Music scene · Texarkana

Straddling the Texas-Arkansas line, Texarkana carries the DNA of Scott Joplin's ragtime in its bones. Today the Perot Theatre anchors the arts district while Fat Jacks and the 1923 Banana Club host country and southern rock bands on both sides of State Line Avenue. Hopkins Icehouse draws blues pickers to its downtown stage, and the monthly Downtown LIVE turns Broad Street into an open-air showcase where rock and roots spill from storefronts and alleyways.

In the 1890s, Scott Joplin lived and worked in Texarkana, absorbing the ragtime rhythms that would revolutionize American popular music. The city's position as a railroad and lumber hub attracted traveling musicians, and by the mid-20th century, blues and R&B clubs lined both sides of State Line Avenue, creating a cross-border tradition that persists today.

The Perot Theatre anchors the downtown arts district with touring acts and classical programming. Fat Jacks and the 1923 Banana Club host country and rock bands on both sides of the state line. Hopkins Icehouse draws blues pickers to its intimate downtown stage.

Ragtime composer Scott Joplin, experimental composer Conlon Nancarrow, and Temptations founder Otis Williams all have Texarkana roots, linking the city to multiple eras of American music.

Fat Jacks and Hopkins Icehouse are essential first stops. The Perot Theatre hosts community jam sessions and open stages. The Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council connects musicians with local grants, and downtown merchants post open mic calendars.