Gilley's is a famed bar/honky tonk founded in 1971 by country singer Mickey Gilley in Pasadena, Texas[1]. Pasadena was enshrined in film history when John Travolta, Debra Winger and others descended on the city to film the 1980 hit movie Urban Cowboy, which depicted life and young love in Pasadena. The film centered around the city's enormous honky-tonk bar, Gilley's Club, which was co-owned by country music star Mickey Gilley and Sherwood Cryer.

It was a tin building that housed multiple bars and mechanical bulls. Connected to Gilley's club was a small rodeo arena that would also host both bicycle and motorcycle motocross races on Friday and Saturday nights. Lone Star beer flowed abundantly and soon there was even a Gilley's Beer added to the bars there.

Gilley's bumper stickers were a common sight on Houston-area streets and freeways during the 1970s. The stickers displayed a red Gilley's logo on a white reflective background (which conveniently glowed when illuminated by headlights). Gilley's employees applied the stickers to every vehicle parked in the club's lot each night. Patrons who did not want a sticker were advised to leave their sun visors down.

Gilley's closed after a falling out between Gilley and Cryer. In 1989, Gilley's suffered an arson fire that gutted the interior but the building's shell was still standing until 2006 when it was demolished by the Pasadena Independent School District, its current owner. Only the old sound recording studio remains.

(The old sign can be found at the Cowboy Ranch, a local restaurant). Gilley still makes his home in   Pasadena.

A new gilley's to pay Tribute to the old Pasadena Gilley's, with lots of memobilia and fond memories.  The club was open by Keith Gilley, son of the country and western star Mickey Gilley, to display his fond memories of his childhood years at Gilley's.  Although, the club is not near the size of the old gilley's, it's got the heart of gilley's and you can find Keith there everyday.  The club in located at the back of the old Henry's Hideout, one of the oldest honky tonks in Texas, making it TWO LEGENDS IN ONE.

Mickey Gilley was born in Natchez, Mississippi in 1936 and grew up in nearby Ferriday, Louisiana.  He grew up alongside his two famous cousins Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy Swaggart.  It was here where his love of music grew by sneaking up to the windows of clubs to absorb the haunting sound of Louisiana rhythm and blues.

Mickey learned to play piano at an early age but did not achieve the success like his cousin Jerry Lee until later.  He moved to Houston, Texas to work construction but at night he played in the local club scene.  He recorded his first song in Memphis for Dot Records and later performed as a singer and pianist in cities throughout the south.  Eventually, his career path returned him to the Pasadena area where he began performing at the Nesadel Club and quickly developed into one of the city's most popular acts.

In 1971 along with a business partner he opened Gilley's.  The club would grow and one day be known as the world's largest honky-tonk.  It was here that Mickey started experiencing his first success when he released "Room Full of Roses".  By the mid-seventies his songs were hitting the country charts with regularity.

Mickey Gilley

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