" The Church of Western Swing "

“The Church of Western Swing” was started in ‘2000’. It really began
20 years before that, when Gene Crownover started working with Henry
Baker’s Band, out of Bartlesville, OK. Soon, Glen (Blub) Rhees,
Clarence Cagle, & Curly Lewis, were also playing in the band. Gene
asked Henry to go to Turkey in ’82 to play bass on the Sat. afternoon
show, because Leon Rausch had to leave for another job. He said, “If
you ever go once, you’ll never miss a year”. Well, that turned out
true in Henry’s case. After that first year, B.J. Robison & Jim
Majors, with the Bob Wills Foundation, hired Henry to furnish the sound
for the annual Bob Wills Days Event, which he’s done ever since. The
Foundation furnished Henry a place to stay during the events. Bob &
Ann Baker help Henry & Doris each year, and, the jam sessions continued
to grow each year. In 1999, Henry counted heads at four in the morning,
and, there were 70 musicians in the house, and, over a hundred outside,
listening through the windows. WE NEEDED A BIGGER PLACE. The old
Assembly of God Church was empty, and, they were about to tear it down.
With B. J. Robison’s help locating the owner, Henry bought the place
in 1999. Henry had started doing a Thursday Night Show in the Bob
Wills Center in ’96. It started as a Tribute to Glen Rhees, who passed
away that year. By 2000, people were getting into Turkey a week before
Bob Wills Day, so, Henry & Bobby, and most of the Playboy Band started
playing at the “Church” on Tuesday night. The popularity of “The
Church of Wester Swing” has grown so, that now the band starts playing
Friday, the week before Bob Wills Day. Henry shuts down on the Friday
night that the Playboys play, and does the sound for them. Inside, on
Friday night, and, outside, on Saturday Afternoon. Bobby is busy
Saturday with the sound for the indoor Fiddle Contest. Then, it’s back
to the “Church” for the last night of Bob Wills Days. At Midnight,
it’s like saying goodbye to everyone at a family reunion, tears and
all.

Bob Wills Day is officially the last Saturday in April. It’s now
become the place to get married for Bob Wills’ fans. Two couples flew
from England in 2006 to get married in “The Church of Western Swing” on
Bob Wills Day. Russ and Christy Yates got married in 2006, later in
the year. Henry said, “We’re always ready for any excuse to come out
and have a good party.”

The “Church” is not a bar or club. NO SMOKING. Doris Baker, Henry’s
wife, says, “It is more of a place for good fellowship with friends and
family and Bob Wills’ music.” The auditorium is more like a museum,
with theater seats and stage, and lots of memorabilia.
The Band that works with Henry consists of Brother Bobby on steel,
and most of the Playboy band that works with Truitt Cunningham on Bob
Wills Day. Henry’s wife, Doris Ann, along with Lucy Dean Record, Jimmy
Burson, Odie Jones, Gary Johnson, Michael Grace, Brady Bowen, Bill
Gilbert, Casey Dickens, D.C. Barlow, Rick Suddith, Bill Thacker, Alfie
Johns, Walter Lyons, Tommy Alsup, and Bobby Wynne, are other musicians
that work with the band at times that week, and, other times during the
year. They also have an annual Christmas Party and Valentine Party.

Members of the Playboy Band in Turkey in 2007 are; Truitt Cunningham,
Bobby Koeffer, Bobby Boatright, Jimmy Young, Joe Settlemires, Rod
Rodriquez, Gary Sullivan, Louise Rowe, Leon Rausch, Billy Champion,
Glenn Duncan, Dayna Wills, and Wayne Glasson. In Turkey, anything can
change at a moments notice. No tellin’ who might show up. That’s a
little history on “The Church”.



Bob Wills Lincoln, (1969), was bought by B.J. Robison when Bob died in
1975. He never even tagged it after that. They would get it out, and,
put it in the parade each year. After years of trying, B.J. finally
agreed to sell Henry the “Bob Car”. Henry brings it to Turkey each
year, and, drives it to other Western Swing Events throughout the year.
Henry bought it in 2000, and tagged it with tags that read “BWILLS”.
 

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