The Clark Center brings American roots music to the Central Coast with Asleep at the Wheel’s “Happy Trails Tour” on Tuesday, March 25 in a career-spanning retrospective celebrating their legendary sound inspired by Western swing and honky-tonk country.
Founded in 1970, Asleep at the Wheel has shaped American roots music for more than five decades. From their West Virginia beginnings to Austin icons, more than 100 musicians have passed through the Wheel, but Ray Benson remains the front man and the keeper of the vision, in the process racking up more than 30 albums, 10 Grammy awards and literally millions of miles on the road.
“I’m just a singer and a songwriter, and a pretty good guitar player,” Benson says. “But my best talent is convincing people to jump on board and play this music.”
Asleep at the Wheel has collaborated on records with genre-spanning musicians Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, Jamey Johnson, Merle Haggard, George Strait, the Avett Brothers, Amos Lee, Old Crow Medicine Show, and notably Lyle Lovett on Still the King, their 2015 critically acclaimed tribute to Bob Wills.