Bob Wills Day

 April 27, 2013

For years I've wanted to go to Bob Wills Day on the last Saturday in April in Turkey, Texas.  An annual weekend party celebrating the life and music of Bob Wills in his home town for the past 40 years, the event is probably the premier one in the world of western swing.  But I had never managed to attend, trouble being that Turkey is a 5 hour drive away and kids are in school, lots of driving for a short weekend.  Being retired, I had to grab the opportunity this time.  I drove to Turkey Thursday, April 25, and camped at Caprock Canyon State park, about 15 minutes northwest just outside of Quitaque, the plan being that the family would come and join me Friday afternoon.  Caprock Canyons is spectacular country, in many ways similar to Palo Duro Canyon an hour and a half northwest up the Red River, with scenery equaling, and in many cases arguably surpassing, that of Palo Duro Canyon.  I'm guessing that Bob Wills in his youth rode out to this country from his family ranch near Turkey, though I've never read anything that indicated so one way or other and I don't know of any of his tunes that were particularly inspired by this beauty.

Friday morning I went on a drive partly looking for where I could get a propane bottle filled, which I found in Silverton, west of Quitaque, and partly to look at the Red River Valley and the lower part of the Palo Duro Canyon southeast of the State Park.  The announcement had just come out that George Jones had died and I had the Willie's Roadhouse station on Sirius XM tuned in as it ran a tribute and remembrance show all day.  Ray Price, Brenda Lee, and many others called into the show to share stories and praise for the influence he had had on their lives and music.  George Jones was remembered at the Bob Wills Day events also, as was recently deceased Glen Duncan, long time Texas Playboy and brother of Tommy Duncan, Texas Playboy lead singer.

I went into Turkey a couple times on Friday to catch what was going on.  When I walked into the Bob Wills museum mid day, Jason Roberts, the fiddler for Asleep at the Wheel, was standing there talking to someone. I got to talk with him for a few minutes, then he joined Billy Mata's band for a performance there inside the museum. Billy Mata also played at the dance in the old Turkey high school gym Friday night.  There were some amazing dancers on the dance floor, some from as far away as Japan and England.

Saturday morning was the big Bob Wills Day parade and the highlight of the parade was the Texas Playboys and friends float.  In past event the float had been full of original Texas Playboys, but this time it was Leon Rausch carrying that distinction, joined by other western swing dignitaries including Billy Mata and Jason Roberts.

The big concert occurred Saturday afternoon at the Turkey football field, hosted by Bob Wills' biographer, Dr. Charles Townsend, and featuring the celebrated western swing musicians that had ridden in the parade.  The dance Saturday night was hosted by the Jody Nix band.  One of the highlights of Main Street in Turkey is an old Bob Wills tour bus parked by the road.