Broken Spoke

"Fortify yourself on some chicken-fried steak before partaking in some country dance lessons to live bands at this truly iconic honky tonk on South Lamar. There are indoor areas." - Darcie Duttweiler

"Dance at a historic dance hall offering lessons and hosting performances by country legends." - Amanda Ogle Amanda Ogle Amanda Ogle is a writer and editor who specializes in travel, food and drink, sustainability, and general lifestyle topics. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, National Geographic, Condé Nast T

"South Lamar honky-tonk the Broken Spoke has long been considered an iconic bar and concert venue in Austin by its residents. Now, the state and local governments officially recognize it as such with official historic landmark status this month. On Wednesday, April 12, a Texas Historical Marker was installed on the building. Originally opened by James and Annetta White in November 1964, the space has hosted countless country music legends of the past and present including Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, the Chicks, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Midland, Sturgill Simpson, and Charley Crockett. In order to become a Texas landmark, the Broken Spoke had to meet certain requirements, including being around for at least 50 years, having associations with important historical events, and the building has architectural integrity. There are currently 16,000 markers in the state of Texas. At a ceremony for the occasion, Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott said that the Broken Spoke is a “crucial touchpoint with our Texas culture, connecting us with our heritage and with each other. We must remember the importance of our legendary Texas dancehalls and the culture, history, and traditions they keep alive.” James White passed away in 2021 at 81, but Broken Spoke has stayed in the family. It is currently owned and operated by Annetta and their daughters Terri White and Ginny White-Peacock, along with Ginny’s husband Michael Peacock. The resolution proposing Broken Spoke’s historical status started last year. The year before, the venue and Terri White were featured on Austin season of the Netflix show Queer Eye. Shortly after the release of the episodes, the now-defunct Gawker 2.0 collected a large number of online reviews alleging racist, sexist, and homophobic treatment by Terri and others at the Broken Spoke. In an interview with Chronicle, White denies the allegations stating that she doesn’t “even know where this is coming from.” However, in the same piece, an unnamed longtime Austin-based country act shared that she stopped visiting the venue because she did not approve of the late owner James White’s comments about George Floyd and the protests about police brutality in the summer of 2020. “As the years went on, it just became more of an openly misogynist, racist, sexist bar to me,” she told the publication." - H. Drew Blackburn

"The City of Austin passed a resolution to potentially designate honky-tonk bar the Broken Spoke as a historical landmark. The resolution passed on November 3 and now moves to the Historic Landmark Commission and the Planning Commission before returning to the City Council. The resolution acknowledges that Austin’s creative spaces are lost to the continuing real estate boom, and will use the city’s Iconic Venue Fund and other methods to protect and preserve the South Lamar bar. The Broken Spoke specifically met the criteria by being over 50 years old, having associations with important historical events, and having significant associations with people that contributed to the city’s history. James and Annetta White opened the Broken Spoke in November 1964 as a bar, dance hall, and restaurant. Its storied history includes concerts by the Chicks, Garth Brooks, and Dolly Parton. It was featured on the cover of George Strait’s 2019 album Honky Tonk Machine. James White died in 2021 at 81, but Broken Spoke has continued to operate under Annetta and their daughters Terry White and Ginny White-Peacock, along with Ginny’s husband Michael Peacock. Terry White and the Broken Spoke was featured on the Austin season of the Netflix show Queer Eye. However, shortly after the season’s release, Gawker assembled a plethora of online reviews alleging racist and homophobic treatment by Terry. The Broken Spoke responded by saying Terry was not an owner but was a contractor hired for her dance lessons, which are still advertised on the Broken Spoke’s site. If the city council’s resolution is approved, the Broken Spoke could receive landmark status by April. It received a Texas Historical Marker in 2021." - Erin Russell

"Country star Kacey Musgraves and boyfriend Cole Schafer stopped by South Austin honky-tonk Broken Spoke to catch a show by Texas musician Dale Watson on Sunday, September 11." - Nadia Chaudhury