As developers threaten to pull his land lease, the founder of the Broken Spoke nostalgically narrates from his death bed his legacy within a country music community. The honky-tonk embodies the complexities of love, loss, and resilience housed in one of Austin’s most beloved institutions for 60 years. 

SYNOPSIS:

This comedy feature, “The Broken Spoke,” is an adaptation of the nonfiction book, “The Broken Spoke; Austin’s Legendary Honky-Tonk,” published and copyrighted in 2017 by Texas A&M University Press.

A heart-felt journey reminiscent of films like “The Last Picture Show,” “Crazy Heart,” and “A Star is Born,” the Broken Spoke’s true stories capture the essence of nostalgia and the struggles within a backdrop of county music and a local community. A mashup of “The Beverly Hillbillies” meet “Urban Cowboy,” The Broken Spoke shares a similar warmth as a cast of characters navigate their dreams and relationships amidst a vibrant, yet challenging world. The plot evokes a sense of connection to the past while celebrating the resilience of the human spirit. The Broken Spoke provides a much-needed respite from today’s modern world much like the 1960s’ TV productions of “Petticoat Junction,” and “Green Acres.”

Founders James and Annetta White opened the iconic Broken Spoke in 1964—then a mile south of Austin city limits—under a massive Live Oak tree and beside what would eventually become South Lamar Boulevard. James’ and Annetta’s dramatic arcs intertwine to provide a nuanced portrayal of a life-long partnership filled with humor, strength and determination.

James built the place himself, beginning construction on the day he received his honorable discharge from the US Army. However, he never owned the land beneath the Broken Spoke; when his landlord dies, James must find a way to convince developers not to destroy it. For more than 60 years, the Broken Spoke has served up, in the words of James’ well-worn opening speech, “…cold beer, good whiskey, the best chicken fried steak in town…and great country music.”

He paid thirty-two dollars to his opening act, D.G. Burrow and the Western Melodies, back in 1964. Since then, the stage at the Spoke has hosted stars like Bob Wills, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, George Strait, Jerry Jeff Walker and Asleep at the Wheel, as well as many others.

Owning a honky-tonk wasn’t always easy. Through the years, the Whites and the Spoke have withstood their share of hardship: Annetta’s breast cancer diagnosis, James’ ongoing heart trouble, the building’s leaky roof, and a tour bus crashing through one wall. Meanwhile commercial developers have encroached upon nearby property and threatened to pull their land lease from beneath the Broken Spoke. During the COVID pandemic, the Whites kept the place open by paying their bills from personal savings.

Today the red, rustic, barn-style building surrounded by sleek, high-rise apartments, still sits on South Lamar, a tribute and remembrance to an Austin that has almost vanished. Designated an official Texas Historical Landmark in 2023 and protected by historical zoning in 2024 from the City of Austin, the Whites hope the place stands for future generations. Housing five decades of country music memorabilia and about a thousand lifetimes of memories at the Broken Spoke, the Whites still honor a promise James made years ago: they’re “keepin’ it country.”

THE BROKEN SPOKE