Asleep At The Wheel

"With Special Guest from Boston, The Duke Levine Band"

Wednesday, November 14 at 8pm

Preferred Seating: $37.50; Reserved Seats: $27.50 (prices include $1.50 restoration fee)

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/06/sunday/main2764783.shtml

http://www.asleepatthewheel.com/

Check out the Boston Globe's concert preview and interview with Ray Benson:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/11/08/this_countrys_got_that_swing/

Thanks!

With their latest CD entitled, “Reinventing the Wheel,” one might ask, can a wheel reinvent itself while still rolling? Sounds like an impossible task—but you never want to say “impossible” to Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel, the famed western-swing, boogie, and roots-music outfit that is, amazingly, still on the upswing.  That’s saying something, too, considering the group’s been around for more than 37 years, turning out an incredible three dozen albums while playing an unrelenting schedule of one-niters that would make a vaudevillian dizzy—including one that will swing through the Boston area at the historic Regent Theatre.

Asleep at the Wheel has boldly defied the fickle lures of the mainstream by sticking to its noble cause of keeping that distinctly American of art forms, western swing, alive and kicking.  Along the way, they've entertained thousands and won praise and admiration from everyone from Willie Nelson to Bob Dylan, George Strait to Van Morrison, and Rod Stewart to Ryan Adams.

Asleep at the Wheel is not just your typical dance band, they are an institution: an ever-shifting lineup (over 80 members to date) of like-minded musicians united under Benson's crusade to carry the torch of big band Western Swing music into the 21st Century. If you want to hear what Texas sounds like, all you need to do is pop in an Asleep at the Wheel CD or attend a live concert.
 
 "This is improvisational music, which I think is the whole ball of wax, because that's where the rubber really meets the road—and it's why we play it," says Benson. "I've been told that I'm relentless, so I guess I am," he says. "Every time that I figured I was going to quit, we'd have a wonderful, incredible show where the people were so appreciative that we were doing this music that it's like, 'Well, hell—this beats working, so why not keep doing it?' Honestly, I would like to see this go on forever. If I'm not here, I think there are some capable hands being developed right now. Western swing ain't going away."

Their importance in today’s music cannot be understated as they have continued to carry the torch of western swing and pack venues across the globe.

Duke Levine is a guitarist’s guitarist if there ever was one.  With his sidekick and foil at stage right, Kevin Barry—whose fiery fretwork on guitar and lap steel is as dazzling as Duke’s—and the crack, veteran rhythm section of Mike Rivard on upright bass, and Per Hanson on drums, the Duke Levine Band has been turning heads and dropping jaws all over New England.  Levine has performed and/or recorded with Peter Wolf, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Aimee Mann, Otis Rush, Lucy Kaplansky, Jennifer Kimball, Jimmy Ryan, Dennis Brennan, Kenny White, Shawn Colvin, Kathy Mattea, Graham Parker, Del Fuegos, Carol Noonan, David Johnston, Ellis Paul, and many others.  Soundtrack credits include Lone Star, Passion Fish, Opposite of Sex, Limbo, Music of the Heart, Prefontaine, Troublesome Creek, and A Walk on the Moon.  Levine has three albums out in his own name (with a fourth on its way), which showcase many of his original compositions and demonstrate his talents on guitar, mandola, omnichord, lap steel, dobro, and bass.  Currently, he is a popular fixture on the Boston club circuit performing with his own band, Dennis Brennan, Iodine Brothers, and many others.

History and Timeline

1970        Band forms in Paw Paw, West Virginia, Play first "big show" opening for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna.

1971        Band moves to California at the invitation of Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen.  Van Morrison helps the band to get   first record deal by mentioning them in an interview in Rolling Stone.

1973        Debut album Comin’ Right At Ya released by United Artists.  At invitation of Willie Nelson and Doug Sahm, band moves to Austin, Texas.

1974        “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” from their second album Asleep at the Wheel is their first chart single.

