"Steel Guitar Rag" is the seminal Western swing instrumental credited with popularizing the steel guitar as an integral instrument in a Western band. Written by Leon McAuliffe, it was first recorded by Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys in 1936. The song stylistically bears a striking resemblance to a popular Hawaiian song, "On The Beach At Waikiki" (words, G.H. Stover; music, Henry Kailimai; arrangement, Sonny Cunha; 1915), which was widely performed on the vaudeville circuits in the U.S. McAuliffe's composition is likely adapted from "Guitar Rag" recorded by guitarist Sylvester Weaver in the early 1920s. Many musicians and bands have recorded this instrumental over the years. A recent version was performed by country hall of famer Jimmy Russell.
