James White, who owned one of Austin’s most popular honky-tonks, the legendary Broken Spoke dance hall, died today from congestive heart failure complications, according to his daughter.
He was 81 and died at his South Austin home.White founded the Broken Spoke on South Lamar Boulevard in 1964, and it soon became a must-stop for the city’s musicians and tourists.“He gave us a place to perform the music that we wanted to do in the atmosphere that we wanted — a Texas dance hall,” said Ray Benson, speaking to the Austin American-Statesman. “James was one of the most magnanimous and generally nice people — with a capital ‘N’ — in this world.”The Broken Spoke was a mecca for top country talent.
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