CMT Blog: Archive

Approaching Gruene, Texas, from Austin on I-35, the lay of the land looks much like it would anywhere in America. Shopping plazas, cheap motels and fast food franchises line the corridor in never-ending repetition, but a few short miles off the freeway, a holdout of simpler times exists. Gruene has managed to retain its charm and tranquility as a historic site, and its centerpiece -- a true bucket-list item for any country music fan -- is Gruene Hall, the state's oldest dance hall. I had the good fortune to see Reckless Kelly for my first Gruene Hall experience Friday night (March 26).

Greeted at the gate by a good-natured sheriff's deputy and an expansive shaded area, the first impression of the hall is that it's a very modest building. Other than the picturesque street-front, it resembles a barn or maybe a tall chicken shack. A rusty tin roof covers the long building, and wooden shutters drop down to expose chicken wire windows. As your first foot hits the creaky plank floor, the whole place seems to adjust itself to your presence. It's funny how walking on concrete most of the time has a way of tightening up the muscles in your back and shoulders, and you forget what it's like to feel the forgiveness of well-traveled wood. A relaxation sets in that leads directly to the front bar where a Lone Star beer awaits, and then you notice the photos of famous patrons and performers -- George Strait posing for his debut album cover, Lyle Lovett looking like a rooster-human, Willie Nelson and even Quentin Tarantino all flash smiles.

Taking a few steps around to the main hall -- ahh, every step is like heaven -- a low-rise stage appears at the far end, flanked by a few pool tables and simple wall-benches that run the length of the room. A mix of perfume, cigarettes and beer mingles in the crowd, and as the band appears from a small side room labeled with the sign, "Men's Bathroom Located Outside," a cheer erupts that makes it easy to see why the hall has been around so long. If the Ryman Auditorium is country music's church, Gruene Hall is its dinner table -- casual, accommodating and authentic. It was the first of a two-night stand for Reckless Kelly, and though I've seen them twice before in Nashville, it felt like I was seeing them for the first time. I get the feeling that would be the case with any band playing in Gruene.