If you were driving down Lankershim Boulevard in the seventies, you couldn't miss it. The neon sign was loud. It featured a prancing golden horse that basically promised you a wild night, even if you were just looking for a cold beer. This was the Palomino Club North Hollywood, and honestly, it wasn't just a bar. It was the "Grand Ole Opry of the West." But calling it that almost feels too polite. The Palomino was gritty, smoky, and unpredictable. It was the kind of place where you might see Jerry Lee Lewis get into a fistfight or Linda Ronstadt sing a set that would break your heart into a million pieces.
Most people think of Nashville when they think of country music history. They're wrong. For decades, the real heart of the "Bakersfield Sound" and the outlaw movement beat right in the San Fernando Valley.
The Unlikely Rise of a Honky-Tonk Empire
The Palomino didn't start as a legend. It started small. Originally opened in 1949, it was eventually taken over by brothers Bill and Tom Thomas. These guys weren't just bar owners; they were visionaries who understood that Los Angeles was full of homesick Southerners and Midwesterners working in the aerospace and auto plants. They needed a home. The Thomas brothers gave it to them.
It started as a neighborhood hangout. Then it became a talent magnet. By the 1950s, the Palomino was already attracting names like Spade Cooley and Tex Williams. But the 1960s and 70s? That's when things got legendary.
You have to understand the geography. North Hollywood wasn't glitzy. It was blue-collar. The club reflected that. There was no velvet rope. There was just a small stage, a lot of wood paneling, and a crowd that knew their music. If you played well, they’d buy you a drink. If you sucked, they’d let you know. Fast.
Why the Palomino Club North Hollywood Was Different
Every major artist played there. Everyone. We’re talking Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Johnny Cash. But what made the Palomino Club North Hollywood special wasn't just the headliners. It was the cross-pollination.
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Because it was in LA, the rock stars started showing up.
Imagine sitting at a booth and seeing Gram Parsons talking to Emmylou Harris. Or spotting Neil Young in the corner. The "Cowboy Rock" movement basically lived here. The Flying Burrito Brothers and The Byrds treated the place like their living room. This wasn't just country music; it was the birth of Americana as we know it today.
The atmosphere was notoriously chaotic. The stage was low. You were right there. Artists loved it because it was intimate, and they hated it because there was nowhere to hide. Elvis Costello played a legendary set there in 1979 that people still talk about like it was a religious experience. He wasn't a country artist, but he respected the room. Everyone respected the room.
The Famous "Breakfast" and Late Night Sets
The club stayed open late. Really late. In the early days, they were famous for serving breakfast at 2:00 AM. You’d have musicians finishing their gigs at the big studios or other venues in Hollywood, and they’d all migrate to the Palomino to jam.
- Jerry Lee Lewis was a regular. He played there so often he practically owned the place.
- The Talent Contests on Talent Night were brutal. It’s where many careers started, but even more ended in a chorus of boos.
- The Movie Connection: You’ve probably seen the club without realizing it. It showed up in Every Which Way But Loose with Clint Eastwood and The Buddy Holly Story.
The Decline and the "Great Quiet"
Nothing stays the same. By the late 80s, the music industry was shifting. Country music was becoming "New Country"—slicker, more produced, and destined for stadiums rather than smoky dives in the Valley. The grit of the Palomino Club North Hollywood started to feel like a relic to the younger generation.
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When Bill Thomas passed away in 1989, the club lost its soul. Tom had passed years earlier. Without the brothers' personal touch and their deep connections to the Nashville-to-LA pipeline, the venue struggled. It tried to pivot. It hosted more rock acts, more punk bands, and even some hip-hop. But you can't force a vibe that isn't there anymore.
The doors finally closed in 1995. It was a quiet end for a place that had been so incredibly loud.
For years, the building sat there, eventually becoming a banquet hall. Most people driving by had no idea that Johnny Cash once stood exactly where people were now eating wedding cake. It felt like a piece of history had been paved over, which happens a lot in Los Angeles.
The 2018 Reunion: A Flash of the Old Magic
In 2018, something cool happened. A one-night-only benefit concert was organized to celebrate the club’s legacy. It didn't happen at the original site (which was still a banquet hall), but it brought back the old players. James Intveld, Rosie Flores, and several others performed.
It proved that the memory of the Palomino wasn't dead. People showed up in their vintage western shirts and battered boots, mourning a version of North Hollywood that doesn't exist anymore. It was a reminder that the "Bakersfield Sound" wasn't just about Bakersfield; it was about a specific California grit that the Palomino exported to the world.
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Why We Should Still Care
You might wonder why a defunct bar in North Hollywood matters in 2026. It matters because the Palomino was one of the last true "classless" spaces. You’d have movie stars sitting next to bikers, and everyone was there for the song.
Today, live music is often a "premium experience." You buy a ticket through a conglomerate, pay $20 for a beer, and watch the artist on a screen from a mile away. The Palomino Club North Hollywood was the opposite of that. It was dangerous. It was loud. It was authentic.
Finding the Ghost of the Palomino
If you go to 6907 Lankershim Blvd today, don't expect a museum. It’s a banquet hall called Le heritaj. There’s a small commemorative plaque nearby, but that’s about it.
However, if you want to actually feel the influence of the club, you have to listen to the music. Listen to Dwight Yoakam’s early records. Listen to Lucinda Williams. Listen to the "Outlaw" era of Waylon and Willie. That sound—the sharp, twangy, aggressive style of country—was forged in the heat of those Valley nights.
Actionable Steps for the Music History Fan
If you want to dive deeper into this specific era of California music history, don't just read about it. Experience the remnants of it.
- Visit the Valley Relics Museum: This is the most important step. They actually rescued the original neon Palomino sign. Seeing it in person gives you a sense of the scale and the "vibe" of the era. They have a massive collection of memorabilia from the club.
- Listen to "Live at the Palomino" albums: Several artists released recordings from their sets there. Search for live recordings by The Flying Burrito Brothers or Jerry Lee Lewis specifically recorded at the club. It captures the room's acoustics (and the rowdy crowd) better than any description.
- Explore the "Bakersfield Sound" on Vinyl: Seek out records by Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. While they are associated with Bakersfield, the Palomino was their primary LA home.
- Check out the Cinema: Watch Any Which Way You Can. The scenes filmed at the Palomino aren't just sets; they capture the actual interior of the club during its peak years. It's the closest thing to a time machine you've got.
The Palomino wasn't just a building. It was a moment in time when country music had a switchblade in its pocket and a tear in its eye. While the physical location is gone, the influence it had on American music is permanent. It taught us that you don't need a Nashville zip code to make country music history; you just need a stage, a loyal crowd, and enough neon to be seen from the street.