Hubbin' It is the biography of expert fiddler and a magnetic showman, Bob Wills (1905–1975) who popularised a style of Southwestern dance music known as western swing, a rhythmic hybrid of fiddle music, blues, and big band swing.
In 1938, when Wills was aged 33 and nearing the height of his fame, journalist Ruth Sheldon chronicled his rags-to riches rise. Her biography captures the ebullient personality of Wills and reflects the bandleader’s vision of himself and provides a window into the daily life of a working musician during the Depression and a rich source of historical detail on one of America’s great musical innovators.
Ruth Sheldon was a reporter for the Tulsa Tribune. As Ruth Sheldon Knowles, she has written several other books. Charles R. Townsend is the author of San Antonio Rose: The Life and Music of Bob Wills.
University of Illinois Press, 128pp, 15cm x 22.5cm, illustrated paperback, 2023