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From: Jean Boyd
Date: February 15, 2003
You have raised good points. Most of the 50+ western swing pioneers I interviewed forcefully removed themselves from "hillbilly" and insisted that their influences were entirely jazz, and that they were playing jazz. I agree, that some of the performances are more jazz than others. I would also agree that western swing is a fusion, perhaps the first fusion in jazz history. It was also the basis for much in early rock 'n' roll. Finally, I would add that my primary concern in writing the book in the first place was the total disinterest of jazz scholars, and other musicologists like myself. I wanted and still want people of my persuasion and training to recognize the validity and scope of this music. So, I don't want to back down from my insistence that this music is jazz. On the other hand, I am working on a hypothesis that whereas Bob Wills surrounded himself with jazz musicians, it was his continued country fiddle and vocal style that kept the Playboys popular for so very long. So, with the Playboys one has a very good example of fusion at work.