Pat Green Praises Texas Venues in New Book

For some, an assiduous 10-year music career can lead to red-carpet debauchery and self-congratulatory Letterman interviews. For true-Texan country star Pat Green, his acclaimed and earnest performing pilgrimage has compelled him to produce a tangible hard-covered assemblage of gratitude: Dance Halls & Dreamers – due out February 13 by University of Texas Press.

This $40 coffee-table conversation piece is sure to delight the honky-tonk hardcore with its ceremonial praise of Texas’ most famous get-drunk-and-dance venues. Ten time-honored dance halls are highlighted with insight from Texas sports writer Luke Gilliam, and off-the-cuff storytelling from the venues’ featured artist such as Willie Nelson, Robert Earl Keen and Cross Canadian Ragweed.

Green’s verbal sentiment focuses on his proclaimed all-time favorite Texas trap: Gruene Hall (located in the same-named central Texas watering hole town). While other backwater ballrooms across the Lone Star State like Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth, Stubb’s in Austin and Dallas’ own Sons of Herman Hall are exalted by the artists that each proudly incubated. The book is a vibrant and intimate examination of fly-on-the-wall perspective into the honorable houses that have honed Texas’ infamous boot-scootin’ boogie culture.

The first 500 copies sold of the souvenir book on Green’s Web site will be personally autographed by the country artist — which is an exciting incentive for the jillion and one Green fans in North Texas. And, quite frankly, if the love of Green’s music doesn’t drive you to purchase the book, the pictorial celebration (complete with quips from the hard-working and spirited staffs) of Texas’ landmark music venues should. — Krissi Reeves