Asleep at the Wheel on artistic identity, the vow of poverty, and why the geographic imperative is BS.

Ray Benson is an absolute pillar of American music, a nine-time GRAMMY winner whose band, Asleep at the Wheel, has defined western swing for over half a century. In this conversation, we talk with Ray about the "geographical imperative," rebuilding his career from a broke-down bus to a musical institution, and the delicate balance between the craft of music and the business of image. This is an exploration of longevity, team building, and the importance of finding a "moral compass" in leadership.

In This Episode:

• Ray Benson
• Asleep at the Wheel
• Peter, Paul, and Mary
• Pete Seeger
• Woody Guthrie
• Van Cliburn
• Lester Flatt
• Marty Stuart
• Marc Copland
• Paul Motian
• John Abercrombie
• George Strait
• Vince Gill
• Tower Records
• “The Letter Johnny Walker Read”
• Merle Haggard
• Lawrence Wright
• Mumford and Sons
• Aaron Dessner
• T.S. Elliot
• Health Alliance for Austin Musicians
• Chris Scruggs
• Molly Tuttle
• Ep 86 - Tommy Emmanuel

Go Deeper:

• Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.
• Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.
• Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.

The Hosts:

The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (Producer/Mixer) and Michaela Anne (Songwriter/Creative Coach).

• More about Aaron’s work.
• More about Michaela Anne’s work.

Credits: 

Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Part of the Bluegrass Situation Podcast Network.