Longhorn Ballroom

The Longhorn Ballroom Marquee, March 2023

The Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, Texas (USA) has been called, Texas' Most Historic Music Venue[1] and since its inception has had a colorful set of proprietors. Originally built by O.L. Nelms, an eccentric Dallas millionaire, for his close friend, western swing bandleader Bob Wills, the venue opened in 1950 as Bob Wills' Ranch House. When Wills left In the early 50s Nelms leased the sprawling venue to notorious nightclub owner turned assassin Jack Ruby. Mr. Ruby eventually had a nervous breakdown[2] and lost the lease, but he is credited with hosting some of the best black entertainers of the day including Count Basie, Ruth Brown, and Nat King Cole.[3] The Nat King Cole show took place in 1954 in the racially segregated Jim Crow South, where an affluent black audience sat in front, in the premium seats, while the white patrons stood in the back to listen to the legend.

In 1957, the venue was divided into two separate performance areas by a single wall. One area, named the “Guthrey Club” featured Rhythm and Blues artists such as Little Richard, Fats Domino, Bo Diddly, and Roy Orbison, while the bigger ballroom focused on Country Music.

In 1958, O.L. Nelms sold the business[4] and in 1967 sold the property[5] to his close friend and business partner Dewey Groom who renamed the venue The Longhorn Ballroom. Groom, who was also a recording artist, and record label owner, successfully ran the ballroom for more than 25 years, adding the iconic Longhorn Ballroom marquee. In 2022, Groom was honored posthumously with the Pioneer award by the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.[6]

The venue hosted a wide variety of acts from country legends such as, Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Charley Pride, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Ray Price, Conway Twitty, Bob Wills, Loretta Lynn, Hank Thompson, Willie Nelson and Patsy Montana . But also Ray Charles, B.B. King, Millie Jackson, Al Green, and James Brown are just a few of the great soul and blues acts who played the Longhorn Ballroom stage on Monday Service Industry Nights at the venue.[7]

1978 Marquee

On January 10, 1978 it achieved brief infamy in international music circles[8] when the Sex Pistols appeared there and during their performance taunted the audience, resulting in someone throwing a beer bottle and breaking Sid Vicious's nose, and he continued to play with blood running down his chest. Before the Sex Pistols, the venue hosted mainly country music artists including Charley Pride, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Ray Price, Conway Twitty, Bob Wills, Loretta Lynn, Hank Thompson, Willie Nelson and Patsy Montana. A photo of the venue's marquee listing both the Sex Pistols and Merle Haggard concerts on consecutive nights added to the lore.

The Bob Wills concert album, "The Longhorn Recordings" featuring the music of Bob Wills and his steel guitar player Gene Crownover was recorded in the early Sixties at Longhorn Ballroom. One of the two music videos for Aerosmith's 1989 single "What It Takes" was filmed at the Longhorn Ballroom.[9]

In 1980, Loretta Lynn, The Academy of Country Music's 1970s Artist of the Decade,[10] starred in "50 Years of Country Gold," a television special that was broadcast live from the stage of the Longhorn Ballroom.[11] Johnny Cash[12] and George Strait[13] made their debuts at the Longhorn in the 80's, as well as five-time Grammy winner, La Mafia.[14] The tradition of offering a wide range of musical genres continued as Butthole Surfers, The Flaming Lips, Ramones, Motorhead and Red Hot Chili Peppers all performed at the Longhorn.[15] In 1986, African trumpet player and human rights activist, Fela Kuti played his final Dallas show at the Longhorn Ballroom.[16] One of the two music videos for Aerosmith's 1989 single "What It Takes" was filmed at the Longhorn Ballroom.[17]

The Longhorn Ballroom returned to brief infamy in 1990, when 2 Live Crew refused to go on stage for a scheduled show, resulting in fights among their fans and police.[18]

Dallas soul stalwart Johnnie Taylor released a live video filmed at the Longhorn in 1997.[19]

Bobby Patterson, who claims in the introduction to his KKDA radio show to be "able to leap the Longhorn Ballroom in a single bound," recorded a live album there in 2002.

From October 1996 to February 2017 it was owned and operated by Raul and Rosalinda Ramirez who also operated the restaurant Raul's Corral Mexican Restaurant adjacent to the ballroom. In 2017, restorations were made to the historic venue[20][21] and it reopened for a time as a special events venue then closed in 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Longhorn Ballroom was purchased out of bankruptcy in 2022 and reopened March 30, 2023 with Asleep at the Wheel.[22] In attendance for the reopening were the Ramirez’s as well as the families of Dewey Groom and Bob Wills. On March 31, 2023, the venue hosted Old Crow Medicine Show, with a guest appearance by Robert Earl Keen.[23] On April 1, 2023, Morgan Wade and Lucero played the newly reopened stage.

