Little venue, big talent

Tucked away in the piney woods south of Linden, is an old American Legion dance hall that has been transformed into a premiere concert venue like no other. In 2003 the building was renovated to seat 400 for a most intimate music experience.

The little theater has been around for quite some time. It served as the first stage Don Henley ever played on with his high school garage band, The Four Speeds. The snare drums used to house the ceiling lights came from Don’s collection.

Since being refurbished, the venue has hosted such talent as Henley, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Travis Tritt, Vince Gill, Wes Jeans, Whiskey Myers, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and many, many more big acts. While 2020 was a bum year, the acts that were cancelled are rebooked for this Fall and local Folk-Grass band Hickory Hill will kick off the season on August 21.

Linda Davis is the headliner for September 11, with tickets at $30 for General Admission. Davis is known for her duet with Reba McIntire on “Does She Love You?” She is also the mother of Hillary Scott of Lady A.

Veteran country artist Gene Watson will perform October 30, and Moe Bandy will perform November 13. Look for ticket sale dates on the venue website: musiccityhall.org.

Music City Texas Theater is a project of Linden – Music City, Texas, Incorporated, an autonomous nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization conceived by the Linden Economic Development Corporation in an effort to promote tourism in Linden, Cass County and the surrounding area. A number of local musicians, both amateur and professional, blended their abilities with the talents of local artists and contractors, and combined with financial support from the LEDC, the Linden Lions Club and private individuals, the Linden American Legion Auditorium originally built in 1948-1950, was transformed into a beautiful performance venue, attracting big talent to a small town.

Opening in May of 2003, the theater began to present an array of quality entertainment, ranging from regional and local entertainers to nationally known artists from all genres of music. A non-profit operation in an out-of-the-way location, the venue relies heavily on financial support from Sponsors and Patrons and is operated almost entirely through volunteer effort. But once music makers and music lovers have experienced its uniqueness, they have been known to return, sometimes from as much as thousands of miles away, to enjoy the experience again.

In between public events the theater is made available for private ones. The venue also hosts a number of civic gatherings, and when there are some extra finances available in excess of operating expenses, a portion of those proceeds are allocated to community improvement projects.

For more information, please go to the website: musiccitytexas.org