A Gruene Hall tradition, now in its 21st year, where hipsters, oldsters, suits, locals and drifters mix it up to start their weekend rite (pun intended!) This quintessential Friday happy hour celebrates the warmer weather with great beer prices, prize giveaways and the best in Texas tunes broadcast live by KNBT 92.1 FM Radio New Braunfels. There’s even a very special guest interview each week. Some that have stopped by for a chat have included Ray Benson, Steve Earle, Delbert McClinton, Radney Foster, Hayes Carll and Ray Wylie Hubbard. Good times!
(Joshua Ray Walker opens)In the lush tobacco fields of North Carolina where BJ Barham was raised, people work hard. Families stay nearby, toiling and growing together. BJ loves those farms and his tiny Reidsville hometown, but he had to run off and start American Aquarium, a band now beloved by thousands. BJ couldn’t stay. But he couldn’t really leave, either: he’s still singing about the lessons, stories, and lives that define rural America––and him. BJ’s candor has fueled American Aquarium’s runaway appeal, visible most clearly in consistently sold-out shows across the country and throughout Europe – between 200 and 250 dates a year. Much has changed for the band and BJ since their acclaimed last effort, Wolves. BJ’s personal life underwent seismic shifts: He got sober. He got married. Soon, he’ll be a dad. Featuring a new band lineup that includes Shane Boeker on lead guitar, drummer Joey Bybee, bassist Ben Hussey, and Adam Kurtz on pedal steel and electric guitar, as well as a reinvigorated frontman in BJ, Things Change is American Aquarium’s first release on a label after selling thousands of records on their own. Recorded at 3CG Records in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Things Change was produced by Grammy nominated singer-songwriter John Fulbright and features cameos from Americana standouts including John Moreland and Jamie Lin Wilson.
(James Hand opens)Growing up with a single mother in San Benito, Texas, the hometown of Tejano star Freddy Fender was not easy for blues singer Charley Crockett. Hitchhiking across the country exposed Crockett to the street life at a young age, following in the footsteps of his relative, American folk hero Davy Crockett, who also lived a wild life on the American frontier. After train hopping across the country, singing on the streets for change in New Orleans’ French Quarter, busking in New York City and performing across Texas and Northern California, Crockett set off to travel the world and lived on the streets of Paris for nearly a year before searching for home in Spain, Morocco, and Northern Africa. The blues artist returned home to Texas and released his debut solo album titled A Stolen Jewel in 2015, receiving critical acclaim in Dallas and ultimately landing him a Dallas Observer Music Award that year for “Best Blues Act”. He released his sophomore record In The Night, an admirable nod to his Texas country and Louisiana blues roots, in 2016. In 2017, he found time to get back to Austin, Texas to record a collection of his favorite honky tonk songs called Charley Crockett presents Lil G.L.’s Honky Tonk Jubilee which was his first release under his new label deal with Thirty Tigers (Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson).
A Gruene Hall tradition, now in its 21st year, where hipsters, oldsters, suits, locals and drifters mix it up to start their weekend rite (pun intended!) This quintessential Friday happy hour celebrates the warmer weather with great beer prices, prize giveaways and the best in Texas tunes broadcast live by KNBT 92.1 FM Radio New Braunfels. There’s even a very special guest interview each week. Some that have stopped by for a chat have included Ray Benson, Steve Earle, Delbert McClinton, Radney Foster, Hayes Carll and Ray Wylie Hubbard. Good times!
(Big Cedar Fever opens)Ray Benson founded Asleep at the Wheel in Paw Paw, West Virginia 46 years ago. Now based in Austin, the band holds 10 Grammy awards, 20 studio albums and 20 singles on the Billboard country charts. The Grammy Award-winning Still The King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys is the band’s most recent release (2015) and marks their third full-length Bob Wills tribute album. Featuring 22 acclaimed collaborations, the all-star lineup includes legends such as Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and George Strait and newcomers like The Avett Brothers, Amos Lee, Old Crow Medicine Show and many other fine talents. Asleep at the Wheel is bringing a fresh look and sound. Now traveling as an 8-piece band, recent additions Katie Shore (fiddle, vocals), Dennis Ludiker (fiddle, mandolin) and Connor Forsyth (keyboard, vocals) have instilled a newfound energy and their own unique style within the band. Between those Texas Twin Fiddles and Boogie Piano, you can bet you’ll be dancin’ down the aisles and swingin’ all night long when the Wheel rolls into town!
(Pat Byrne opens)For over 35 years, Joe Ely has been one of the most magical performers to rock the floors at Gruene Hall. He’s been penned a wandering minstrel, gypsy cowboy, visionary song poet, and houserocker on fire, and of course, a Texas legend. Aside from fronting his own band, Joe is also one of the founding members of The Flatlanders (Butch Hancock, Jimmie Gilmore), and member of the Grammy Award winning group, Los Super Seven. Joe Ely’s music crosses the line over several genres of music such as country and rock. His often sold-out crowds at Gruene Hall won’t allow for much dancing at his show, but his music, his songs, and his all-star band will move your feet and rock your soul.
