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 76-100 of 294 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 60655 10-in. 3/5/1936 A thousand good nights Brownies [Milton Brown] instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca 60656 10-in. 3/5/1936 Keep a-knockin' Brownies [Milton Brown] instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca 60657 10-in. 3/5/1936 Baby keep stealin' Brownies [Milton Brown] instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca 60658 10-in. 3/5/1936 The old grey mare Brownies [Milton Brown] instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca 64500 10-in. 9/13/1938 Annie Laurie Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64501 10-in. 9/13/1938 Bring it on home to Grandma Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64502 10-in. 9/13/1938 Ease my worried mind Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64503 10-in. 9/13/1938 Remember Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64504 10-in. 9/13/1938 It makes no difference now Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64505 10-in. 9/13/1938 My Bonnie lies over the ocean Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64506 10-in. 9/13/1938 Over moonlit waters Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64507 10-in. 9/13/1938 Draggin' the bow Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64508 10-in. 9/14/1938 Yearning just for you Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64509 10-in. 9/14/1938 Old Joe Turner blues Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64510 10-in. 9/14/1938 When you're smiling Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64511 10-in. 9/14/1938 I wish I could shimmy like my sister Kate Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64512 10-in. 9/14/1938 Sittin' on the moon Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64513 10-in. 9/14/1938 Kangaroo blues Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64514 10-in. 9/14/1938 I'll keep on loving you Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 64515 10-in. 9/14/1938 I hate to lose you Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca 65100 10-in. 3/2/1939 Mama's gone goodbye Bob Dunn's Vagabonds instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca 65101 10-in. 3/2/1939 Too long Bob Dunn's Vagabonds instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca 65102 10-in. 3/2/1939 It must be love Bob Dunn's Vagabonds instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca 65103 10-in. 3/2/1939 Blue skies Bob Dunn's Vagabonds instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca 65104 10-in. 3/2/1939 Mean mistreater Bob Dunn's Vagabonds instrumentalist, steel guitar  
(Results 76-100 of 294 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Dunn, Bob," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113144.

Dunn, Bob. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113144.

"Dunn, Bob." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113144

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