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Billy Bob's Texas facts for kids

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Billy Bob's Texas
The World's Largest Honky Tonk
Billy Bobs Texas.JPG
Billy Bob's Texas dance floor
Address 2520 Rodeo Plaza
Location Fort Worth, Texas
Coordinates 32°47′29″N 97°20′53″W / 32.79139°N 97.34806°W / 32.79139; -97.34806
Owner Billy Bob's Texas, LLC
Type Nightclub
Genre(s) Country
Capacity 6,000+
Opened April 1, 1981 (1981-04-01)

Billy Bob's Texas is a huge music venue in Fort Worth, Texas. It is located in the famous Fort Worth Stockyards. People call it "The World's Largest Honky Tonk." This means it's a very big place for country music and fun. It has 100,000 square feet inside. That's like 20 basketball courts! There's also a huge parking area.

History of Billy Bob's Texas

Billy Bob's Texas was started by Billy Bob Barnett and Spencer Taylor. Billy Bob was a football player. They found a huge old building. It used to be a department store. Before that, it was a cattle barn! They fixed it up with help from friends. The venue first opened on April 1, 1981.

It closed for a short time in 1988. Then, new owners took over. These owners were Holt Hickman, Don Jury, Steve Murrin, and Billy Minick. They reopened it in October 1988.

Famous Performers at Billy Bob's

While it's famous for country music, other stars have performed there too. Famous comedian Bob Hope once visited. Even blues legend B.B. King played on its stage.

In 1983, country singer Merle Haggard did something special. He bought a small drink for everyone in the audience. There were 5,095 people there! This big gesture cost a lot of money. It earned him a spot in the Guinness World Records book. He was recognized for buying the largest round of drinks ever.

Billy Bob's Texas celebrated its 35th birthday in 2016. The celebration ended with a big weekend of concerts. Shooter Jennings, Rival Sons, and Willie Nelson all performed.

Live at Billy Bob's Texas Music Series

Since 1999, a company called Smith Music Group has recorded live albums there. These albums feature many famous country music artists. They are usually called Live at Billy Bob's Texas. There are now over forty of these live albums.

Artists Featured in the Series

Many great artists have recorded albums at Billy Bob's. Here are some of them:


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