TICKETS: $35 | DOORS: 9:30 AM
The Gospel Brunch is led by Bret Graham, one of Gruene Hall’s favorite country musicians. Bret sings his cowboy style Gospel tunes and is accompanied by The New Soul Invaders, an uplifting gospel band. The New Orleans-style gospel brunch also features a buffet catered by Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar.
(Prophets & Outlaws opens)In the early fall of 1973, The Marshall Tucker Band was still a young and hungry group out to prove themselves every time they hit the stage. Still led today by founding member and lead singer Doug Gray, they represent a time and place in music that will never be duplicated. Current members include the highly respected drummer B.B. Borden, a former member of both Mother’s Finest and The Outlaws, multi-instrumentalist Marcus Henderson of Macon, Georgia, plays flute, saxophone and keyboards in addition to lead and background vocals, Pat Elwood on bass guitar, and Rick Willis on lead guitar and vocals, both of Spartanburg SC, are disciples of the Caldwell Brothers. Acclaimed lead guitarist and vocalist Chris Hicks recently rejoined the band after a two-year absence. In years to come, The Marshall Tucker Band would wow critics and influence major country acts like Alabama, The Kentucky Headhunters, Confederate Railroad, and Travis Tritt with its definitive blend of rock, rhythm & blues, jazz, country, and gospel. With hit singles like “Heard It In a Love Song,” “Fire On The Mountain,” “Can’t You See,” and “Take The Highway,” The Marshall Tucker Band earned seven gold and three platinum albums while they were on the Capricorn Records label. During the 90’s, the MTB scored four hit singles on Billboard’s country chart and one on Billboard’s gospel chart. More than 40 years after forming, The Marshall Tucker Band continues to tour, performing more than 130 live dates each year. CMT named the MTB’s “Can’t You See” the #4 Greatest Southern Rock Song. The MTB’s debut album, The Marshall Tucker Band, reigns as Gibson Guitar’s #5 Greatest Southern Rock Album.
A Gruene Hall tradition, now in its 21st year, where hipsters, oldsters, suits, locals and drifters mix it up to start their weekend rite (pun intended!) This quintessential Friday happy hour celebrates the warmer weather with great beer prices, prize giveaways and the best in Texas tunes broadcast live by KNBT 92.1 FM Radio New Braunfels. There’s even a very special guest interview each week. Some that have stopped by for a chat have included Ray Benson, Steve Earle, Delbert McClinton, Radney Foster, Hayes Carll and Ray Wylie Hubbard. Good times!
(Garrett T. Capps opens)We make a lot of assumptions about people who make songs for a living. Because Robert Ellis and his band were fluent in honky-tonk and capable of burning through dozens of George Jones standards on any given night, he could have found his boots set in concrete. He has instead over the course of now four albums done his best to set wide parameters for his musical expression, befitting a guy from a state nearly 800 miles from one end to the other. Had we paid more attention, we might’ve seen the Texas Piano Man coming with his white tuxedo and bouquet of yellow roses to hand out to fans. Maybe we made some assumptions about him. After all, Robert Ellis traveled the world for a few years, playing songs and pouring sweat each night into the unforgiving fabric of a lapis-colored western suit with Titan rockets embellishing the sleeves and a space suit-clad Buzz Aldrin standing on the flaps. If rhinestones were truly stars, the stages wouldn’t have needed lights. Something inside wanted out. Or as one of his bandmates put it: Ellis had to create a character in order to finally be himself on stage. Which brings us to the Texas Piano Man, a character or persona that isn’t made up whole cloth, but rather a large projection of Ellis’ wilder inclinations. A guy who named his publishing company Southern Liberace has embraced the idea of being a Rocket Man from Space City. “With Texas, people expect a certain thing and they want a certain thing, and I fought that for a long time,” he says. “I’ve realized though that Texas shouldn’t be made a category. I want to redefine what it means to be Texan a little bit.” This is the Texas Piano Man who made Texas Piano Man, a record that nods at its honky-tonk roots set by a guitarist as he finds more room to roam while playing a stationary instrument and pulls from a tradition set by Billy Joel, Leon Russell and Elton John.
(Opening Band - TBA)Legendary music icons, Three Dog Night, celebrating nearly 5 decades, claims some of the most astonishing statistics in popular music. In the years 1969 through 1974, no other group achieved more top 10 hits, moved more records or sold more concert tickets than Three Dog Night. Three Dog Night hits wind through the fabric of pop culture today, whether on the radio where they are heard day in and day out, in TV commercials or in major motion pictures — songs like “Mama Told Me (Not To Come)”, “Joy to the World”, “Black and White”, “Shambala” and “One” serve to heighten our emotions and crystallize Three Dog Night’s continuing popularity. This Grammy-nominated band is not content resting on its legacy alone. The hit filled concerts are performed for generation-spanning audiences by Danny Hutton (founder/lead vocalist) and Michael Allsup (guitar), Paul Kingery (bass/vocals), Pat Bautz (drums), Howard Laravea (keyboards) and David Morgan (vocals). The band’s now-famous name refers to native Australian hunters in the outback who huddled with their dogs for warmth on cold nights; the coldest being a “three dog night”. Boasting chart and sales records that are virtually unmatched in popular music, Three Dog Night had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, including 3 #1 singles, 11 Top 10’s, 18 straight Top 20’s, 7 million-selling singles and 12 straight RIAA Certified Gold LPs.
