Billy Bob’s Texas first opened in the heart of the Fort Worth Stockyards in 1981. Since then, the honky tonk has drawn crowds to some 300 live music events each year.

Precautions to help slow the spread of coronavirus have left Billy Bob’s dance floor indefinitely empty — but that didn’t stop them from marking the venue’s 39th birthday with a live concert watch party. 

Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price kicked the night off by thanking Fort Worth residents for their resilience.

“Unfortunately concerts, events and productions are at a standstill, and now we’re asking you to support our creative community — many of whom are without income right now,” Price said.

The concert raised money for the Creative Industry Relief Fund, an initiative to help financially support local artists, musicians and filmmakers who’ve lost work because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Keitha Spears, Billy Bob’s marketing director,  says the empty dance floor isn’t bringing them down though.

“The reality is, life hasn’t stopped — it just looks a little different,” Spears said. “And so we still want to be able to, you know, bring a little fun, bring a little liveliness that folks in Fort Worth and really all over the nation are used to coming from Billy Bob’s Texas.”

Spears says Billy Bob’s patrons can expect the same great music and community in the future, through more virtual events like these.

Click here to donate to the fund.