Going To The Chapel: Restoring a Luck, Texas Treasure
The moments that the storied Luck, Texas grounds are open to the public are few and far between — but the fortunate lot who’ve been able to experience Willie Nelson’s Western town backyard are vividly aware of the special kind of magic it holds.
Long before Luck Reunion opened the gates to a few more people a year, the one-time movie set was a gathering place for those close to the family. After Red Headed Stranger had wrapped filming, the little slice of hill country heaven hosted card games in the “bank”(slash-saloon), hide-and-seek in the Luck Opry House, and more card games in Willie’s World Headquarters which, for a time, also boasted a boxing gym. Kimmie Rhodes produced plays starring Texas icons like Joe Ely which took audiences throughout the town, with scenes staged in each space.
More than just set pieces to the people who frequented Luck over the years, these buildings came to mean a lot to the people who frequented them. None more than the Chapel.
The Chapel is perhaps Luck’s most cherished landmark. Its signature plaque, a nod to “Sunday Services” of the past, harkens back to Easters that could only feel traditional to the Nelson and Spicewood crowd. Anchored by Willie, Sister Bobbie Nelson, and legendary Gospel family band Bells Of Joy, the services filled the tiny church with boisterous song and plenty of special guests. You never knew who was going to stop in (or what song they were going to sing: ”Desperado” was a Luck Easter classic for a short time). But whether it was Dolly Parton, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, or the kids school choir, the Sunday spirit was unwavering.
Now, each March, the 49-seat Chapel hosts a rotating group of eager fans who line up outside its doors at the Luck Reunion hoping to see one of the ten or so artists perform on its tiny stage.
But, like the other buildings onsite, the now 40-year-old church has long been showing its age. So Luck Presents brought on trusted contractor Bill Ball to restore its glory in time for the 2025 Reunion.
Ball was first engaged in 2019 to renovate the Opry House (known to Reunion-goers as the Saloon), five years after a tornado took down World Headquarters - forcing a full rebuild. “I got the call about the Saloon,” recalls Ball. “I heard that Willie had maybe had maybe mentioned that Headquarters was a little shiny looking, but he doesn’t get bent out of shape.”
“I just knew it was important to keep the integrity of everything going on out there.”
Indeed, the updates Ball had made to the Saloon were so impressive that it was venue-quality while maintaining its original character. Naturally, he had the same vision for the Chapel.
“We had to take that chapel and just make sure that in years to come it won't leak on anyone and it won't break,” says Ball. “How do you make it simple in a way that it looks like it's always been there. And not out of place?”
“The whole story: The people who came there were people of Spicewood...real people who were just part of the community...and Willie just invited them for Easter. Willie has done a lot for this world. All we can do is try to give something. back. He's the last of the real guys.”
While, thanks to Ball, it might be hard to catch the changes made to this beloved spot, we look forward to continuing the Luck legacy in those pews.
Just like the Easter days, people will still be hanging through into the windows to catch the magic happening inside. And we can now ensure that they won’t fall through.
