Devil’s Backbone Tavern has been a haven for wandering souls for decades, nestled just before some of the winding turns that define the cruise on Ranch Road 32. Some travelers feel so at home that a single visit turns into a lifetime routine.
The bar, opened in 1937 by Evelin Kubena, was built shortly after the Prohibition era, but the exact date is unknown, according to Robyn Ludwick, who owns the bar with her husband John.
Almost a century after construction, the tavern has withered over the years.
The Ludwicks purchased the bar in 2018, and the constant necessary repairs have been making it difficult to turn a profit. With the help of Steph McDougal, one of the co-founders of the nonprofit Texas Dance Hall Preservation, The Ludwicks secured a $24,000 Texas Preservation Trust Fund grant from the Texas Historical Commission to help fix up the building.
Robyn said the Dance Hall needs a new roof; the lack of proper insulation is a major problem during freezing temperatures, and runoff from the road causes problems inside of the entire building. So, the grant will help pay engineers to do studies and create a plan to address those issues with a long-term fix, rather than continuing with expensive, temporary repairs.
Chris Florance, a spokesperson for the Texas Historical Commission, said the roof will be improved in a way that maintains as much of the historic character of the site as possible. The repairs will focus on retaining existing materials and their inherent value.
The Backbone is in good hands, with a specialized team working to restore it. David Bucek and Delaney Harris-Finch, with Stern and Bucek Architects, are responsible for the award-winning restoration of the Bellville Turnverein Pavilion, the Eldorado Ballroom in Houston and the Apollo Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center. Gordon Shepperd, with Secretariat International, is an engineer who specializes in building performance.
While the roof repairs aim to preserve the building’s physical history, the tavern’s true legacy is just as evident in the people who have gathered there.
Robyn said, other than during the COVID-19 pandemic and the two months it took for her to secure a liquor license, the tavern hasn’t been closed a single day since 1937.
And there are people deemed “locals” that don’t take days off either. They have their own table, slick with the oils of over 60 years of resting hands and forearms. Ludwick said they are in attendance without exception, and if they don’t show up, that’s an indication that something is seriously wrong.
“That’s how we discovered many of them have passed away,” Robyn said.
That’s what happened with beloved Coast Guard Veteran Charlie Beatty, who welcomed the Ludwicks with open arms and is honored with a plaque on the wall behind the table, where all of the fallen locals are on display.
“When you die, you get your picture on the locals wall, so that you never have to leave your spot at the table,” she said.
And people really do not ever leave the Backbone. Robyn said they’ve had some uncanny experiences over the years. Haunting voices have been heard in the dance hall, and pages flip on the juke box without explanation. A couple’s hand-signed dollar bill, placed on the ceiling years earlier, fell into their laps on their anniversary. But the spirits have never acted maliciously.
Ghosts aside, it has taken a savvy business sense to keep the Backbone occupied.
When Evelin Kubena bought the property in the 1930s, Hays County was dry, but Comal County was not. Hence why she started a bar right on the edge of Comal County that could cater to customers from both. Kubena was entrepreneurial in a way that most women couldn’t be at the time.
“She had a vision for music. She had a vision for the Sinclair station. So, she erected the dance hall, which was originally just a pavilion. It was just the trusses and columns, and later she closed in the walls,” Robyn said. “She also built the gas station [on the property] in 1940 — Sinclair station, and an old school barbecue pit room out back.”
Evelin ran a tight ship. “When Evelyn was running it, it was in its heyday,” Robyn said. “She was booking music — regional acts — Adolph Hofner and the Pearl Wranglers, and then Moe Bandy came in here.”
Evelin’s son Robert Kubena took over the bar, and he rented the place out in the 1970s. With time, it fell into disrepair.
The worn-down bar had a unique charm though, especially for Robyn, who loves a good honky tonk.
After being introduced to Devil’s Backbone Tavern, she made it a point to spend every anniversary there. While visiting, she told Jerry Kubena, Evelin’s grandson, that if the place was ever in danger of being sold, to let her know. And he did.
For almost 50 years, the tavern withered, until the Ludwicks purchased it in 2018 and decided to roll back the clock on the once-bustling business district. Robyn said the renters had used the bar as a homestead and had junk piled from floor to ceiling in the dancehall, making the biggest job simply cleaning the place up.
The effort paid off, as bringing live music back to the dance hall was close to Robyn’s heart — coming from a musical family, she knows nearly “every musician in Texas.” She’s released six albums of her own, and done every one of her album release interviews at the Backbone. Her husband John is a musician as well.
She was actually introduced to the bar by her late brother Charlie Robison, who made a name for himself on the Americana music scene.
After the extensive cleanup operation, fixing the electrical issues and making sure the building was safe overall, they booked their first show in November of 2018. Since then, they’ve been working to fine-tune and grow the music program, incorporating lots of different genres.
And their hard work has paid off. Many famous people have played at Devil’s Backbone Tavern, including Todd Snider — who was actually set to play a show there in March of this year before he passed away; Johnny Bush — who played his last show at the Backbone before he died; Linda Gail Lewis — Jerry Lee’s sister; Gary P. Nunn — of Jerry Jeff Walker’s Lost Gonzo Band; American Aquarium; and Rhett Miller from Old 97s, to name a few.
“We’re getting huge shows,” Robyn said. “I’m not emailing anyone anymore; they’re all coming to me now, which is a first.”
With the music program moving forward and the grant allowing them to tackle long-overdue repairs, it will be fun to watch Devil’s Backbone Tavern continue its evolution while remaining a living piece of Texas history where stories, songs and souls keep finding their way back home.
