What else would you call a jazzy western swing group from the Missouri Ozarks?

Western swing has enchanted listeners since its roots and the Jazzabillies continue the tradition featuring hot steel guitar licks, classic twin fiddles, jazz derived lead guitar, honkytonk keyboard, wailin' sax, and a complete big band horn sound including trumpets and trombone. The rhythm section includes a drivin' upright bass with a traditional western swing rhythm guitar and the drum styles of the swing era. It exudes energy, accented beats, excitement and fun! The group blends their love of western swing, honkytonkin' country, blues, dixieland, and jazz to create their own unique style. It’s this eclectic mix of instruments and music styles that the make the Jazzabillies unique and exciting! 

  Jimmy Queen is an amazing  versatile musician, playing several instruments including guitar, steel guitar, sax, trumpet,  harmonica, keyboard, bass  and drums . If you haven’t seen Jimmy play two trumpets at once – You’ve got to check it out! Not only is Jimmy the bandleader of the Jazzabillies,  Jimmy is a world renowned drummer, playing drums annually for the international steel guitar convention. He also hosts the annual International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame Show in St Louis and has backed the steel guitar greats such as Herby Wallace, Cindy Cashdollar, Herb Remington,  Buddy Emmons, Tom Morrell, John Hughey, and many more! Jimmy has also played drums for other various steel shows including the Choo Choo Reunion Show in  Chattanooga, TN, the Cajun Steel Show in New Orleans, and the Legends of Western Swing festival in Snyder, TX. He has performed with legends such as Ray Pennington, Ray Price,  Wade Ray, Johnny Bush, Curtis Potter, Sammi Smith, Johnny Paycheck, Ronnie Milsap, Waylon Jennings, and many others. He was the music director for TNN’s “Pappy’s Place”. Not only is he an awesome musician, Jimmy is an outstanding vocalist. He sings from the soul and will touch your heart. Jimmy’s experience as a comedian and radio personality adds flair to his vocal and entertainment ability. Jimmy was destined to be a great entertainer following in his father’s footsteps, the legendary “Grandaddy of Country Music” Roy Queen of  St Louis. At the tender age of 13, he played his first gig as drummer for his father's band. Several years ago, Jimmy and his wife Starla formed the "Jazzabillies". His professional attitude and ability is why he received the St. Louis Entertainer of the Year, St Louis Drummer of the Year and Band Leader of the Year. Jimmy Queen – Entertainment at it’s best 

Starla Queen has earned the name "Queen of Western Swing”!  Some people work hard to learn a trade but for Starla – it’s a god given talent. Her father Virgil Watts, who is the one of  the best non-pedal steel players in the state of  Missouri, gave her the ability and her love of western swing music! Starla plays several instruments and is the rhythm guitar of the Jazzabillies, but you ought to hear her sing! Starla decided to follow in her father's footsteps in 1996 when she began performing at the Mark Twain Country Music Show in Hannibal, Mo. Then she appeared as a special guest at various shows in the Mark Twain Lake area until 1998 when she started  her own show “The Pike County Jamboree”. She also put together an all female band, "Country Angels", the first of  it's kind in the area. Starla ranked in the top at the local “Jimmy Dean Country Showdown” and was a regional finalist where she performed her original tunes. In 2000, Starla relocated to the Lake of the Ozarks and in 2002 she married Jimmy Queen.  She and Jimmy host a western swing radio show "Swingin' with the Queens" on steelradio.com. She has had the honor of sharing the stage with Johnny Bush,  Curtis Potter, Leon Rausch, Leona Williams, Stan Hitchcock, Smokey Smith, Ron Williams, and Ferlin Husky. Starla appears annually on the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame Fundraising Show in St Louis.

Dave Owens grew up with country music in Plattsburg Mo.  During his career he worked a lot of Hap Peebles tours, backing many artists such as George Morgan, Wanda Jackson, Tex Williams, Johnny Western, Lefty Frizzell and many others. He was a member of Charlie Louvin’s band, David Houston, Diana Trask, and would play bass on the road occasionally for Hank Junior. He has traveled with many of the artists in Nashville and was even a member of a troop that included TV Comedian Morey Amsterdam. He has done some recording sessions for such artists as Wynn Stewart, Peggy Sue, Sonny Wright, Sheb Wooley, Jerry Wallace and others. Dave has backed Leona Williams, Ferlin Huskey, Jan Howard, Darrell McCall, and many more. In 1995, Dave was the recipient of the Entertainer of the Year at the Central Country News Awards. Dave Owens is also a Grammy nominee for a collaboration cd called "Jukebox Saturday Night" and most recently, Dave was inducted into the Missouri Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005!

Scotty  Henderson has  been playing music professionally since he was 15 starting in the honkytonks of central Missouri where he developed a love for the "old stuff".  After  graduating from  high school, he moved to the Oklahoma panhandle near Liberal Kansas where he worked for Ray Rich for eleven years playing five nights a week! Country music soon became his passion and is still going strong. In the mid-eighties Scotty wrote a book for universal guitar called “Think B6th” (Steel Mill Publishing). This book dealt directly with the 6th tuning of the universal guitar. I also wrote an E9th book called “On The Bandstand” (Hilton Publishing) In the early nineties he moved to Wichita Kansas and played five nights a week at a club called Sam's Place and stayed there through 1998. Taking a few years off from full time playing he went back to being a weekend warrior with The David Holland Band until 2003. With the music calling him back, he moved back to central Missouri and  played six nights a week at the legendary Lee Mace's Ozark Opry. Scotty is having the time of his life meeting and working with some great people along the way like Charlie Daniels, Wanda Jackson, Hank Thompson, and many others. “Good friends and good music - what more do you need!” Scotty was inducted into the Kansas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 2005!

Ronnie Blecher is a true cowboy who also knows how to hold a band together. As the drummer for the Jazzabillies, Ronnie keeps the tempo and sets the dynamics. Ronnie began playing drums as a child and landed gigs throughout the Lake of the Ozarks, most notably with Billy Joe Carnahan who owns Audio Loft Studios where Ronnie was also a session drummer.  Ronnie has toured the United States and Canada with artists such as Duane Taylor and Johnny Dollar. Ronnie has also worked with such greats as Morey Amsterdam, Pat McCormick, Loretta Lynn, Roy Clark, Buck Trent, and Chuck Berry.  Ronnie says he could never be who he is today without the love and support of  his wife Sherry and his daughter and her family. “Rompin Ron” as his friends call him has never lost his grip of what his job is – holding the band together. From quarter horses to quarter notes – Ronnie holds down the ranch and the rhythm section!