Shot from video linked below. Courtesy Kessler Presents.
A week after announcing the reopening of its landmark venue, Longhorn Ballroom promoters offer a glimpse into concerts coming soon, and it’s probably safe to say, the music-appreciating masses will be pleased.
(Meanwhile, here’s a cool video of construction progress.)
Asleep at the Wheel, Old Crow Medicine Show with East Dallas native Joshua Ray Walker (Advocate profile here), Morgan Wade and legend Emmylou Harris will take the stage come spring.
Western Swing torchbearers Asleep at the Wheel with Brennen Leigh and Joshua Hedley will be the first acts back in the Longhorn, March 31.
That’s in line with owner-operators Kessler Presents’ goal of honoring and connecting the venue’s history to the venue’s present and future, according to a press release. AatW last played the Longhorn in the summer of 2019.
Asleep at the Wheel frontman Ray Benson, who founded the group more than 50 years ago, says it’s a great honor and opportunity to be the first band back on the Longhorn stage. (Since its start, 100-plus musicians have been in Asleep at the Wheel, Ray being the only constant, Dallas Observer reported in 2018 after the band released a new album.)
“We first played the Longhorn in 1974, and for a bunch of young Bob Wills fans, it was a thrill,” Benson says. “I have seen the ups and downs of the Longhorn over the last 50 years, and am very excited and relieved that Edwin and his team are going to continue to honor the tradition of this special place and make sure it is never forgotten or lost like so many other of Texas’ historic venues and dance halls.”
Old Crow Medicine Show and special guest Joshua Ray Walker will perform March 31. Saturday, April 1, Morgan Wade with special guests Lucero and Kaitlin Butts are up.
As mentioned in last week’s announcement, Longhorn Ballroom is in the market to host acts that have outgrown smaller theaters.
“So when the demand for Morgan Wade’s originally scheduled Kessler Theater show instantly sold out, it only made sense to move the wildly-popular artist’s performance over to the new, larger-capacity Longhorn Ballroom — and to add alt-country favorites Lucero to the bill,” the promoters note.
Finally, for now, Americana icon Emmylou Harris, one of the most influential figures in country music history — whose stunning versatility over the years has had her guest starring on a Bright Eyes album, teaming up with Mumford and Sons or 80s sensation Mark Knopfler, not to mention her famous collabs with country stars including Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt and Sheryl Crow — will perform at Longhorn for the first time, April 22.
“We are excited to share the first batch of shows as it is just a taste of what patrons can expect from Longhorn Ballroom programming in the coming years,” Longhorn’s primary steward and head of Kessler Presents Edwin Cabaniss says. “Every bill during our soft launch is made up of artists we love and are personally excited to see perform.”
Tickets begin to go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Longhornballroom.com.
