Beginnings to Austin In 1969,
Ray Benson and
Lucky Oceans (Reuben Gosfield), both natives of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, co-founded Asleep at the Wheel in Paw Paw, West Virginia, and soon after they found themselves opening for
Alice Cooper and
Hot Tuna in
Washington, DC. After being mentioned in
Rolling Stone magazine by
Van Morrison, they landed a record deal with
United Artists. In 1973, their debut album, ''
Comin' Right at Ya'', was released by United Artists. At the invitation of
Willie Nelson, they left Oakland for Austin in 1974.
1990–1999 The band moved to
Arista Records and released the album, ''Keepin' Me Up Nights
. Soon after, the band had turnover. Among its new members was former solo singer Rosie Flores, who joined in 1997. In 1991, Ray Benson directed the music In honor of the 66th anniversary of Route 66, the band launched the Route 66 Tour''.
2000–present In 2000, the Dixie Chicks were nominated for an award for Vocal Event of the Year for "
Roly Poly" with Asleep at the Wheel from the Country Music Association. That same year, the band toured with
Bob Dylan and
George Strait. Benson recorded a tribute to Wills and Texas swing music, including Dwight Yoakam,
Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, the Dixie Chicks, and Willie Nelson. They were scheduled to play at the White House on the fateful September 11, 2001. In 2007, their second Christmas album was released,
Santa Loves to Boogie. Asleep at the Wheel received six Austin Music Awards for their efforts in 2007, including Band of the Year, Songwriter of the Year (Benson), Country Band of the Year, Record Producer of the Year (Benson), Male Vocals of the Year (Benson), and Acoustic Guitar Player of the Year (McQueen). In 2023, Katie Shore (vocals/fiddle) left the band for a solo career, but she still continues to sit in with the group on a semiregular basis. ==Members==