James White and I signed books from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Oct. 23, 2018 at the South Austin Costco while dozens of Broken Spoke fans stopped by to chat. That day Austin Utility Company had announced a “boil water” order due to serious flooding, so consequently the number of shoppers at Costco increased ten-fold.
I spoke on a panel at the inaugural Oklahoma Book Festival in Oklahoma City Oct. 20, 2018 together with Tennessee author Fred Minnick and moderated by The Oklahoman newspaper’s ‘food dude’ columnist Dave Cathey. Afterwards, one of my favorite Austin authors, Sarah Bird, signed her latest novel, The Daughter of the Daughter of a Queen. Later that afternoon I also toured the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
Broken Spoke fan and my friend Shelley Sproull came out with her whole family to hear me talk and Christine Brown at Texas A&M University Press sold books. Singer and guitarist Ben Stafford Rodgers performed a few classic country songs and Deb Fleming moderated my talk.
James White and I talked about the Broken Spoke and Ben Stafford Rodgers sang some classic country songs for a full house inside the Thompson Center at the University of Texas Oct. 5, 2018. Afterwards we sold and signed copies of my book for fans for the second time this year for the OLLI group.
James White and I spoke to members of the Barton Creek Country Sept. 20, 2018 about the Broken Spoke and signed copies of my book while Ben Stafford Rodgers performed a few classic country songs. Jenny Wren, co-producer of the 2016 documentary, Honky Tonk Heaven: The Legend of the Broken Spoke, also talked about the film and sold copies of the DVD. Marianna Dydek with Barton Creek Country Club organized our talk.
James White and I talked about the Broken Spoke for members the Rotary Club of Austin Aug. 14, 2018 following their regularly scheduled luncheon at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 301 E. 8th Street in Austin. Ben Stafford Rodgers also sang a few classic country songs. Afterwards we sold and signed books.
Attending the “Outlaws & Armadillos: Country’s Roaring ’70s” exhibit May 24-27, 2018at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville proved to be the highlight of my whirlwind year as the first-time author of a book written about one of the greatest honky-tonks in Texas history.
My book, The Broken Spoke: Austin’s Legendary Honky-Tonk,published in 2017 by Texas A&M University Press, will be a part of the exhibit for the next three years!
The concert in the CMA theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame May 25th included several stars: Shooter Jennings, Jessi Colter, Bobby Bare, Joe Ely, Michael Martin Murphey, Gary P. Nunn, Delbert McClinton, Kimmie Rhodes, Billy Joe Shaver, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Tanya Tucker, Jack Ingram, Jason Boland, Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, Jamey Johnson, and Gary P. Nunn. It definitely tops the list of my all-time favorite concerts.
Texas Christian University in Fort Worth provided dinner and hosted my book talk, sale and signing March 22, 2018 on campus with Broken Spoke owner James White. Ben Stafford Rodgers sang a few classic country songs.
Please come out to the Texas Book Festival to hear me speak on a panel inside the Texas Tent located near the 700 block of S. Congress in Austin at 11 a.m. Saturday Nov. 4, 2017.Cari Clark will moderate. Here’s the LINK:
“The Good Old Sound Of Austin” panel Location: inside the Texas Tent, near 700 S. Congress Followed by book signing: inside the Main Book Signing Tent (approximately at Congress near 10th Street) Adult biography/historical genre
Authors: Donna Marie Miller Jesse Sublett Eddie Wilson BOOKS ABOUT TEXAS MUSIC 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. How did a sleepy college town and state capital become known as the Live Music Capital of the World? In 1964, James White was searching for the best place for a big country western dance hall where his hero Bob Wills could play. In the summer of 1970, Eddie O. Wilson searched for a music hall where hippies could go to dig psychedelic art, culture and music. The results of their search: The Broken Spoke and Armadillo World Headquarters. Legendary musician and author Jesse Sublett and co-author Eddie Wilson (Armadillo World Headquarters: A Memoir) sit down with James White, owner of the Broken Spoke, and author Donna Marie Miller (The Broken Spoke: Austin’s Legendary Honky-Tonk) to talk about the history and evolution of Austin’s live music scene.
Moderator: Cari Clark
Donna Marie Miller, author of The Broken Spoke: Austin’s Legendary Honky-Tonk,published by TAMU Press; Jesse Sublett, co-author of Armadillo World Headquarters: A Memoirby Eddie Wilson
After delivering a SXSW keynote at Austin’s convention center downtown, March 17 mega country artist Garth Brooks hinted about delivering a secret show in town. Then just a bit after 10 p.m. Brooks tweeted a photo of a wagon wheel with one broken spoke with the message “let’s get started.” Brooks showed up at the 52-year-old honky-tonk about 11 p.m. with body guards greeted by Broken Spoke proprietor James White. Afterwards the mega country star performed a whole set of greatest hits beginning with “Friends in Low Places,” along with George Jones’ “He Stopped Lovin’ Her Today,” George Strait’s “Amarillo By Morning,” and Merle Haggard’s “Fightin’ Side of Me.” Audience participation reached a fever pitch when Brooks sang Joe Nichols’ “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,” as more than 500 people sang the lyrics from the Broken Spoke’s dance floor, with their smart phones raised above their heads. Between songs, Brooks told his audience, “If I had known there were honky-tonks like this back when I started out, I never would have left.” He also said “You all have fun like this every day,” and “I haven’t done anything like this in a hundred years.” At the end of his set, Brooks told the audience “It’s never good to end the night with a down song, except this one,” and he sang “The Dance.” The crowd demanded an encore, and afterwards Brooks handed over his acoustic Takamine guitar to White as a parting gift. “I didn’t know he was gonna give me a gift too,” White said afterwards. “I will always remember the day Garth Brooks played on stage at the Broken Spoke. He was right on every song. It was so crowded I could not leave the stage, but I really did not want to. It was exciting. Completely unexpected. That’s the way he rolls!” More than 50,000 fans are expected to attend Brooks’ outdoor concert tonight on Auditorium Shores.
I spoke on a panel at the inaugural Oklahoma Book Festival in Oklahoma City Oct. 20, 2018 together with Tennessee author Fred Minnick and moderated by The Oklahoman newspaper’s ‘food dude’ columnist Dave Cathey. Afterwards, one of my favorite Austin authors, Sarah Bird, signed her latest novel, The Daughter of the Daughter of a Queen. Later that afternoon I also toured the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
Please come out to the Texas Book Festival to hear me speak on a panel inside the Texas Tent located near the 700 block of S. Congress in Austin at 11 a.m. Saturday Nov. 4, 2017. Cari Clark will moderate. Here’s the LINK:
After delivering a SXSW keynote at Austin’s convention center downtown, March 17 mega country artist Garth Brooks hinted about delivering a secret show in town. Then just a bit after 10 p.m. Brooks tweeted a photo of a wagon wheel with one broken spoke with the message “let’s get started.”
Donna Marie Miller 
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