Crystal Palace, Buck Owens‘ iconic music venue in Bakersfield, Calif., will soon permanently close its doors after nearly three decades in operation.
In a statement posted on the late country singer’s official website on Monday (Aug. 11), the Buck Owens family revealed the iconic music venue is set to shut down.
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“We are extremely proud of the legacy of the Crystal Palace … 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 their families,” the statement read. “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,” the statement continued. “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. 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.”
Owens was born in Sherman, Texas, in 1929. In 1951, Owens moved to Bakersfield. He and his Buckaroos pioneered what became known as “The Bakersfield Sound,” earning hits including 1963’s “Act Naturally” and 1964’s “My Heart Skips a Beat” and “I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail.” Owens was also known for his role cohosting the television show Hee-Haw from 1969 until 1986. He was inducted as a member of both the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996, the same year he opened the 550-person capacity Crystal Palace in Bakersfield.
Located at 2800 Buck Owens Blvd. in Bakersfield, the two-story venue, decorated in an Old West motif, features a restaurant and music stage, as well as a museum highlighting memorabilia from Owens’ career.
Over the decades, artists including Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Clint Black, Brad Paisley, John Anderson and George Jones have performed at the venue. In May 2005, Owens revealed 10 bronze statues of musicians — including Johnny Cash, George Strait and Hank Williams — at the Crystal Palace, and threw a concert to celebrate, drawing 7,000 attendees. It was during that event that Garth Brooks proposed to Trisha Yearwood; the couple married on Dec. 10, 2005.
Owens died on March 25, 2006, at age 76. His family continued operating the venue after his passing. The venue was put up for sale by The Buck Owens Private Foundation in July 2024.
