After 45 years, Asleep at the Wheel remain a driving force in country music. Founded in 1970 in Paw Paw, W.Va., the band has earned the title of the “Post-Modern Kings of Western Swing,” adding its own twist to classic country traditions. Nearly 100 musicians have graced the rotating roster over four decades, including Vermonter Leroy Preston, who served a nine-year stint in the ’70s. After 20 studio albums and as many singles on the Billboard country charts, the Ray Benson-fronted group continues to pick and grin, releasing Still the King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys last March.