1975        The release of Texas Gold on Capitol Records elevates the band to one of the most popular country acts of the decade, with “The Letter That Johnny Walker Read” becoming a top-ten Country hit.  Band appears on the first regularly scheduled “Austin City Limits” (and have appeared ten times since).

1977        Voted Best Country & Western Band by Rolling Stone.  Awarded “Touring Band of the Year” by Academy of Country Music. Tours Europe with Emmylou Harris.

1978        Wins their sixth Grammy™ nomination, for the country instrumental “One O’clock Jump,” setting in motion eight more Grammy™ awards since.  Band appears in the film Roadie with Meatloaf, Blondie and Art Carney.

1979        Their first live album Served Live is recorded at the Austin Opera House.

1987        The album 10 scores big with the Grammy™-winning single “String of Pars.”

1991        Ray directs the music and co-stars in the film Wild Texas Wind with Dolly Parton and Gary Busey

1992        Band featured on Route 66 Tour (66th Anniversary of Route 66).

1993        Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills for Liberty Records, including guest artists Garth Brooks, George Strait and Vince Gill among many others, is an instant hit, earning two Grammys™ and a live performance on the Country Music Awards telecast with Lyle Lovett.

1997        Old Silver Eagle tour bus with over 3 million miles is retired.

1999        Ride With Bob CD is released by Dreamworks and includes guest performances by the Dixie Chicks, Dwight Yoakam, Willie Nelson, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Manhattan Transfer and others. The ensuing long form documentary The Making of Ride with Bob earns a regional Emmy Award. The album wins two Grammy™ Awards.

2000        Tour with Bob Dylan. George Strait Stadium Tours begin (2000-2001).

2002        Benson hosts the CMT special Stars Over Texas in Austin, going toe to toe with Dolly Parton and Vince Gill.

2003        Benson releases his first solo record Beyond Time while at the same time managing to make two records with

the band (Live at Billy Bob’s Texas and Asleep at the Wheel Remembers the Alamo).

2004        Benson is named the official 2004 Texas State Musician.  Asleep at the Wheel launches its Pops program in performances with Austin and Dallas Symphonies (and has since performed it regularly around the country).

2005        “A Ride With Bob: The Bob Wills Musical,” co-written by Ray Benson and starring Benson and members of Asleep at the Wheel, debuts in Austin to coincide with Wills’ 100th birthday. Performances in four other cities sell out and gain critical acclaim.

2006        “A Ride With Bob” sells out the Kennedy Center, with President and First Lady attending. Asleep at the Wheel inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame

2007        Band releases “Reinventing the Wheel,” their first feature CD in several years.  CBS News Sunday Morning features Asleep at the Wheel on Benson’s 56th birthday: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/06/sunday/main2764783.shtml.  Asleep at the Wheel is band for “Last of the Breed” Tour, featuring Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price.  Austin Music Awards: Best Band, Best Country Band, Best Acoustic Guitar, Best Male Vocals, Best Record Producer, and Best Songwriter.

Duke Levine Band is:
Duke Levine, Guitars; Kevin Barry, Guitar & Lapsteel; Mike Rivard, acoustic bass; Per Hanson, drums.

A much in demand session and touring guitarist, Duke has performed and/or recorded with Peter Wolf, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Aimee Mann, Otis Rush, Lucy Kaplansky, Jennifer Kimball, Jimmy Ryan, Dennis Brennan, Kenny White, Shawn Colvin, Kathy Mattea, Graham Parker, Del Fuegos, Carol Noonan, David Johnston, Ellis Paul, and others.

Soundtrack credits include Lone Star, Passion Fish, Opposite of Sex, Limbo, Music of the Heart, Prefontaine, Troublesome Creek, and A Walk on the Moon. In addition, Duke has three albums out in his own name on Daring Records, which showcase many of his original compositions and demonstrate his talents on guitar, mandola, omnichord, lap steel, dobro, and bass. Currently, he is a popular fixture on the Boston club circuit performing with the Dennis Brennan Band, Iodine Brothers, The Duke Levine Band, and many others.

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