Bob Wills' influence on music extends beyond the Western swing genre that he helped to define. The fiddler and bandleader linked up country music and jazz and blues and made it possible to mix genres and styles while still scoring hits. Wills found initial fame with the Light Crust Doughboys in the early ‘30s, but struck out on his own with the Texas Playboys. The group's precise playing and undeniable rhythm made them one of the most popular, successful groups of the ‘40s. More importantly, Wills helped to set the tone for later polyglot genres such as rock ‘n' roll and country rock.