Since the early 1970s, Asleep at the Wheel has been the most important force in keeping the sound of Western swing alive. They've earned critical praise throughout their lengthy career, not simply preserving classic sounds but updating the music, keeping it a living, breathing art form. The group has gone through myriad personnel changes (over 80 members have passed through their ranks), but frontman Ray Benson has held it together for since 1970, keeping Asleep at the Wheel a going concern devoted to classic-style Western swing. 1973's debut LP Comin' Right at Ya caught their sound fully formed, 1993's A Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys was a joyous homage to their hero, 2007's Reinventing the Wheel found Benson and the gang in high spirits, and 2021's Half a Hundred Years was a star-studded celebration of their golden anniversary.