Published: July 30, 2009 07:47 pm      

Asleep at the Wheel returns

Famous band in Berkeley Springs Aug. 27

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — The nine-time Grammy-award winning Texas swing band, Asleep at the Wheel, is performing at the Star Theatre in Berkeley Springs on Aug. 27 at 8 p.m.

The concert is produced by the Morgan Arts Council as part of Back To Our Roots, a yearlong celebration of roots arts and music.

“Asleep at the Wheel is considered a roots music band because of their efforts to keep the western swing music of Bob Wills alive,” said Mary Hott, executive director of the arts council. “The incredible bonus for us is that they got their start in my hometown of Paw Paw in western Morgan County.”

Over the last 39 years, since founder and frontman Ray Benson turned his size 16 cowboy boots out of Paw Paw and to California and eventually Texas, Asleep at the Wheel has never yielded to the lure of changing their music or their style.

Willie Nelson invited the group to move to Austin in 1973 and they performed on the first regular show of the now-legendary live television program, Austin City Limits. Rolling Stone voted them the best country and western band in 1977 and they toured Europe with Emmylou Harris. Other touring partners over the years have included Nelson, Bob Dylan and Merle Haggard.

Although Benson, with his recognizable baritone, has always been the frontman, he sees Asleep as a revue style band of fine musicians. In its 40-year history, Asleep has accumulated more than 80 members. The current lineup includes Benson on guitar, Jason Roberts joining Benson for vocals and playing fiddle, Elizabeth McQueen doing vocals and guitar, Dan Walton on piano, David Miller on bass and vocals, Eddie Rivers on steel guitar and sax and David Sanger on drums.

“One of the big questions in staging this concert was who would open for Asleep at the Wheel,” said Jeanne Mozier, owner of the Star and a member of the MAC board. “I had just seen a 1976 newspaper that had pictures of Tari Hampe and Mary Hott as teen competitors in the annual Morgan County Miss Conservation talent contest.” Since then both Hott and Hampe had longtime careers as professional musicians. Mozier decided they were the perfect ones to open.

“They’re true representatives of local roots,” she said. The women agreed, drew in Critton Hollow String Band fiddler, Joe Herrmann and Tonoloway Ramblers banjo and guitar player Jeff Chestnut, and a supergroup was formed.

“They’ll be like those rare flowers that bloom only once. They exist only to open for Asleep at the Wheel. They don’t even have a name,” said Mozier. “It makes this concert even more of a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

General seating tickets are still available by calling (304) 258-2300 or at the Ice House in Berkeley Springs.

For more information, check www.macicehouse.org.