Live Music From the Heart of the Lone Star State
By BRANDY CRUZ | Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR and courtesy of the CULTURAL ACTIVITIES CENTER
Schoepf’s Barbecue
Good barbecue and good music has been the recipe for success for Ronnie and Staci Schoepf, who introduced live music to the award-winning barbecue restaurant more than 15 years ago.
“We always say we sell barbecue for a living and do concerts and music for the love of it,” Ronnie said.
The popular Belton barbecue joint, which landed at number four on The Texas Barbecue Top 25 list in 2022, hosts the Shooter FM Acoustic Lunch in their backroom from noon to 1 p.m. on Fridays. The weekly event features up-and-coming artists performing acoustically in front of the restaurant’s large fireplace.
“I absolutely love musicians, I love music. I really enjoy the storytelling aspect of music,” Ronnie said. “Listening to someone with their guitar in this backroom is pure joy.”
Although it’s a staple now, the tale of the restaurant’s foray into the live music scene began by mere happenstance. Sharing his unusual story, Ronnie said shortly after he and his wife purchased Schoepf’s from Ronnie’s father, they were contacted by the city to clean up a lot behind the restaurant. After bulldozing and clearing away the lot, they suddenly imagined the possibilities.
“We cleaned it up and we looked and went, ‘Wouldn’t this be a great place to have a concert and be part of the 4th of July festivities?’ That was the first ever concert, sponsored by Don Ringler,” Ronnie said. “So, the reason we started doing concerts is because, ‘Hey, you guys need to clean that up.’ Then we bought a couple of lots and expanded.”
The Schoepf’s Backyard has hosted live music since that Independence Day, featuring well-known and rising stars among the Texas Red Dirt genre of country music. The Backyard Music Series now brings thousands of visitors to Belton weekly during late spring and summer. In 2022, they were named Best Live Music Venue by the Texas Country Music Association, an honor Ronnie said still surprises him.
“When we got nominated, it was just the greatest feeling ever. There was Billy Bob’s, Gruene Hall, and two other places, and we were mentioned with them,” Ronnie said.
At the awards show, he said they were just sitting there, never imagining their name would be called, so when their name was called, all he could do is sit there holding his head in his hands, completely shocked.
“There was no, ‘Please call our name,’ because we were just so happy to be nominated,” he added.
During his acceptance speech, Ronnie shared with the audience the whole reason they now host live music, which all happened because “a lady from the city told us to clean up the back.”
Ronnie and Staci were recently thanked by the Belton Mayor Pro Tem John R. Holmes Sr. for being instrumental in Belton’s live music scene, after the city was designated a Music Friendly Community by the state of Texas in January.
IF YOU GO
Address: 702 E. Central Ave., Belton
Phone: 254-939-1151
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., daily
Social: facebook.com/schoepfsbbq
Upcoming event: Schoepf’s will host a Valentine’s Day dinner and acoustic show in the backroom. $50 per ticket will include a steak dinner and live music. Call for reservations.
Cultural Activities Center
If you would rather have a traditional concert experience, “This is a season of performances not to be missed” Mary Black Pearson said about the 14th annual Texas Music Series.
As the executive director of the Cultural Activities Center, Pearson helps organize the annual event, which features Grammy Award-winning songwriters and performers. The series began in 2010 thanks to the creative teamwork of Terri Mathew and Mack Purifoy. Using his connections in the music industry, Purifoy continues to assist the CAC in booking the performances every year.
“I think this is the best line-up yet with well-known talent that will excite the audiences with every show,” Purifoy said.
Performers include John Hiatt, Bob Schneider, Elizabeth Cook, Rodney Crowell, Kelly Willis, Brennen Leigh, Melissa Carper, Verlon Thompson, Shawn Camp and Seals & Crofts II.
With seating for 420 people, Pearson said the CAC auditorium makes for an intimate performs with great sounds. Besides the great musical performances, every ticket sold helps youth arts and educational programs in Central Texas.
Individual tickets range between $40-$70 per person. They can be purchased online at https://www.cacarts.org. For more information, call 254-773-9926.
“Trust us when we say each of these performances will be an amazing experience so this is the time to visit the CAC for the first of many concerts.”
UPCOMING SHOWS
Feb. 24: Elizabeth Cook
May 10: Kelly Willis, Brennen Leight and Melissa Carper
June 8: Guy Clark Tribute with Verlon Thompson and Shawn Camp
Aug. 3: John Hiatt
Sept. 21: Seals & Crofts II
Oct. 5: Rodney Crowell
