Music scene · Amarillo

Amarillo channels cowboy heritage into a gritty live music circuit along historic Route 66. The Goldenlight Cafe and Cantina, one of the oldest stops on the Mother Road, has hosted road-worn bands for decades, while the Starlight Ranch draws major country and rock tours to the Panhandle. The Route 66 Historic District on 6th Avenue anchors the scene with rock, blues, and Tejano pouring out of longtime bars and converted honky-tonks. Metal and folk acts fill the Globe-News Center and Hoot's Pub.

Western swing and honky-tonk traveled Route 66 through the Panhandle, and the Goldenlight Cafe opened as a Mother Road stop where road-worn bands could rest and play. Joe Ely and Jimmie Dale Gilmore were born here, and Terry Stafford wrote the song that would become Amarillo's anthem.

The Goldenlight Cafe and Cantina anchors historic Route 66 with live Americana and rock. The Starlight Ranch Event Center draws touring country and rock acts to the Panhandle. Hoot's Pub covers metal and hard rock, while the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts books larger theater shows.

Artists such as Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Terry Stafford, and Jimmy Gilmer have roots in Amarillo, giving the Panhandle a legitimate claim in Texas music history.

Newcomers should start at the Goldenlight Cafe to meet working musicians and learn the Route 66 circuit. Hoot's Pub welcomes louder rock and metal sounds, and open mic nights at local breweries offer entry points into the tight-knit Panhandle music community.