If you drive about 90 miles northwest of Dallas, you'll find yourself in the small town of Saint Jo, Texas, boasting a population of about 973. Despite its size, it's also home to a lively concert venue that used to be an old lumber yard.
Acts like Robert Earl Keene, the Josh Abbott Band, and Lyle Lovett have all frequented the stage at Red River Station, and freelance reporter Kristen Tribe told NTX Now's Miranda Suarez and Ron Corning all about this hidden gem following her latest piece in Texas Highways magazine, "This Former Lumberyard Now Hosts Top Texas Musicians."
The people who started it all
Curtis Groff grew up in Saint Jo, and him and his wife, Kathryn, thought it would be a great place to retire.
During their visits over the years, the couple saw a weed-covered abandoned lumber yard. Curtis came from a musical background, playing solo and in various acts over the years. After seeing multiple wineries pop-up in Saint Jo and actually playing one of them as a duo act, the Groffs decided to take the plunge and create something unique to North Texas.
"Really outside of Dallas Fort Worth proper there's not many places that offer [good live music]," Tribe said. "This is a rare experience."
Inside the show
Tribe describes seeing a show at Red River Station as similar to the experience of "going to your best friend's backyard." There are picnic tables to sit at, plenty of space to set up your own lawn chair, and a small area to dance to the side of the stage.
The capacity of the venue maxes out around 1,000.
"There's not a bad seat in the house," Tribe said. "The stage itself is set up on the old lumber stacks."
Growing acts
The Groffs have lots of stories of various acts coming through and playing Red River Station. Most notably, they shared a story about Lyle Lovett.
"One funny aspect to that performance was he travels with a grand piano, even with a small band," Tribe said. "If you had seen this stage, you would be shocked that any size piano fit on it."
"Because the stage door is just like a regular door to a house, they had cut a new door in the back of the stage," she said. "There's a "Willie Window" at Gruene Hall, they say they now have a 'Lyle Door' at Red River Station."
To listen to this interview in full, click the listen button above.
Miranda Suarez and Ron Corning are the hosts of KERA's NTX Now. Got a tip? Email Miranda at msuarez@kera.org or Ron at rcorning@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
