LINDEN, Texas - One of the Texarkana area's top venues for live music has sat dormant far too long, but that changes soon at Music City Texas Theater.
The cozy, charming venue has hosted the likes of Don Henley and Jackson Browne over the years, often including Texas country music performers in its lineup of live concerts.
On Aug. 21, Music City opens its stage once again to bring the best live music experience to patrons and friends alike after a pandemic-inspired hiatus.
That night, Northeast Texas bluegrass legends and frequent MCT visitors Hickory Hill will perform with an 8 p.m. show time ($30 general admission tickets).
For the venue's executive director, David Hulme, restarting live music at Music City Texas is a welcome opportunity.
"Really we've got quite a bit of stuff already booked, leading off with Hickory Hill on the 21st of August," Hulme said. "The second show will be Sept. 11, and that's Linda Davis. She's been here before. Then the next show will be Oct. 30, and that will be Gene Watson."
Both the Davis and Watson concerts start at 8 p.m. with tickets at $30 for Davis, $45 for Watson. Tickets will go on sale to MCT patrons first, then to the general public.
Old school country crooner Watson, now in his 70s, has been a regular at Music City Texas. Known for ditties like "Love in the Hot Afternoon" and "Farewell Party," Watson is perennially popular in this area, frequently performing at venues near Texarkana, and his website notes that this "Singer's Singer" can still sing in the same key he did three decades ago.
"He's a sellout every time he comes," Hulme said.
Watson's album "Real. Country. Music" provides an indicator of his approach to the music genre.
As to Davis, she's a Texas-born, Grammy Award-winning singer, one of which she earned for her duo collaboration with Reba McEntire, "Does He Love You," a chart topper back in 1993. Other awards and nominations include Academy of Country Music Awards, Country Music Association Awards, Texas Country Music Hall of Fame and Billboard Music Awards.
To round out the year's lineup, Music City Texas welcomes Moe Bandy on Nov. 13 (8 p.m., $40). He was originally scheduled to play last year. The Mississippi-born and Texas-raised singer achieved much of his fame in the 1970s, but Hulme said his popularity has endured.
"We haven't had him ever," Hulme said. "We had him booked, and that's when the COVID hit."
Bandy has 10 No. 1 hits and 40 Top 10 hits, according to his website, with such numbers as "Just Good Ol' Boys," for which he collaborated with Joe Stampley, as well as "Bandy the Rodeo Clown," "It's a Cheatin' Situation," "Rodeo Romeo" and "Hank Williams, You Wrote my Life."
As to Hickory Hill, they've traditionally played two bluegrass shows per year at Music City. Hulme said they've worked up some new songs for this August's concert.
"They're usually like the third weekend in August and the third weekend in February," Hulme said.
He's ready to see Hickory Hill, the other performers and all the fans back at the hospitable, friendly venue. Although they won't have a mask requirement at the venue, they will have sanitizers and masks available for patron use.
"It's been so long, and I'm really happy to see everybody that's been coming to the theater for so long, not just the entertainers but all the people that come out and enjoy it," Hulme said. "This pandemic has been something like we've never seen around here."
After this first run of performers, Music City Texas will also welcome country musician Marty Stuart (Feb. 12) and bluegrass singer and multi-instrumentalist Rhonda Vincent (June 25) next year.
(More info and tickets: Visit MusicCityTexas.org or call 903-756-9934.)