a word about the ranch saloon

Dear THE RANCH Guest,

THE RANCH Saloon honors my love of dancing, country music and the history of country music in Nashville and California. Paying homage to the old Crazy Horse Steakhouse & Saloon and the old Palomino Club, my hope is that THE RANCH Saloon will become a tradition as those clubs did with the top country musicians of the day playing small venues "up close and personal." They loved playing so close to the crowd. Some of the best shows ever were in those places. We were inspired by their performances, the great shows and the good times.

I built THE RANCH for my family and I to have a place to dance, enjoy a good meal and well-made drinks. My goal was to have the finest food, drinks and entertainment that I could put together under one roof.

Before 1995, the only types of dancing I knew how to do were The Shag, which is the State Dance of North Carolina where I am from, and Free Style Dancing, that I could do to any kind of music that I couldn't Shag to. I have always loved country music and started listening at an early age with Hank Williams doing Jambalaya and watching George Jones and Dolly Parton on the Porter Wagoner Show with my Dad, on our Black and White TV set, every Saturday night. Of course then Rock & Roll came in with Little Richard singing Good Golly Miss Molly, Jerry Lee Louis with Great Balls of Fire, and Dick Clark's American Bandstand. I was hooked and just had to learn to dance. I remember learning to dance holding on to a tie attached to a doorknob, and my younger sister Linda helping me out with American Bandstand in the background. I was so embarrassed, but I had to learn, or in my mind there was no chance with the girls. After all, and I believe it still holds true today, the guy that can dance has the best chance to succeed with the girl of his choice.

It wasn't until 1995 that I actually learned to country dance. I had collected all the country music I could find over the years, but knew not how to country dance. Ironically, at the time my then wife hated country music. Obviously that marriage was doomed to failure. When my daughter Ashton was 7 years old, we would listen to Billy Ray Cyrus, George Jones and Buck Owens in the car every morning on the way to her school. My first exposure to country dancing along with Ashton was learning The Electric Slide Line Dance to the song that dominated for many months back then, Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus. You probably will laugh at me, but I would love to have Billy Ray on stage at THE RANCH doing Achy Breaky Heart. In my opinion, country music was saved by line dancing even though I don't Line Dance now. Line dancing allows a woman, or a man for that matter, the independence to dance without a partner. This is most important for a woman. She can go to a club and dance all night without having to wait for a guy to ask her to dance. It puts her in control and allows her to have a night of fun by herself, or with a guy if she chooses, or happens to be lucky and finds a guy that can dance.

After learning The Electric Slide, I then learned to Two-Step. To learn I bought dance lesson video tapes and quickly picked up on the slow, slow, quick, quick (which is now taught quick, quick, slow, slow!) I remember buying my first set of Tony Lama boots. After all, you need leather soles to dance on wood and you really need to look the western part. Oh how I did love it! After all, I grew up on Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and The Lone Ranger. I bought my first hat and now I really looked the part! I was ready for The Old Crazy Horse off the 55 and Dyer Road. I remember first asking someone to dance at the Crazy Horse. I don't remember her name, but she had on open toed shoes and I stepped on them and was so embarrassed. My next attempt was THE RANCH Saloon regular Colleen. She of course was an experienced country dancer and was very patient. As I see her on the dance floor now, I note that she is just as patient now and very much the Pro.

I began learning the West Coast Swing, the state dance of California. I have to tell you, to me this is one of the most fun dances and also one of the more complicated ones. I learned to "double time" the Two-Step, which is now my dance of choice. Of course, I also learned the Cowboy Cha Cha, which is another of my favorites.

At The Old Crazy Horse, I met my wife Morgan and we have been dancing ever since. Morgan is a Line Dancer as well as being a Pro at all the dances I love and I have always been totally enamored with the fact that she can follow any good lead.

I encourage you to come down to THE RANCH and learn to country dance. Even if you can't dance just watching our dancers on the floor is a show unto itself. You will be amazed and love the show!

Free dance lessons are taught each night Thursday through Saturday with a DJ every night and a band on Friday and Saturday nights.

THE RANCH Dance Instructors teach every night for FREE! The dances are posted on our Event Calendar. Dance lessons are taught each Thursday through Saturday night at 6:30pm and 7:30pm. Each of our instructors loves to dance and also offer private lessons as well depending on their availability.

We encourage you to check out our complete list on Dance Floor Etiquette.