AUSTIN, Texas — Funeral services for James White, Austin's iconic owner of the Broken Spoke, were held Sunday afternoon.
Family, friends and the community gathered at James M. White Ranch off Fitzhugh Road to honor him and commemorate his life. White was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery.
White died at age 81 after suffering from congestive heart failure.
Known for his love of country music and rhinestone shirts, he founded the Broken Spoke in 1964. The beloved dance hall has played host to country superstars since it opened.
George Strait and his Ace In The Hole Band "cut their teeth in the music business" at the Broken Spoke, the bar's website states – and Strait paid tribute to the bar by featuring it on the cover of his album, "Honky Tonk Time Machine."
The Broken Spoke was the subject of a 2016 documentary, "Honky Tonk Heaven: Legend of the Broken Spoke," and a 2017 book, "The Broken Spoke: Austin's Legendary Honk-Tonk." White himself was also featured in the documentary "Nothing Stays The Same: The Story of the Saxon Pub," which touched on the state of Austin's music venues.
"The Spoke to me is so much more than just a building and a place. It's a way of life for so many people," White told KVUE in October of 2020.
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