Museums, Dance Halls and Large Venues
Country music fans come from around the world to get the low-down in Texas. In Brady, be sure to visit the Heart of Texas Country Music Museum. It opened in 2000 and over 75 country music artists are honored here. The displays include stage costumes, musical instruments, personal effects and life-size wax figures.
In Carthage, a must is a visit to Texas Country Music Hall of Fame and Tex Ritter Museum. This amazing $2.5 million, 13,000- square foot facility pays tribute to Texans who have made an indelible mark on the country music industry. Inductees include Waylon Jennings, Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizzell, Kris Kristofferson, Gene Autry, Willie Nelson, Dale Evans, Jim Reeves and Tanya Tucker. The Tex Ritter Museum contains memorabilia of the legendary country/western entertainer who was an early member of the Grand Old Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame, and a beautiful bronze statue in front of the facility features Ritter seated next to his horse.
Also, don’t forget to visit Gruene Hall, a legendary musical venue in the village of Gruene (pronounced “green”) now part of New Braunfels. Built in 1878, Gruene Hall is the oldest continually running dance hall in Texas, and the Central Texas birthplace to many great songwriters and musicians, including Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, Robert Earl Keen, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Hal Ketchum, Bruce and Charlie Robison, and many more. From a gospel brunch with a Texas twist—listening to awe-inspiring music coupled with a mouth-watering buffet—to the popular rockabilly band Two Tons of Steel every Tuesday, there’s something for everyone at Gruene Hall.
In Fort Worth, be sure to visit Billy Bob's Texas, the world’s largest honky tonk with a 4,800 square-foot rodeo area; 600 feet of bar rails and a 1,650 square-foot stage for country/western entertainment. The building now known as Billy Bob's was built in 1910 as an open air cattle barn, but today this space provides fun for over 6,000 people with a wonderful roster of top musical entertainers and an expansive dance floor to showcase the latest in country dancing.
To start planning your next Texas vacation, visit www.TravelTex.com
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