Sam Mensch and the Bunkhouse Boys
Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States | SELF
Music
Press
‘Swing Into Spring’ was a great sucess. On May 21st Sam Mensch and the Bunkhouse Boys, one of the top western swing and county bands in the area, played a fundraising show at our garden. Sam and the Bunkhouse Boys have over one hundred and fifty years of combined experience playing western swing and country music.
Sam is the quintessential singing cowboy, originally from Texas, Sam now owns the Kissing S Ranch in Nowata County. Claremore’s
own Western Swing Hall of Fame member, Bob Baker, plays a
vintage, standup, non-pedal steel guitar. Dwayne Bowman, vocalist
and lead guitarist has played with the likes of Mel Tillis and Ray Price.
Gary Hill plays bass and sings harmony vocals; he was also a member
of Ray Price’s Cherokee Cowboys. The lineup is rounded out by 25
year Bunkhouse veteran Melvin Jackson on drums and champion fiddler
Shawn Howe.
An event like this one had the participation of the entire membership and we had a great turnout. - Rogers County Master Gardener of Rogers County
This band has some great country & western kick up your heels music to listen to. Come out and see them at the Nowata VFW, 747 S Maple St, Nowata, OK.
- Nowata Times
This band has some great country & western kick up your heels music to listen to. Come out and see them at the Nowata VFW, 747 S Maple St, Nowata, OK.
- Nowata Times
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Sam Mensch and The Bunkhouse Boys have over one hundred and fifty years of combined experience playing traditional county and western swing music. The Band consists of creator, front man and lead vocalist, Sam Mensch. Claremore’s own Bob Baker plays standup, non-pedal steel guitar. Dwayne Bowman, vocalist and lead guitarist has been a driving force in the country music scene for over four decades. In addition to leading his own band, he has played with the likes of Mel Tillis and Ray Price. Gary Hill plays bass and sings harmony vocals; he was also a member of Ray Price’s Cherokee Cowboys. The lineup is rounded out by 25 year Bunkhouse veteran Melvin Jackson on drums and champion fiddler Ernie Reed who plays with Mel Tillis as one of The Statesiders.
Sam Mensch
Sam is a working cowboy with a love of good horses and good music. Born and raised in west Texas, Sam grew up in the saddle, working on ranches, surrounded by ranch life, and country and western music. With well over 25 years of experience behind a microphone Sam has performed all over Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. In 1986, like Bob Wills did 50 years before him, Sam made the move from Texas to Oklahoma. Sam says, “I grew up wanting to be a cowboy and a musician.” It looks like he has realized both of those dreams as he now leads Sam Mensch and he Bunkhouse Boys and owns and operates the Kissing S Ranch in Nowata County with his wife Sharon, and daughter Sammie.
Bob Baker
For his musical accomplishments, Bob was inducted into the Western Swing Hall of Fame in 2000. His 40 plus years as a professional musician has given him the opportunity to play with many remarkable musicians, including many of Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys. At 13 he began studying with Bob Wills’ legendary guitarist and arranger, Eldon Shamblin, and was a member of Leon McAuliffe’s last band, The New Cimarron Boys. In 1980, Bob and his brother Scott, founded The Baker Brothers Western Swing Band, and for a dozen years took western swing music to some of the largest music venues in the country. As a member of Cowjazz Western Swing he received two Academy of Western Artists, Will Rogers’ awards. Bob plays vintage music on his vintage, 1953 Fender, stand-up, steel guitar, and has played with Sam for 5 years.
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