Bruno Michel: Imagine you would have ignored Willie's suggestion that y'all move to Austin back in the early 70's. How do you think Asleep At The Wheel's musical career would have developed without moving to Texas?
Ray Benson: Differently obviously. But I think we would still be doing what we're doing. Different because other people would have come in and out of the band. Different opportunities would have come up. Who knows.
You're a musician, producer, founding member of the R&B foundation, Board Member of the SIMS foundation and more. Where do you find the energy to coordinate and perform all these activities?
I have to say due to my good staff. And I get up early and go to bed late...
Unlike many musicians then...
That's the funny thing. I'm also on the board of the St. Davis Foundation and Hospital und many others. A friend of mine once said: 'You sit on more boards than a lazy carpenter'. I just like to help good people. That's why they call that ADHD, the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (laughs). But it enables me to do different things and jump from one to another.
Did the band play Western Swing right from the start in 1969? Hard to imagine considering you opened for Alice Cooper and the likes back in the early 70's.
No, we played Country. We only opened for Alice Cooper once - I met him the other day - and I don't know why that happened at all (laughs) but we were hardcore country. We did Truckdrivin' music, a lot of Johnny Cash or Hank Williams. We had hair down to our shoulders. So we were Hippies but played hardcore country music.
You said you recently met with Alice Cooper. Is he still running his restaurant?
The one in Phoenix? Oh yeah. I mean he's not running it he just put his name in it and takes the money.
So like your new venture with the Rattle Inn in Austin? (Ed.: that venue opened in January 2012)
Yes, except that I put my name in it and they take my money (laughs). I gotta work this out a little better so I take money from that bar.
Naturally, the band has seen many members come and go during the past 40+ years...
Around onehundred members, I don't know the exact number...
Back in the late 80's Jann Browne was part Asleep At The Wheel. She became quite a regular at Swiss festivals later as a solo artist. What would have been your dream-female vocalist if Elizabeth McQueen wouldn't have joined?
Chris O'Connell, who started with the band. She was a great singer, still is. But she had a problem with alcohol. She's very sober now and has been for a long time. But back then, it was hard for her to play so she left the band in 1986.
You've worked with many record labels including the big ones (Epic, MCA, Capitol, Dreamworks) before joining Bismeaux. Why is it in your opinion, that artists don't seem to stay with a label as long as they used to?
The whole thing has changed a lot. The way we made or sold records. The sales volume, everything's just totally different so it has no relevance anymore. Today we have new trends, internet, piracy and so on. Some artists don't realize that. They think it's still 1985 or so.
But then you have people like Willie Nelson who had his new album released by his old major label.
Well, if you were almost eighty years old and somebody offered you a five year deal, you might. I told him you oughta take this, you know (laughs). It's a good pay-check and I am happy for him. And the music's great. Real nice.
The band won countless awards over these decades. Is there any award you would be really exited about should you receive it?
You know, I am grateful for our awards because they bring visibility and recognition. But come on, there's five really great artists, one better than the other, competing for an award? It's a lot of politics. So if I'd like to win any other award it would be one given out by our fans. These are the folks that really matter, because without them we wouldn't be anywhere. It's not about are we better than the other bands they like. I hope they buy Willie's or Dale Watson's records, too. It's all about great music and great fans.
If you could start all over again with Asleep At The Wheel, what is the most important thing that you would do different in retrospective?
We made a lot of stupid mistakes. But they all get you to where you're going. They wanted us to make hit records and we wanted to just play our kind of music. I'm glad we did that. I am quite happy where I am today, so no, I don't think I'd do anything different.
What's Ray Benson's pet-peeve?
Stupidity - and that's objective (laughs).
My nickname as a radio host is "The Long Tall Texan". Will there ever be a "Long Tall Texan Tour", an event featuring Ray Benson, Sleepy LaBeef, Lyle Lovett, Tracy Lawrence. Six feet and up?
No (laughs). We couldn't fit on the stage. A friend and I once had an idea that we never realized: The world's biggest band. Bruce Robison is 6'9'' I think, so he would fit in there, too. We proably shoud do a duet together.
If you were to interview Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel, which question would you ask him that I did not ask?
Some of these silly questions like 'How big are your feet'. I say size 16. Except my Nike's, they're 17. Another one is 'Where did you get that hat'. Or the best one 'Where did you get these boots'. Those are the best ones. Glad you didn't ask these (laughs).
Thank you very much for the interview.