Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift, The Dixie Chicks, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, Clint Black, and Merle Haggard: these are just a few of the artists who have performed at Buck Owens' Crystal Palace.
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It may also be the last time these artists take the stage at this country music temple. The restaurant and music venue, located in Bakersfield, California, announced on August 11 that it is closing its doors.
The Family of Buck Owens Issued a Statement
Owens was synonymous with the city that the Crystal Palace called home, thanks to the song "Streets of Bakersfield." With a caption reading "An announcement from The Owens Family," the news of the closing of Buck Owens' Crystal Palace was announced over its social media accounts.
"We are extremely proud of the legacy of the Crystal Palace," the message began. "For over 28 years, we brought the best of local and national entertainment to Bakersfield, served great food, and hosted thousands of special occasions for thousands of special people and families. Although Buck left us in 2006, we continued to maintain the excellence that he expected, striving to carry out his dream.
"Now, a challenging business climate plus the wishes of the Owens family members to step back from the responsibilities of management require finally shutting the doors. It is our hope that new owners will step forward to utilize this beautiful venue. Meanwhile, we will do our best to fulfill scheduled commitments we've made in the coming months."
The message concludes, "We know Buck would want us to thank the people of Bakersfield and fans from around the world for all of the support over the past years. We will miss you all."
Buck Owens' Crystal Palace Has Some History
Not only has Buck Owens' Crystal Palace hosted some of the biggest country stars, but it's also where Owens reunited with his original Buckaroos in 1999. It also houses a museum featuring guitars, costumes, and other memorabilia tied to Owens.
Perhaps the venue is best known for being where Brooks proposed to his wife, Trisha Yearwood, in 2005.
Since the announcement, fans have gone online pleading that Brooks or Dwight Yokam, a protégé of Owens, purchase the Crystal Palace.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Jim Shaw, the director of the Buck Owens Private Foundation, which also owns the venue, said the closing had "been coming for a while."
The Buck Owens Foundation also put the building up for sale last year, but there were no takers.
