James “Guy” Willis, Charles “Skeeter” Willis and John “Vic” Willis began playing music while growing up on the family farm. In 1932, when the boys were teens, the Willis brothers formed the band the Oklahoma Wranglers.
Skeeter sang and played the fiddle, Guy sang lead and played the guitar and Vic played the accordion, piano and sang.
The Willis Brothers performed for Shawnee, Oklahoma’s KGEF throughout the 1930s.
The Willis Brothers moved to Kansas City to perform on the Brush Street Follies.
In 1942, the band temporarily split to fight in the war.
In 1946, the Willis Brothers reunited and joined the Grand Ole Opry. Soon after, the Willis Brothers were signed to Sterling Records.
