Anthony Wall makes a six-stage musical journey, from east to west, across the southern states, meeting at each stop local celebrities who keep the traditional music of their region alive.
5: Bob Wills is still the king of Western swing
A visit to Texas to investigate the origins of a strange hybrid music made by country musicians playing blues and jazz on traditional instruments.
' Bob Wills (left) said we played swing music; it was different from other country music; it was music with a beat. When I came to Bob I was considered a better-than-average jazz player and I said, "What shall I play? ", and he said, " Just what you want - but when I point that fiddle bow at you, you'd better hit it, tear it upl ". So I played just what I played before as jazz; I don't think I played a melody note as long as I played with Bob Wills. '
AL STRICKLIN
Producer DAVID EPPS