[78-L] books on western swing

[Bill McClung]

The reason Cary was stuck not being able to recommend a good history of
western swing is because there doesn't seem to be any.  Cary's book on
Milton Brown is supurb and in telling Brown's story he reveals the origins
and western swing's early days.

The only other excellent overview of western swing history is the 10-page
introduction to "A Discography of Western Swing and Hot String
Bands1928-1942" by Cary and Kevin Coffey.  I'm hoping Cary and Kevin are
already working on an expanded history.

Solid information about western swing can also be found in cd booklets
particularly when done by Kevin Coffey and Phillip Tricker.  Some examples
are from Wanderers Swing; Texas Dance Hall Music (Krazy Kat 11), Diggin':
Hot, Small Label Texas Swing 1946-1955 (KK 24), Seven Come Eleven: Texas
Swing on Radio & TV, 1946-1964 (KK31), and Leon McAuliffe: Tulsa Straight
Ahead (Bear Family.)

Here's some other books on western swing but none are all that good.  "Jazz
of the Southwest" by Jean Boyd (Univ Texas Press) is oral history without
very much verification through second sources or consulting the historical
record.   "Lone Star Swing" by Duncan McLean (Norton) is more travel log
than history and is not very successful in telling the story he tried to
tell.  "From Bob Wills to Ray Benson" by Tom Dunbar (Term) is a fan's book
full of love for the music but short on historical accuracy.  "My Years with
Bob Wills" by Al Stricklin (Eakin) is a look inside the Wills
family enterprises but it's not an overview of western swing.  That book is
still to be written.