Lone Star Nights at the Texas Theater

The Texas Theater’s free Thursday night show, Lone Star Nights with Jeremy, brings local singers and songwriters to the historic stage in downtown Waxahachie, where attendees can listen to Texas Country music and watch a radio show live.

“Ellis County has a new destination on Thursday nights,” host Jeremy Robinson said. “Our goal for the show, truly, besides highlighting this good artist and having fun, is to fill every seat. We want Thursday nights to be that escape. We can come here as one community, laugh, cry at some of the songs, be encouraged by music, get to be part of a radio show, have some fun and escape for a couple of hours.”

Robinson, who hosts a daily afternoon show on KBEC 1390AM/99.1 FM from 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, is also the CEO of JPR Multimedia, where his voice is heard nationwide.

Lone Star Nights was created by Robinson and Jon Garrett, owner of the Texas Theater and KBEC. The two worked together in the past, and with Robinson’s return to KBEC, they wanted to create something special for the community.

“Jon and I have always talked about wanting to do a specialty show,” Robinson said. “Him and I created this Thursday night show. The concept behind it was the theme that Jon has running through everything that he does here for Ellis County – it’s to give back to the community.”

Robinson shared how Garrett had always wanted to have a local show about local music, similar to what Garrett did when he first worked at KBEC.

Lone Star Nights with Jeremy begins with a pre-party and happy hour from 4-7 p.m., where attendees can watch Robinson do his afternoon show on KBEC while enjoying drinks. At 7 p.m., the show officially starts.

“It’s a dance,” Robinson said of what the show is like. “It’s music and a conversation. I’m on the stage with the artist, and I welcome them. We talk about their music and where their passion comes from, and we pause, and they play a little song. We come back and find out a little bit more about them. (It’s) an interview on the radio and live music. It’s just a fun one-hour show, and it goes by so fast.”

The show brings in “incredible, untapped” singers and songwriters from Ellis County and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Robinson said.

“Who knows what the audience is going to be watching and where those artists on Lone Star Nights with Jeremy will end up,” Robinson said. “You never know, you could be watching the next George Strait come in here.”

Robinson looks for artists who are already performing for audiences and writing songs.

“It is so hard,” he said. “There are so many talented people, but we can’t just pick everybody. It’s not a talent show. This is a show that highlights local talent.”

Anybody who thinks they know someone who would be good for Lone Star Nights with Jeremy can reach out to Robinson through social media.

Since the first show May 18, the Dallahachie Boys, Alex Engelhardt, the Whites of Texas, Joe Walker and Riley Gilbreath have performed for Lone Star Nights with Jeremy. Two weeks into the show, they had a title sponsor, Tow Pro Wrecker Service.

Robinson said he has enjoyed hearing the artists’ stories and the background behind some of their songs.

“There’s been a couple times where it made me tear up,” he said. “These songwriters are just so neat. A God-given talent that these people are given, and their whole life’s purpose is to share that gift with you and me, and that’s what they do every week.”

The show was a little bit of an adjustment for Robinson.

“I’m used to being behind the scenes in a radio studio, where no one can see me,” he said.

Tim Eaton, general manager, shared that Robinson gets on stage and is so focused he forgets there are people in the audience.

“He has come a long way in four weeks,” Eaton said. “He’s just a ball of clay when it comes to performing. You just need to guide him a little bit, and he’s right there. We’re excited about it.”

Robinson said the show is improving and growing, and audience members can expect to play a bigger part in the show down the road. They also will be doing more giveaways and handing out free items during both the happy hour and the show.

“We’re all looking for an extension to the weekend,” Robinson said. “What a fun way to unwind after a Thursday and kick off your weekend a little early at the Texas Theater – air conditioning, new comfortable seats, fun music, wonderful hosts – I mean, what’s there not to love? I think people will enjoy this.”

Lone Star Nights with Jeremy is a free show, so no tickets are necessary. For more information, visit https://thetxtheater.com/ or follow @TheTexasTheater on Facebook and @thetxtheater on Instagram.

Eaton and Robinson also said there are plans for the Texas Theater to host a New Year’s Eve celebration with Robinson on air counting down to the new year. They encourage people to keep an eye out on social media for more details.

Originally published June 19, 2023 - https://www.waxahachiesun.com/open/lone-star-nights-at-the-texas-theater/article_ab85594e-0eba-11ee-ad33-bf41513de18f.html