Legendary Country Recording Artist Headlining the San Leon Oyster Fest

The original “Urban Cowboy, ” Mickey Gilley, will be performing on stage at the San Leon Oyster Fest April 27. This 3rd Annual festival helps fund oyster conservation efforts, as much of the Galveston Bay’s oyster beds were destroyed in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. 

Johnny and Lisa Halili, of San Leon, said they are both very excited to have the hometown (Houston-area) legend headlining the event that will be held at San Leon, Pier 6 (113 6th Street), formerly Bubba’s Shrimp Palace.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled about Mickey Gilley performing at the Oyster Fest this year, especially since he is from this Houston area, and we hope to have lots of participate in the Oyster Fest,” said Lisa.

The Oyster Fest will start at 2 p.m. on April 27 and will feature an oyster eating contest, oyster cook-offs (with amateur and professional categories), a kid’s zone, local vendors, craft booths and food trucks for those people who don’t particularly like oysters but want to experience the event.

The concert is set to start at 7 p.m. with Gilley singing some of his classic country hits like, “That’s All That Matters To Me,” “Headache Tomorrow, Heartache Tonight” or “I’m Just A Fool For Your Love.”

In all, Gilley has achieved a remarkable 39 Top-Ten country hits, with 17 of those songs reaching the No. 1 spot on the country charts. In 1976, he swept the ACM Awards, hauling home trophies for Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist, Song of the Year, Single of the Year and Album of the Year. He was ranked among the top-50 country music hitmakers in the 1989 book written by record research historian Joel Whitburn. 

Gilley began by performing in Houston nightclubs. 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 trek returned him to the Pasadena area, where he took up residence at the Nesadel Club and quickly developed into one of the city’s most popular acts. He opened Gilley’s nightclub in 1971. (Yes. The well-known country nightclub in Pasadena with the mechanical bull that was featured in the movie Urban Cowboy.) 

Gilley continues to maintain a residence in Pasadena, Texas. His hobbies include golf, walking and flying his own airplane. 

“I enjoy performing and singing as much these days as I ever have,” Gilley says. “I joke that I’m semi-retired. Of course, I work just as hard as always. The thing about experience is, it helps you keep your priorities straight. I’m interested in quality now, not quantity. I make sure my business and my life are set up so I can get the most enjoyment out of the things I love. And the thing I love the most is getting on stage and performing a good show for people.” 

If you’re planning on attending this rare local performance, Halili suggests buying tickets online (www.sanleonoysterfest.com) early because they have a limited number of tickets available and are expecting tickets will sell out quickly.The festival is rain or shine.