Since the early ’80s, the iconic country music venue in Fort Worth, Texas, the great Billy Bob’s, has brought in legends like George Jones, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, and continues to be a part of country music history with some really cool moments in 2021 that included Miranda Lambert and Hank Williams, Jr.
The world’s largest honky tonk is so legendary, in fact, that Alan Jackson wrote a song about it after he played a show there.
On this date in 1991, he released his hit, “Dallas,” after commenting that the venue made him “wish Dallas was in Tennessee”. Technically, Billy Bob’s is in Fort Worth, but we’re gonna let him slide on this one.
A co-write by Alan and Keith Stegall, it was third single from Alan’s second studio album, Don’t Rock the Jukebox, and became his fourth consecutive #1 single on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
The clever lyrics detail how the woman he loves, named Dallas, is heading back to Dallas, Texas. He notes that, just like in real life, he wished the actual city (and the girl) could be in Tennessee.
And after I went there for the first time back in the fall, I wholeheartedly agree… we need a Billy Bob’s in every state. It’s unlike any other venue you’ve ever been to, I can promise you that.