So, before heading out of San Antonio we talked to the Teczar clan about possible places to check out while on our way to Texas and through hill country. I say the Teczar clan because I must have caught them eating dinner.. I was able to talk to everyone on speaker… I had Max tell me about his Jeep, Jack yell to make sure he was heard, and Dan and Christina telling me about places to visit. One of the more bizarre places that Christina recommended was Luckenbach, Texas. Christina told us that Luckenbach was a tiny place, where the population was 3, and a post office, which also served as the general store, and bar. We had to check this out.
Apparently Luckenbach is a small place with a dance hall… a dance hall that just about every Texas musician, and many famous country stars from back in the day have played at. Before Willie Nelson moved his 4th of July picnic to Austin, it was held in Luckenbach. We were told that during one of Willie’s parties, the population of Luckenbach would go from 3 to 22,000. That’s bananas. We pulled in to Luckenbach and it didn’t seem that special. It seemed cool but kind of like a cool place to stop and say you’ve been. As we started to walk around, we realized that everyone there was a tourist, except for a very small few who seemed to be regulars. Don’t get me wrong, there weren’t many people there at all but you could tell the difference. We walked through the Post Office/General Store through to the back where we found a door to the bar. Actually, it was called Hondo’s Bar. I believe Hondo was one of the 3 people who actually lived there.
Tara, Murphy and I sat down to have a beer (because Murphy was allowed) and everyone who walked in gave Murphy a treat, or three. After our beer, we could hear live music starting.
We walked out into the back yard area and there was a guy just sitting down, playing old country classics with a tip jar. Now we couldn’t leave. After a couple more beers, and making some new friends, we saw another person walking to the stage. The woman asked the guy if she could sit in and he said of course. Apparently, this woman was a country musician from many years ago (I’m very sorry I can’t remember her name, but it was proper three name type name) and she said “In all my years of playing music I never got to play Luckenbach. Do you mind if I play a couple songs?” Obviously no one had any objections. This younger guys who was slotted to place this time had no objections either, he what she wanted to play and he played right along with her. It was a really great experience.
Sadly, Tara and I were informed that the population was no longer 3, in fact, now it’s 0. The last resident of Luckenbach, TX recently moved into an assisted living home. Now, there are three empty homes in Luckenbach but the Post Office / General Store / Hondo’s Bar / Outdoor Live Music are doing fine.
I actually found it very hard to leave Luckenbach… and I can’t wait to go back.
withoutwhatifs 