Eddie Rivers & The Wheel

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 31 Oct 2018 7:46 am

I finally got to see Asleep At The Wheel live. They played Renfro Valley last weekend. I've been a big fan of Ray Benson's band since 1974 when I got my first AATW LP.

A multitude of musicians over the years, but he's still keeping it together. Good on him. 8 pcs. in the band this show.

I sat about 10 rows back on Eddie's side and had a pretty good view of Eddie and his big blonde Fender. He played super good as usual and I was excited to get to see him.

Something else I didn't know is that Eddie is a fabulous horn player. He played tenor sax on one of the songs off their new CD titled New Routes.

I couldn't see his amp as my view was obstructed by the monitor and the amp was aimed toward him from the side.

The middle of the stage was full of Telonics amps used by Katie and the young man on the other fiddle and mando.

Great show. I was pumped. Didn't get to stick around for the autograph session as I was with a group and we had a drive back to Lou.

Long live Asleep At The Wheel and Thank you Ray for keeping on keeping on!

I should add the sad and somber as well. Ray announced the passing of Herb Remington which I and apparently many others had not heard. He spoke of his association with Herb and his tremendous influence. Then had Eddie Rivers do a terrific delivery of Remington Ride.

It was great of them to honor Mr. Remington with this tribute.

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 31 Oct 2018 10:38 am

A great post Jerry, Thanks for putting it up with the information. One of the very best shows I have seen was years ago with them and it was awesome. Thanks, J.R.

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 31 Oct 2018 10:42 am

If I may I would like to add that on this night I saw them Ray had one of his legs in a full cast. You never would of know it though, he played and sang great. J.R.

Don R Brown · Post by **Don R Brown** » 31 Oct 2018 6:52 pm

Crap, came right up I-75 Sunday afternoon, did not realize they were there or perhaps we would have modified our schedule.

Dan Mahoney · Post by **Dan Mahoney** » 17 Dec 2018 1:03 pm

I saw the Wheel Saturday night at the Don Gibson Theater in Shelby, NC (kiddy corner to the Earl Scruggs Center). It was their Christmas show, so lots of Christmas lights and wild clothes. I hadn't seen them in person since 1974, with Lucky O still on steel. It was a great show, of course, and Eddie rivers was great on steel and sax, and even channeled Elvis with Blue Christmas.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 18 Dec 2018 6:58 am

Ray has kept AATW going for 48 years. Longer than Bob Wills, Spade Cooley, or any other bandleader kept a working western swing band on the road. Quite an accomplishment for a Jewish hippie from Philadelphia. Think about that one.

Bobby Nelson · Post by **Bobby Nelson** » 20 Dec 2018 12:50 am

I saw them at The Double Door in in the 80s or 90s. They were great but what really got me was fitting that massive band on the DDI's tiny stage haha! - of course, The Roomful Of Blues was no less of a feat on that stage.