Bob Wills Texas Playboys Autographed Tribute Memorial Concert Poster ~1980s

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Bob Wills Texas Playboys Autographed Tribute Memorial Concert Poster ~1980s:
$75.00

Probably a \'tribute\' \'memorial\' concert poster for Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys performing at the Tulsa Oklahoma Civic Center on May 11th, 1941.

This has been autographed by Leon Rausch (top edge) and left side Eldon Shamblin, Al Stricklin, Smoky Dacus, Gene Gasaway and right side Leon McAuliffe and Joe Frank Ferguson

Autographs compare fine with other known examples from web research and believe they are genuine even if not obtained in person.

New Info: A very experienced. knowledgeable concert poster artist also thinks that this is a tribute poster probably printed in the 1980s perhaps by Larry Schaeffer, Cain\'s owner --- the Tulsa Civic Center was not open until the 1960s and so this \'concert\' day/date/venue would not have occurred.

Connected \'side\' note -- still verifying/confirming but other web research has Wills & Playboys playing at Cain\'s about a week after this May 11th, 1941 date (one of their regular Thursday/Saturday radio broadcasts) and that he was served with support papers by his wife just before the show.

Again, any more details about this poster would be appreciated -- sounds like it would have been a limited printing, especially since these do not seem to turn up very often. The 7 autographs and poster story/history are a testament to Bob Wills and the Playboys substantial legacy and a not-happening-again artifact of a time and place and the musicians/people involved. Now we just have to find out who Frank is -- the person this was autographed to.

I\'ve seen this image a couple times before over 15+ years and web research has not yet turned up any info/history, but there\'s a vague memory from something I read/found awhile back that these were printed by someone involved in the music business, maybe a Cain\'s Ballroom owner ??, as a tribute/memorial possibly for an event of some type (such as the 50th Anniversary concert in 1984 in Tulsa ??) and then a stash of them was found/re-discovered later, again maybe at Cain\'s or from the person who printed them --- not sure, so any information/history would be appreciated.

With some exceptions from certain decades in the last century, almost all event/concert posters never included a year since it was obvious what year the concert would take place -- so the fact that this has the 1941 year on it suggests it isn\'t a period original, although it clearly is older especially given the signatures --- and the names & number of Playboys signing this To Frank also suggests this was a special poster for someone special/connected involved named Frank --- again, any information/history would be appreciated.

Wikipedia history: \"James Robert \"Bob\" Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975) was an American Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western swing,[1][2][3] he was universally known as the King of Western Swing (after the death of Spade Cooley who used the moniker \"King Of Western Swing\" from 1942 to 1969.)

Wills formed several bands and played radio stations around the South and West until he formed the Texas Playboys in 1934 with Wills on fiddle, Tommy Duncan on piano and vocals, rhythm guitarist June Whalin, tenor banjoist Johnnie Lee Wills, and Kermit Whalin, who played steel guitar and bass. The band played regularly on a Tulsa, Oklahoma radio station and added Leon McAuliffe on steel guitar, pianist Al Stricklin, drummer Smokey Dacus, and a horn section that expanded the band\'s sound. Wills favored jazz-like arrangements and the band found national popularity into the 1940s with such hits as \"Steel Guitar Rag\", \"New San Antonio Rose\", \"Smoke On The Water\", \"Stars And Stripes On Iwo Jima\", and \"New Spanish Two Step\".

Wills and the Texas Playboys recorded with several publishers and companies, including Vocalion, Okeh, Columbia, and MGM, frequently moving. In 1950, he had two Top 10 hits, \"Ida Red Likes The Boogie\" and \"Faded Love\", which were his last hits for a decade. Throughout the 1950s, he struggled with poor health and tenuous finances, but continued to perform frequently despite the decline in popularity of his earlier music as rock and roll took over. Wills had a heart attack in 1962 and a second one the next year, which forced him to disband the Playboys although Wills continued to perform solo.

The Country Music Hall of Fame inducted Wills in 1968 and the Texas State Legislature honored him for his contribution to American music.[4] In 1972, Wills accepted a citation from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in Nashville. He was recording an album with fan Merle Haggard in 1973 when a stroke left him comatose until his death in 1975. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Wills and the Texas Playboys in 1999.\"

Inexcellent condition for its age with some general wear/handling -- please see pictures for condition and ask questions in advance if helpful.Will be well packed flat with insurance.