'Holding onto history,' Dallas' Longhorn Ballroom to once again welcome live musicians.
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas' historic Longhorn Ballroom will once again welcome live musicians when it reopens in the spring.
Built in 1950, the historic honky-tonk has housed legends such as Nat King Cole, Patsy Cline, Charley Pride, The Sex Pistols and Merle Haggard (on the same marquee) to name a few.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to help preserve a piece of our past while building something new and exciting that is up to modern standards," said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson.
In a news release, credit for the resurgence of the dancehall goes to owner of The Kessler Theater in Oak Cliff, Edwin Cabaniss. Cabaniss and the rest of The Kessler Presents team, that is. It's the same group that took on the revitalization of The Kessler Theater and The Heights Theater in Houston.
"The restoration and resurrection of legacy theaters and venues has become Edwin's true calling, and this is evident by the way he just immerses himself into the historical trajectory of each project. He's very careful to study the backstory of each building, and to respectfully pay homage to those who helped create and define the culture that made them special in the first place. Respectfully upholding the memory of folks like Gene Autry, who once owned The Kessler, and Bob Wills and Dewey Groom, who helped to shape what became the Longhorn Ballroom. It's important to him to hold history in the highest regard, and hopefully, to be able to write additional chapters in their respective stories," Kessler Theater Artistic Director Jeff Liles told CBS 11 News.
The group is currently in the thick of an intensive restoration of the Longhorn's hallowed grounds with the promise of bands returning on stage, according to the release.
"We take great pride that many artists build their fan bases at The Kessler Theater and then graduate to bigger rooms," said Cabaniss. "With the addition of the Longhorn Ballroom, we can continue to grow with them."
Cabaniss worked closely with Mayor Johnson to ensure the 2,000+ venue will positively add to the neighborhood and to Dallas' greater arts community.
"His contribution in this regard is an absolute gift to the community, and works on a cultural education level, as well," explained Liles. "I think I can speak for everyone who works for the Kessler team that we're really having a lot of fun participating in these projects. You can just look at the faces of the folks who attend the shows and see that they're literally having the time of their lives. Being present for these shows brings back so many wonderful memories for them, and offers a bit of hope, too. While they often see the rest of their community transforming into something they may no longer recognize, it's nice to see at least one or two venues here still holding onto history, preserving something they've always held dear to their hearts."
Patrons can enjoy something new featuring the days of old in the form of original museum-style display cases this time around.
The cases include everything from Tex Ritter's suit to James Brown's robe; a collection of guitars from artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Waylon Jennings, Tammy Wynette, and BB King; the dress Loretta Lynn wore when she played the Longhorn; Bob Wills' fiddle amplifier; and many other items and photographs from the venue's early days.
"The Longhorn Ballroom is a monument to our city's rich music history — a history that deserves to be front and center nationally. And the Longhorn Ballroom is in a part of our city that is primed for growth in the years ahead," said Johnson.
