Where: Dallas, Texas
When: year-round
If you like: music, nostalgia
Why you should go: Since 1950, the Longhorn Ballroom in South Dallas has been the headquarters for Texas music. First opened as Bob Wills’ Ranch House in honor of the King of Western Swing, it frequently hosted Patsy Cline, George Strait, Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings, and—as the years went by—other genres, too, including soul and blues legends Ray Charles, Fats Domino, and James Brown. During a notorious 1978 show by the Sex Pistols, bassist Sid Vicious was hit in the face but finished the set with a bloody nose. (A classic photo from that year in which the Sex Pistols and Merle Haggard shared the roadside marquee captures the Longhorn’s eclectic booking policy.)
But as temples of music often do, the Longhorn fell into disrepair before being resurrected in 2022 by Edwin Cabaniss, a kingpin of the Dallas independent music scene. With the inside fully restored, Cabaniss has now turned his attention to the outside of the venue, and this spring the 6,500-capacity Longhorn Backyard Amphitheater will hold its grand opening. “People love nostalgia, and that’s one of the reasons they love the Longhorn Ballroom,” Cabaniss says. “It’s like stepping into this trip that brings you back to a happier time.”
G&G tip: Go early and grab some ’cue at Smokin’ & Rollin’ next door (get the lamb), and leave time to take in the Longhorn’s extensive collection of memorabilia, rare photos, and show audio.
Matt Hendrickson has been a contributing editor for Garden & Gun since 2008. A former staff writer at Rolling Stone, he’s also written for Fast Company and the New York Times and currently moonlights as a content producer for Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service in Athens, Ohio.
