Johnnie Lee Wills, born on September 2, 1912, in Hall County, Texas, was a prominent American Western swing fiddler known for his contributions to the genre in the 1930s and 1940s. As a young man, Wills worked in agriculture and as a delivery truck driver before joining his brother Bob Wills in the Texas Playboys, where he played tenor banjo. In 1934, the band moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and gained significant popularity through broadcasts on KVOO radio.

In 1942, when Bob Wills moved to California, Johnnie Lee took over the band, renamed it "Johnnie Lee Wills & All The Boys," and switched from banjo to fiddle. He continued the KVOO broadcasts for 25 years, making it the longest-running live radio broadcast in the nation at the time. The band became known for its versatile Western swing performances, drawing large crowds throughout the Southwest.

Johnnie Lee Wills recorded for several labels, including Bullet, Decca, Sims, and Delta, with hits like "Rag Mop" and "Peter Cottontail." Despite the decline in Western swing's popularity, Wills maintained regional fame and continued to perform until the band's dissolution in 1964. He later ran a Western clothing store in Tulsa and participated in the Western swing revival of the late 1970s, recording reunion albums with former Texas Playboys.

In 1982, Wills and his band were invited to perform at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. as part of Oklahoma's Diamond Jubilee Anniversary, showcasing the state's influence on Western swing music. Johnnie Lee Wills passed away on October 25, 1984, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, leaving a lasting legacy in the Western swing genre.