LEGENDS OF THE LONGHORN

Jack Ruby

Jack Ruby will forever be linked to murdering Lee Harvey Oswald, the trigger man responsible for John F. Kennedy’s assassination… But a full decade before making worldwide news, Ruby, the Chicago transplant, was new to Dallas and looking to make his mark.  As the Bob Wills’ Ranch House began to falter, OL Nelms, the owner of the property, turned to Ruby to "run the joint” adding to his portfolio of nightclubs. 

Still operating under the Ranch House name, Ruby continued booking the Western and Country artists of the day, but also found he could draw a diverse crowd to fill the room by bringing in more jazz-leaning swing music. The stage and dance floor setup was perfect for both genres of music, and before long, larger, integrated crowds became the norm. Ruby skirted the Jim Crow segregation laws as the venue lay just outside of the Dallas city limits. 

Ruby eventually had a mental breakdown and returned to Chicago, so his tenure was brief, but by the time he left, the diverse genres of music were part of the DNA of what would become the Longhorn Ballroom.