Nacogdoches’ Forgotten Concert History – From George Strait to Nelly

Music is kind of a big deal in Nacogdoches. And why wouldn't it be? Nacogdoches is a Certified Music Friendly Texas Community, as designated by the Texas Music Office. Sounds pretty official to me.

One of the reasons that it's been certified that way is because of all the big names that have come through and played shows over the years. I grew up hearing people talk about George Strait, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, and more putting on shows in the SFA Coliseum. What I didn't realize is how many other big names have come through.

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Nacogdoches Has Seen More Than Just Country Stars

Of course, the most common stories you'll hear about are the country stars. And there's nothing wrong with that. Like I mentioned, George Strait has played there, Willie Nelson played there AND did some recording work in the Encore Studios, tons of artists played Jitterbugs when it was still around, and lots of artists can still be found making their way through Banita Creek Hall.

However, Country isn't the only genre that's been showcased in Nacogdoches. According to the Concert Archives website, Classic Rock artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eddie Money, Cheap Trick, .38 Special and Night Ranger have played there, among others. Hip-Hop has also been featured in Nac, with artists like Nelly performing. And I'm just scratching the surface with the list. It's pretty impressive to go through the archives and see who has played there.

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Who Might Be Next for Nacogdoches?

In some recent years, some other big names have come through. Cody Johnson has played here, both before he was a big Country Music name, and after he was making Nashville waves. Sean Kingston played a concert in the SFA Coliseum. And there have been others. But, who's next for Nacogdoches? What big name might be added to the archives for the Oldest Town in Texas? Who would you like to see?

While you're considering those things, take a look through a few of the past big names that have played in Nac: