BANDERA — Bandera, Texas, the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” is hosting the Gringo Honeymoon 30th Anniversary Homecoming to honor legendary Texas songwriter and entertainer Robert Earl Keen.
The event, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 7, will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Gringo Honeymoon, the iconic Texas album that was recorded in 1994, and how a majority of Robert Earl Keen’s music was written in the Scriptorium, a limestone building with wooden doors on a hill at his ranch overlooking Bandera.
There will be a special ceremony honoring Keen with a presentation of the city of Bandera’s branding iron, a proclamation from Gov. Greg Abbott, special guests sharing stories and a recreation photo of the Gringo Honeymoon album cover.
“There has always been a very special connection between Robert Earl Keen and Bandera,” said Rebeca Gibson, Bandera mayor. “Robert has written so many of his songs here and ‘Feelin' Good Again’ was written about our legendary Texas honky tonk, Arkey Blue's Silver Dollar.
“Bandera could not be more honored and excited to host this Gringo Honeymoon 30th Anniversary Homecoming and present Robert with one of our city of Bandera branding irons,” she said.
“We have even repainted and restored the colors of 11th Street Cowboy Bar to the white with gray blue trim that it had back in 1994 so we can recreate the Gringo Honeymoon album cover.”
11th Street will closed from Cypress to Cedar, where local restaurants and food trucks will come together for a Taste of Bandera.
Important destinations in Bandera in accordance with the homecoming are the Texas Salt Block Courtyard, 1105 Cypress St., 11th Street, from Cypress to Cedar, where the street will be closed and local food trucks will come together for a Taste of Bandera, and the 11th Street Cowboy Bar, 307 11th St., where Keen’s legendry album cover recreation photo. Officials on hand for the event include Keen, Gibson, James Hernandez, Bandera County Chamber of Commerce executive director and D. Foster, owner of the11th Street Cowboy Bar.
Keen, with a catalog of 21 albums, a band of stellar musicians, and many thousands of shows under his belt, has blazed a peer, critic and fan-lauded trail that's earned him living- legend status in the Americana music world.
He wrapped up 41 years on the road with his 2022 final tour, “I’m Comin’ Home: 41 Years On The Road.” Earlier this summer, Keen and his band digitally released a new album, Western Chill. In a review, The Wall Street Journal wrote, “The sounds and sights Mr. Keen and band have concocted and assembled in this box work as road maps toward getting happily de-stressed and deliberately lost.”
Copies of Western Chill will be available at the party; rumor has it that Keen might even sit down and sign a few. Copies of the ambitious box set — including a double sleeve album (14 songs total), a graphic illustrated novel that tells the tale of how Western Chill was written, a full music video DVD of all the songs that are on the LPs, and a songbook with lyrics, notes, and chords so the purchaser can play along — are available at: robertearlkeen.com/ westernchill.
Keen will continue to write and create music, host his popular podcast, support young artists and follow his artistic muse wherever it takes him.
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