Bob Dunn

Robert Lee Dunn (February 5, 1908 – May 27, 1971) was a pioneer Western swing steel guitarist. Influenced by influential Hawaiian lap steel guitar player Sol Hoʻopiʻi, Dunn played in his own original bluesy style and was one of the first to record an electric guitar, preceding other country & western guitarists following him shortly. He preceded by over three years George Barnes (with Big Bill Broonzy in 1938), Leonard Ware and, slightly later, Eddie Durham.

On January 27, 1935, Dunn became one of the first musicians to record an electrically amplified instrument as a member of Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies.

Dunn also played steel guitar in numerous other Western swing groups including those of Cliff Bruner and one of Moon Mullican's earlier bands. Dunn also had his own group, The Vagabonds, featuring Mullican and Cliff Bruner.

Dunn was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1992.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 5, 1908 (Braggs), Died May 27, 1971 (Houston)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1935 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: steel guitar, electric steel guitar, electric guitar, vocalist, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 294 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-063074 10-in. 4/9/1941 Flower of Texas Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-063075 10-in. 4/9/1941 I'll be back in a year, little darlin' Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band, with male vocal duet instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-063076 10-in. 4/9/1941 Jitter bug jive Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-063077 10-in. 4/9/1941 I can't forget (no matter how I try) Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-063078 10-in. 4/9/1941 They go goo-goo-ga-ga goofy over gobs Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-063079 10-in. 4/9/1941 I guess you don't care any more Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band, with male vocal duet instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-063084 10-in. 4/10/1941 Swing steel, swing Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-063085 10-in. 4/10/1941 Sweethearts or strangers Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-063086 10-in. 4/10/1941 Don't let the barrel go dry Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band, with vocal ensemble instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-063087 10-in. 4/10/1941 Now I feel the way you do Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-063088 10-in. 4/10/1941 No dice Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-063089 10-in. 4/10/1941 Hold on to that thing Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers String band, with male vocal duet instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-071102 10-in. 10/7/1941 Nobody cares for me Sons of Dixie String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
Victor BS-071103 10-in. 10/7/1941 Bugle two-step Sons of Dixie String band instrumentalist, electric steel guitar, composer  
Victor BS-071104 10-in. 10/7/1941 The prisoner's farewell Sons of Dixie String band, with male vocal duet instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
Victor BS-071105 10-in. 10/7/1941 I'm always dreaming of you Sons of Dixie String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
Victor BS-071106 10-in. 10/7/1941 Dont ever go wrong Sons of Dixie String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
Victor BS-071107 10-in. 10/7/1941 Those blue eyes don't sparkle any more Sons of Dixie String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
Victor BS-071148 10-in. 10/9/1941 I found a new baby Bill Mounce ; Sons of the South String band instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
Victor BS-071149 10-in. 10/9/1941 I'm sorry that you've gone Sons of the South Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
Victor BS-071150 10-in. 10/9/1941 18 months, little darlin' Sons of the South Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
Victor BS-071151 10-in. 10/9/1941 What's Bob done? Sons of the South String band composer, instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
Victor BS-071152 10-in. 10/9/1941 I thought about you Sons of the South Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
Victor BS-071153 10-in. 10/9/1941 I've been drafted Sons of the South Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
Victor BS-071174 10-in. 10/11/1941 Mary Jane Modern Mountaineers String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, electric steel guitar  
(Results 1-25 of 294 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Dunn, Bob," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113144.

Dunn, Bob. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113144.

"Dunn, Bob." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113144

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