Biography

Pioneer western swing fiddler and songwriter. Born February 22, 1915. Died August 9, 1976. Career most active 1930s and 1940s. Full name: Jesse Theford Ashlock. Worked with Milton Brown and Bob Wills. Songwriting credits include “Please Don’t Leave Me,” “My Life’s Been A Pleasure,” “The Kind of Love I Can’t Forget,” and “Still Water Runs the Deepest.”

Interview Summary

1974 November 17
(2 hours, 57 minutes)
Western swing fiddler Jesse Ashlock talks about his career. Topics include meeting Bob Wills and stories about playing with him; memories of Leon McAuliffe; how the band got paid; how “San Antonio Rose” was written and recorded; practical jokes Wills’s band members played on each other; playing fiddle within a band; memories of Jimmy Wakely, Dick Reinhart, Art Satherley, Tex Atchison, and Laura Lee McBride; and recording sessions with Bob Wills and producer Art Satherley.