Performance · Other credits

Bob Wills

real name James Robert Wills

Texan Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader

United States · 1905-03-06 – 1975-05-13

Bob Wills is credited on 3,016 releases across 913 albums tracked on Gatefold, active 1950–2026 — the collector-built map of who actually made the music.

View as artist →

Photo of Bob Wills

3,016

Credits

913

Albums

8

Decades active

557

In collections

Biography

source

Showing the Discogs bio

American fiddler, songwriter, and band leader. A huge star in his time and a perennial influence, he is considered a co-founder of Western swing and was universally known as the King of Western Swing after the death of Spade Cooley. Many hits were penned or co-written by Bob, including "Faded Love", "San Antonio Rose" and "Panhandle Rag".
Wills led The Wills Fiddle Group in 1930, which became The Aladdin Laddies and then The Light Crust Doughboys. Fired from that band in 1933, Wills founded Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys and led it until 1965.
Born March 6, 1905 in Kosse, Texas; died May 13, 1975 in Fort Worth, Texas. Older brother of Johnnie Lee Wills, Luke Wills, and Billy Jack Wills.

Bio from Discogs

Credited work

3,016 releases · 913 albums · active 1950–2026

  • Performance · 4,077
  • Other credits · 154
  • Production · 2

Studios: Enactron Truck · RCA Victor Studios, Nashville · Harrah's, Lake Tahoe · Bismeaux Studios

Discography

Records they worked on — most-collected first.

Frequent collaborators

Around the web

See who really made the music.

Gatefold maps every producer, engineer, and player across your shelf — the credits no one else surfaces.

Start your shelf →

Free forever. Works with 10 records or 10,000.