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Leon McAuliffe Born:  March 1, 1917 Died:  August 20, 1988 Steel Guitar Hall of Fame (1978)

About The Artist Leon was a native of Houston, Texas. How could anyone forget Bob Wills when he'd call out on his recordings, "take it away, Leon...". A reknowned steel guitarist bar none. Take a listen to "Steel Guitar Rag". He was part of the Bob Wills sound for many years. Later on, he formed his own band. And was at one time recording on Cimarron records. He just about adopted Tulsa, Oklahoma as a home town from his many years there both with Bob Wills and his own band. Let's read about this famed steel guitarist and band leader. He was held in such high regard by the folks in Tulsa, that the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce held a program dedicated to Leon, in the spring of 1952 or 1953. Leon started his career off playing with W. Lee O'Daniels' Lightcrust Doughboys. Then he moved on to play with legendary Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. Bob Wills had a habit of saying "Take it away, Leon..." as part of the recordings and performances and it became one of those things that became part of hillbilly lore. He did about 50 recordings with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys while he was with them. Then, in 1945, Leon organized his own band. Around mid-1953, it looks like their most recent release was "Sugar and Salt" that featured a vocal by Jimmy Hall. The flip side was a tune called "Panhandle Waltz", a steel guitar number featuring a solo by Leon. Around mid-1953, he doing a daily show over the 50,000 watt KVOO in Tulsa from 12:15pm. He also appeared on Wednesday nights at 11:00pm as well as Saturday nights at 10:30pm on a show called the "Western Dance Parade". Leon and his band also played for the dancers every Wednesday and Saturday evenings at the Cimmaron Ball Room in Tulsa as well as other personal appearances in the area. Leon was married and had two kids, a daughter and son. Credits & Sources Cowboy Songs No. 27 (July 1953); American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT. Related Web Links • Brad's Page of Steel

Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)   Cimarron Rec. No. Side Song Title   4043 A Lookin' Glass   4043 B Wapanuka   4046 A Bear Creek Hop   4046 B Boogie On Strings   4047 A Water Baby Boogie   4047 B Three Bears   4049 A Orange Blossom Special   4049 B Cimarron (Roll On)   4050 A Ain't Gonna Hurt No More   4050 B Cozy Inn   4052 A Choo Choo Ch' Boogie   4052 B Honky Tonk Song   4054 A My Ace In The Hole   4054 B Night Life   4057 A My Little Red Wagon   4057 B Faded Love   4082 A Carroll County   4082 B Little Girl Go And Ask Your Mama   Columbia Rec. No. Side Song Title   20546 A Panhandle Rag   20546 B Careless Hands   20565 A Somebody Else Is Beating My Time   20565 B No One For Me   20622 A Sugar And Salt   20622 B Panhandle Waltz   20646 A The Three Bears   20646 B Twin Fiddle Rag   20669 A Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy   20669 B Rag Mop   20688 A Birmingham Bounce (Gunter)   20688 B Cimarron Rag (Ezell)   20706 A What Where And When   20706 B Bonaparte's Retreat   20755 A What've You Got   20755 B Jelly Bean Rag   20782 A Take It Away Leon   20782 B Tulsa Straight Ahead   20807 A I've Never Lived In Tennessee   20807 B There's A Right Way And A Wrong Way   20845 A I Didn't Know How Much I Loved You   20845 B Blue Guitar Stomp (Smith)   20872 A Makin' Believe You're There   20872 B Search My Heart   20907 A I'm Going Back To Birmingham   20907 B Blacksmith Blues   21020 A Stolen Love (Vbilly Walker)   21020 B Hear Me Now (Vjimmy Hall)   21072 A Red Skin Rag   21072 B Bitter Tears   21115 A Heart Attacks   21115 B Eating Right Out Of Your Hand   21174 A Run 'Em Off   21174 B Blue Man's Blues   21227 A I Wish You Would   21227 B Tie Your Apron Strings Around My Heart   21283 A Smooth Sailing   21283 B Sh Boom   21319 A One Little Dream Of You   21319 B Mr Steel Guitar   21398 A Dial Love For Me   21398 B Hard Hearted Gal   Majestic Rec. No. Side Song Title   11014 A Steel Guitar Rag   11014 A Steel Guitar Rag   11014 B Down At The Roadside Inn   11014 B Down At The Roadside Inn   11015 A Covered Wagon Rolled Right Along   11015 B Santa Fe Is A Long, Long Way From Broadway   11016 A Twin Guitar Boogie   11016 B In Her Own Peculiar Way   11027 A Search My Heart   11027 B A Plain Talking Man From The West   11032 A Tulsa Straight Ahead   11032 B A Cowboy's Christmas Song   6032 A Nobody Cares   6032 B Take It Away, Leon