instrumentation than the popular Swing Bands, using mandolins and fiddles. His fiddle style of music became the backbone of Country Western dancing, and people would dance simple couple dances, two-steps and Lindy Hop, with a few country turns in between. Their styling included many arm movements, which was influenced from the Latin American dances that came through Mexico and into the Southwest. Country Western dancing is a -count pattern using single, double and triple rhythms traveling in a circle. There is an offshoot called Cowboy Swing which is a 4-count reminiscent of the Hustle of the70's and '80's.

In the late 1970's, Country Western dancing started to make a change, adapting a West Coast style of Swing into the two-step with a quick-quick, slow-slow rhythm. When the movie Urban Cowboy came out in 1981, starring John Travolta, Country Western music and dancing spread like wildfire throughout the country.

Ballrooms, barrooms, basements and school gymnasiums across America started teaching the dance and people who never danced before caught the fever. Country Western music has grown ever since in popularity because artists like Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks had top hits on both the pop and country charts.

The basis for change in the dancing has been competition. Major Country Western events include contests in several divisions in dances, such as Two-Step, Waltz, Cha Cha, and West Coast Swing. Their West Coast Swing reflects a lot of Country Western styling, but we're starting to see less difference between their West Coast Swing and the hardcore West Coast Swing dancers.

*reprint from http://syrswingdance.org/swing.html

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Click photo to watch Bob Wills
inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame

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History of Western Swing

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Western Swing Roots

 

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Milton Brown book Bob Wills May Be More Famous 

But Milton Brown Created Western Swing

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Other informative links explaining western swing:

http://nfo.net/usa/weswing.html

http://www.benoconnor.com/countryroots/westernswing.html

 

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Swing music in "another manner"

 

Roy Queen with guitar at KWRE

 

Jimmy's Dad Roy Queen 

"The Grandaddy of Country Music!"

Brought Western Swing to Missouri!

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Pappy" Wade Ray (Check out both links!)Photo of Wade Ray Band

 

Cindy Walker(Check both links!)