MUSICIAN

Bob Wills

1905 - 1975

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Icon of person Bob Wills

James Robert "Bob" Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975) was an American musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the founder of Western swing, he was known widely as the King of Western Swing (although Spade Cooley self-promoted the moniker "King of Western Swing" from 1942 to 1969). He was also noted for punctuating his music with his trademark "ah-haa" calls. Wills formed several bands and played radio stations around the South and West until he formed the Texas Playboys in 1934 with Wills on fiddle, Tommy Duncan on piano and vocals, rhythm guitarist June Whalin, tenor banjoist Johnnie Lee Wills, and Kermit Whalin who played steel guitar and bass. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in 18 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 17 in 2024). Bob Wills is the 2,482nd most popular musician (down from 2,380th in 2024), the 13,642nd most popular biography from United States (down from 12,835th in 2019) and the 1,021st most popular American Musician.

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Among MUSICIANS

Among musicians, Bob Wills ranks 2,482 out of 3,175. Before him are Offer Nissim, Aaron Burckhard, Thomas Gabriel Fischer, Randy Jackson, DJ Sammy, and Bobby Hackett. After him are Nocturno Culto, John Rutsey, Lustmord, Glen Benton, Sandy West, and Brent Hinds.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1905, Bob Wills ranks 401. Before him are Lionel Trilling, Thomas Gomez, Frank Faylen, Stanley Kunitz, Agnes de Mille, and Natalie Kingston. After him are Fela Sowande, William Alwyn, Oveta Culp Hobby, Jack London, Durga Khote, and William Gargan. Among people deceased in 1975, Bob Wills ranks 270. Before him are Marjorie Main, Larry Parks, Ian Hunter, Lionel Trilling, Robert Strauss, and Percy Lavon Julian. After him is Padmaja Naidu.

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In United States

Among people born in United States, Bob Wills ranks 13,646 out of 20,380. Before him are Diedrich Bader (1966), William G. Dever (1933), Danielle Harris (1977), Chuck Arnold (1926), Shelley Mann (1937), and Bobby Hackett (1915). After him are Robert F. Stockton (1795), Nora Bayes (1880), Marilyn Quayle (1949), Sue Monk Kidd (1948), Lurleen Wallace (1926), and Donte DiVincenzo (1997).

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Among MUSICIANS In United States

Among musicians born in United States, Bob Wills ranks 1,021. Before him are Dave Sabo (1964), Bob Weir (1947), Paul Horn (1930), Aaron Burckhard (1963), Randy Jackson (1956), and Bobby Hackett (1915). After him are Glen Benton (1967), Sandy West (1959), Brent Hinds (1974), Ginger Fish (1965), Kenny Chesney (1968), and Bob Gaudio (1942).

American born Musicians

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