Dallas, Texas' legendary Longhorn Ballroom is officially reopening this spring, and an all-star cast of artists will be performing during the venue's first two months to celebrate. Now owned by Edwin Cabaniss and Kessler Presents, the venue will have a soft launch period in March and April that will begin with the inaugural night on Thursday, March 30. The first night will include performances from Asleep at the Wheel with Brennen Leigh and Joshua Hedley.
For the Austin, Texas-based group Asleep at the Wheel, performing at the Longhorn Ballroom once again is immensely important. They played the venue, which was once named for Western swing bandleader Bob Wills, back in the '70s.
"We first played the Longhorn in 1974, and for a bunch of young Bob Wills fans, it was a thrill. 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," says Asleep at the Wheel frontman Ray Benson. "To be the first band back on the Longhorn stage for the reopening is an honor and an opportunity I take great pride in having. You can bet the dance floor will be packed and Bob Wills music will be played!"
The celebration will continue on Friday, March 31, with performances from Old Crow Medicine Show with special guest Joshua Ray Walker. Then, on April 1, country artist Morgan Wade will take the stage along with Lucero and Kaitlin Butts. The venue is planning a big show on April 22 as well, with the appearance of music legend Emmylou Harris.
Kessler Presents also owns The Kessler Theater in Dallas and The Heights Theater in Houston, and Cabaniss says the first performances are a "taste" of what fans can expect from the new Longhorn Ballroom.
"From the legendary to the emerging-and-rocketing-toward-stardom, every bill during our soft launch is made up of artists we love and are personally excited to see perform," says Cabaniss. "Taking our cues from the venue's 72-year-old history — we're taking our time building out our calendar because we want to get it just right. We want to ensure artists and patrons have a remarkable experience every time they walk through our doors."
The venue has undergone a substantial renovation in preparation for the reopening. See part of the process below.
Tickets for all shows on go on sale here at 10AM CT on their on-sale date. See below for more information.
Longhorn Ballroom show schedule and ticket on-sale dates:
Mar 30: Asleep at the Wheel with Brennen Leigh and Joshua Hedley (on sale 2/1)
Mar 31: Old Crow Medicine Show with special guest Joshua Ray Walker (artist presale 2/1, public on sale 2/3)
Apr 1: Morgan Wade with special guests Lucero and Kaitlin Butts (on sale 1/31)
Apr 22: Emmylou Harris (on sale 2/3)
