This country's got that swing!

Asleep at the Wheel plays a different strain.

Many New Englanders share a common bond over country western music: They don't like it.

Some even go so far to describe their musical tastes as "anything but country." But those who say this almost certainly have never attended a performance by Asleep at the Wheel, which will try to blow the dust off country western's bad rap next Wednesday at the Regent Theatre in Arlington.

"More and more people tell me they didn't like country music until they heard us play," said Ray Benson, lead guitarist, lead vocalist, and founding member of the group, based in Austin, Texas. "Mainstream radio offers such a narrow slice of country western music, but there's so much variety out there."

Not that Benson begrudges mainstream country music; he simply believes there is room for other genres to shine.

"I like all kinds of good music," said Benson, who has been crusading for 37 years to preserve a brand of country western music known as western swing. "Making gross generalizations is a waste of time. I always say there are two types of music; good music and bad music, and bad music isn't music."

As a Western swing band, Asleep at the Wheel allows Benson to explore the possibilities of music in its many forms. Driven by legendary musician Bob Wills in the 1930s, western swing is indeed country music, but also combines several styles of jazz, blues, and pop.

The sound is characterized by a highly eclectic mix of traditional stringed instruments and up-tempo big-band elements. From this combination arises a vast musical landscape, whose boundless horizons express the modern American vision, while at the same time suggesting a reverence for tradition.

Benson can relate, which explains why in 1970 he put his musical effort toward maintaining western swing, which had essentially fallen off the radar.

"I wanted to revive this sound because it's so uniquely American. Western swing blends different parts of our musical heritage to create its own version of Americana," he said. "And the best part is people still love it."

Benson has gained much recognition for his vivid interpretations of the traditional western swing repertoire. Asleep at the Wheel has won nine Grammy Awards and has shared the stage with Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, George Strait, and other country and folk greats. Benson played backup guitar at the 2007 Grammys during Carrie Underwood's performance.

This grabbed the attention of the Regent Theater, which booked the band "not only for their top-notch Grammy Award-winning appeal, but because this music is rarely heard in the area, let alone in theater setting," said Leland Stein, the Regent's director of marketing and promotion. The upbeat music represents a passion that Stein believes will be contagious to a wide demographic in the area.

"Here's a band that's been playing for over three decades in a style that never goes out of date. We weren't targeting country music fans per se. This band can't be pigeonholed as a country band or even a western swing band. Anyone that enjoys a great show with wild lyrics and talented musicians will enjoy this performance," said Stein.

In nearly four decades, about 90 performers have been part of the band's lineup at one time or another.

"My drummer, Dave [Sanger], has been with me for 21 years, my bass player, David [Earl Miller], has been with me for 16 years, and my fiddler, Jason [Roberts], has been with me for 16 years," said Benson. "I think we'll keep playing until people stop coming to see us."

Benson is excited about starring in the musical "A Ride with Bob," with Benson as himself encountering the ghost of his greatest hero, Bob Wills, and other legendary entertainers. "These are all the conversations I have never had with Bob," he said.

The band has played in Boston and Cambridge several times over the years and noticed one crucial difference between audiences here and in other parts of the country: dancing, or lack thereof.

"People in New England don't dance nearly as much as people in Texas, Louisiana, or California," Benson said. "There's just not as much of a tradition of dancing in the East, which is fine as long as people get a good feeling and leave smiling."