After an 18 month designation process the Longhorn Ballroom was recognized with an official listing on the National Register of Historic Places on February 1, 2024.[24] Proprietor Edwin Cabaniss made the announcement from the stage as the ballroom hosted Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys, under the direction of Jason Roberts. The crowd included representatives from the Bob Wills Foundation, The Texas Dance Hall Preservation, the Texas Music Office as well as three generations of the Wills family. D Magazine covered the announcement, here.[25]

## References[edit]

1. ^ Macon, Alex (2021-10-15). "What It Will Take To Bring the Longhorn Ballroom Back To Life". D Magazine. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
2. ^ "Appendix 16". National Archives. 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
3. ^ Sanderson, Bill. "Longhorn Nights". D Magazine. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
4. ^ Letter from Captain W. F. Gannaway, Dallas Police Department, provided through Lieutenant Jack Revell, Dallas Police Department, re: Criminal Intelligence, Dewey Groom; www.texashistory.unt.edu.
5. ^ Jim Stephenson, “Buyer Nelms in Seller’s Role,” Dallas Morning News, October 22, 1967, page 1
6. ^ shamburger, meredith. "Texas Country Music Hall of Fame inducts three acts at 2022 show". Panola Watchman. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
7. ^ "The Longhorn Ballroom renovation project passes Dallas City Council, one step closer to reopening". KXT 91.7. 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
8. ^ "God Save The Sex Pistols - Longhorn Ballroom The Evening News Press Cutting". www.philjens.plus.com. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
9. ^ Aerosmith - What It Takes, retrieved 2023-03-13
10. ^ "Academy of Country Music | Search Winners". www.acmcountry.com. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
11. ^ Loretta Lynn singing Coal Miner's Daughter & She's Got You on Country Gold hosted by Dennis Weaver, retrieved 2023-06-19
12. ^ Fort Worth Star-Telegram - February 19, 1988 - page 79
13. ^ Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct 1982, Fri · Page 27
14. ^ Fort Worth Star-Telegram 06 Jun 1986, Fri · Page 105
15. ^ Liles, Jeff. "Echoes And Reverberations: The Ghosts Of The Longhorn Ballroom". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
16. ^ Liles, Jeff. "Echoes And Reverberations: The Ghosts Of The Longhorn Ballroom". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
17. ^ Aerosmith - What It Takes, retrieved 2023-03-13
18. ^ "July 09, 1990 DMN Page 001 | Archives by The Dallas Morning News". archives.dallasnews.com. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
19. ^ Johnnie Taylor - Who's Makin' Love, retrieved 2023-03-13
20. ^ "Historic Longhorn Ballroom that's hosted Sex Pistols and Playboys has new Dallas owner, plans to remodel | Real Estate | Dallas News". Dallas News. 2017-02-07. Retrieved 2017-02-08.
21. ^ Hoinski 6, Michael (2017-10-16). "Saving the Longhorn Ballroom, Texas's Most Historic Music Venue". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 2022-01-04.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
22. ^ "Longhorn Ballroom hits play again with Asleep at the Wheel". Dallas News. 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
23. ^ Woodward, Garret K. (2023-04-14). "How a Texas Honky-Tonk That Hosted Johnny Cash and Sex Pistols Was Reborn". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
24. ^ "Weekly List 2024 02 02 - National Register of Historic Places (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
25. ^ Rogers, Tim (2024-02-06). "Longhorn Ballroom Listed on National Register of Historic Places". D Magazine. Retrieved 2024-05-16.

* Noel E. Monk: 12 Days on the Road: The Sex Pistols and America, HarperCollins (1992) ISBN 0-688-11274-9 Google books
* Loretta Lynn, with Patsi Bale Cox: Still Woman Enough: A Memoir, Hyperion (2002) ISBN 0-7868-6650-0 Google books
* Patsy Montana, Jane C. Frost: Patsy Montana: The Cowboy's Sweetheart, McFarland & Company (2002) ISBN 0-7864-1080-9 Google books

32°45′35″N 96°47′33″W﻿ / ﻿32.7598°N 96.7926°W﻿ / 32.7598; -96.7926