Ted Daffan

Daffan played steel guitar with bands in the Houston area before starting his own band, Ted Daffan and His Texans. As a band leader, he pioneered the use of the steel guitar as a lead instrument and in solos, a departure from the traditional fiddle sounds used by most country bands. Daffan's clean, distinctive sound -- which combined blues and swing -- and his songs influenced artists for years to come. Like "Born to Lose," a number of Daffan songs were recorded by other artists.