Tickets: $50 | Doors: TBA
A celebration of Americana music featuring exceptional artists of the genre. Co-sponsored by Gruene Hall and KNBT 92.1 FM Radio New Braunfels. Proceeds benefit the Crisis Center of Comal County and Sally M. Kingsbury Sarcoma Research Foundation.
Robert Earl Keen
Randy Rogers
Wade Bowen
Cody Canada
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Darrell Scott
Jamie Lin Wilson
Willy & Cody Braun
Seth James
The Groobees
Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines
Walt Wilkins
Drew Kennedy
Josh Grider
John Baumann
and more!
*Lineup and schedule subject to change.
A Gruene Hall tradition, now in its 21st year, where hipsters, oldsters, suits, locals and drifters mix it up to start their weekend rite (pun intended!) This quintessential Friday happy hour celebrates the warmer weather with great beer prices, prize giveaways and the best in Texas tunes broadcast live by KNBT 92.1 FM Radio New Braunfels. There’s even a very special guest interview each week. Some that have stopped by for a chat have included Ray Benson, Steve Earle, Delbert McClinton, Radney Foster, Hayes Carll and Ray Wylie Hubbard. Good times!
(Opening Band - TBA)Ray Wylie Hubbard is a well-respected Texas Country singer-songwriter who is most known for his songs “Snake Farm” and “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother” and made famous by Jerry Jeff Walker’s 1973 recording. The renowned Americana hero returns with a lean ’n’ mean follow-up to 2012’s triumphant The Grifter’s Hymnal with his latest album, The Ruffian’s Misfortune. Soon to be followed by his uproarious, hair-raising autobiography, A Life…Well, Lived, The Ruffian’s Misfortune was co-produced by Hubbard and bassist George Reiff and showcases Hubbard’s bluesy slide alongside the twin guitar leads of Gabe Rhodes and Hubbard’s son, Lucas.
Tickets: $10 | DOORS: 7 PM
Dale Watson is a honky tonk hero and country music maverick, a true outlaw carrying on where Waylon Jennings left off. A member of the Austin Music Hall of Fame, he stands alongside Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and George Strait as one of the finest country singers and songwriters from the Lone Star State. Commercial country did not fit the fiercely independent songwriter, so after relocating to Austin, Dale wrote several songs poking fun at the industry side of Nashville. Dale released The Trucking Sessions in 1998. Including 14 original driving songs, the album received high praise and caused critics to compare him to chart-topping writer Red Simpson, who was responsible for some of the most iconic trucking tunes in country music. Just two years after this success, Dale’s fiancee died in a car accident. He turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with her loss and nearly died of an overdose. Dale then checked himself into a mental institution and left a year later, releasing his tribute album to her called Every Song I Write Is For You (2001). Back in Texas and on the road in 2006, Dale has been trucking ever since. Dale released his 20th album called The Sun Sessions. Hailed as “one of the best country albums of the year”, it was recorded at Memphis’ legendary Sun Studios with The Texas Two in the stripped-down style of Johnny Cash’s earliest recordings. He followed this with El Rancho Azul, 14 fresh honky tonk originals about marriage, heartbreak and honkytonkin’, which propelled Dale into the national spotlight with multiple appearances on late-night television and NPR.
A Gruene Hall tradition, now in its 21st year, where hipsters, oldsters, suits, locals and drifters mix it up to start their weekend rite (pun intended!) This quintessential Friday happy hour celebrates the warmer weather with great beer prices, prize giveaways and the best in Texas tunes broadcast live by KNBT 92.1 FM Radio New Braunfels. There’s even a very special guest interview each week. Some that have stopped by for a chat have included Ray Benson, Steve Earle, Delbert McClinton, Radney Foster, Hayes Carll and Ray Wylie Hubbard. Good times!
(Frenchie’s Blues Destroyers opens)When Jack Ingram won the 2008 Academy of Country Music award for “Best New Male Vocalist,” thousands of people in the audience had to be smiling to themselves about that whole “new” thing. They knew the thirty-something, steel-eyed veteran accepting that trophy on that stage in Vegas had been rocking roadhouses, theaters and stadiums relentlessly since 1997, that he’d been celebrated by critics and fans of hard-core country music for more than a decade, and that as a Texas-born songwriter and performer, he’d been on the short list of next generation artists who could fill the boots of Lone Star legends like Willie and Waylon and the boys. But the award did mean that Ingram, after trials and setbacks that would have buckled other artists, had at last matched the commercial success he’d always wanted with the integrity on which he’d always insisted. So he told the crowd with no small measure of pride and triumph that night that “big dreams and high hopes” can come true. As if to validate and amplify that truth, Ingram remained in the forefront of country music with his album Big Dreams & High Hopes, the seventh studio disc of his career. Inspired by the music of his heroes Jerry Jeff Walker, Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and many others, Ingram’s latest album, Midnight Motel, is his first album in seven years and was released in August 2016.