ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL TURNS YOUR LIVING ROOM INTO A BALLROOM T

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ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL TURNS YOUR LIVING ROOM INTO A BALLROOM THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!
WESTERN SWING IS STILL THE THING AT AATW’S AT HOME DANCE LIVE FROM STAR HILL RANCH
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With a half century of experience providing the the most swingin' Western Swing music for dancing, Asleep At The Wheel is set to swing the quarantine this Saturday night, July 25. The legendary band, fronted by COVID survivor Ray Benson, is throwing an at home dance party live from the Star Hill Ranch in Austin, TX starting at 7PM/Central. The event is a ticketed livestream virtual dance with AATW performing all of your favorite Western Swing classics.

Ray Benson commented, "We know that dancing is a part of life for our community. Although we're unfortunately unable to gather together in our favorite dance hall or ballroom, we want you to find your dancing partner and boogie along with us virtually.” Ticket bundles include VIP Zoom meet and greets with Ray Benson and AATW co-conspirator Katie Shore as well as discounted rates on Asleep At the Wheel gear and apparel. The show will be available up to 7 days after the performance for on demand streaming.

AATW At Home Dance ticket link: livestream.asleepatthewheel.com

Asleep at the Wheel has earned 10 GRAMMY® Awards, ACM Touring Band of the Year and received the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. A revolving cast of topflight musicians has powered AATW over the past 50 years with the band’s alumni now numbering over 100. These include players who have gone on to work with such notables as Bob Dylan, George Strait, Van Morrison, Lyle Lovett and Merle Haggard. From inception, the band has been modeled and inspired by the eclectic Western Swing format pioneered by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. The band has released three Bob Wills tribute albums, A Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills, Ride with Bob and Still the King. Benson’s authoritative commentary on Wills and Western Swing was a key component of the Ken Burns PBS Country Music series. It’s noteworthy that, as of now, Asleep At The Wheel has actually been active eleven years longer than Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys.

In late March the peripatetic Benson had begun to experience flu-like symptoms that laid him low. Because there were no COVID tests available it was not until early April that he was actually diagnosed as having the virus from which he eventually recovered after several weeks of convalescence. He urges, “Please take this virus seriously! It’s for real. Please follow the safety guidelines out there. If you think or subscribe to those folks whose opinion is that this virus isn’t that big of a deal, please consider otherwise. Please use your voice to demand getting testing out to everyone NOW! Please send your thoughts and prayers out there to all the wonderful people putting their health and their families at risk defending ours. We all know someone or somebody who has lost their life to this virus and we have lots of folks currently fighting the virus and their families need your thoughts and prayers as well."

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Asleep at the Wheel live online, 5 Things to Know

Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel will play a live virtual concert on Saturday, July 25, from Austn, Texas (Photo by Nathan Edge)

Ray Benson contracted Covid-19 early in the pandemic, and he hasn't really let it slow him down.

Since recovering, the Asleep at the Wheel founder has been a presence in the virtual music world, performing and even hosting benefits for causes in his current home town of Austin, Texas. This weekend he's trotting out the full band again -- socially distanced, of course -- for an "At Home Dance Live From Star Hill Ranch" show, promising a selection of Western Swing favorites from Asleep's own catalog and others.

Cut the rug or roll it up -- a good time is certain to be had by all...

• Asleep's virtual show will be a self-contained affair that Benson (nee Seifer), 69, hopes will replicate, and facilitate, a swing dance party for those watching. "We said, 'OK, we'll do it outdoors,' and we figured people can dance at home 'cause you can't go out and dance at a dance hall or anywhere. If you're home you can dance with whoever's there, whether it's one person or a group of people you're comfortable with. So we said, 'Let's do it,' then, 'OK, how do you do that?'" (laughs) Luckily we have our own video and audio set-up; Both of my sons are pitching in, so I think it'll be fine."

• Benson battled Covid-19 during March and April -- "I lost 35 pounds, which is the silver lining, even though I wasn't really intending to do that" -- and he's become an advocate for measures such as wearing masks and social distancing to combat the pandemic. "It's really disheartening, the way some of the country's reacting. I saw something on TV about people burning masks. What?! We just need more information, and the stop-gap is, yeah, we've got to do all these things you don't want to to -- put a mask on, wash your hands, stay away from people -- until they find out more. That's the only defense we have."

• Benson says Asleep had "big plans" this year to celebrate the group's 50th anniversary, including a March concert in Austin with past band members. It was also working on a new album with producer Buddy Miller. "What we decided is that you have to complete the 50th year, so we're saying, 'OK, 2021.' (laughs) Hopefully we'll be able to do the same things we wanted to do in 2020 in 2021."

• Asleep's most recent album, "New Routes," came out during 2018 and introduced some new members to the lineup. Benson says he always enjoys the opportunity to show off "a new Asleep at the Wheel. I liken it to Mick Fleetwood; Every so often he puts a new Fleetwood Mac together. Same with Asleep at the Wheel -- new folks with new ideas, all within the realm of what Asleep at the Wheel is. There's a lot of new energy in the band right now, so it feels like we're starting another really good new era."

• Regardless of who's in the band, however, Benson says the mission stays the same. " The idea has always been to be an eclectic Americana band before Americana meant what it means now. We just want to do this wide variety of stuff with a band that can handle it, get the greatest players and great singers to explore the whole analogy of American roots music."

Asleep at the Wheel's "At Home Dance Live From Star Hill Ranch" takes place at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 25. Tickets are $15 advance, $25 as of Friday, July 24.day of show, with other packages available. livestream.asleepatthewheel.com.
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