Leon McAuliffe
b. William Leon McAuliffe, 1 March 1917, Houston, Texas, USA, d. 20 August 1988, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. McAuliffe learned both guitar and steel guitar while at school, and when aged 16 joined the Light Crust Doughboys. In March 1935, he joined Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys as steel guitarist, remaining with him until December 1942, when military service intervened. Wills’ entreaties of Take It Away Leon became an expected shout, both on live and recorded performances. He formed his own band, the Western Swing Band, in 1946, but after becoming the owner of the Cimarron Ballroom, Tulsa, in the early '50s, changed the band's name to the Cimarron Boys. He recorded for Majestic, Columbia, Dot and Starday finding success with such numbers as Steel Guitar Rag and Panhandle Rag, and played regularly on KVOO and KRMG, Tulsa. In the late '50s and for most of the '60s, McAuliffe and his band toured extensively in the USA, appeared on many television shows and even visited Europe. He formed Cimarron Records in 1961, and the next year had US country chart success with his version of Faded Love, before moving to Capitol in 1964. He retired in the late '60s, but in 1973, he played on the famous last recordings made by Wills and soon afterwards was persuaded to front a line-up of ex-Texas Playboys. This band played successfully during the '70s and early '80s, and recorded for Capitoland Delta. He died in August 1988, and is remembered as one of the all-time great steel guitarists.