The Fourth Time Is a Charm–  An Evening With Sean Dietrich

A few moons back I was rescued from my winter blues when I stumbled upon an announcement that Sean Dietrich would be be returning to Texas for a performance in Llano, Texas on Thursday, January 29, 2026.  I ran it by my activities coordinator (my wife Dorothy) and we both wholeheartedly agreed that a night in Llano listening to Sean Dietrich was just what the doctor ordered.  Those of you that are new to my Award Winning Blog (wink, wink) might not know that we have spent time with Sean on three prior occasions.  We met Sean and his wife Jamie the first time he played the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on March 24, 2023.  On April 23, 2023 we took Dorothy’s cousin Belle to Sean’s performance in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  The third time we attended one of Sean’s shows was on December 3, 2023 in Mineola, Texas with my brother Ray and his wife Angie. 

I must admit that Dorothy and I were a little concerned that we were getting so familiar with Sean that the three shows that we saw in 2023 all seemed very similar.  But over two years had passed since the last time we saw him, so we hoped he had added some new material.  I am happy to report that indeed he had!  The content of his show in Llano was mostly new to us and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  As some of you may know my wife Dorothy plays the accordian, and on the drive to Llano on the day of the show Dorothy expressed a hope that Sean would play the accordian.  We had seen him play the accordian at the after-party for his debut at the Grand Ole Opry, but we had never seen him use the accordian at any of his shows that we attended.  Sean granted our wish and played several songs with the grace and enthusiasm that only an accordian can provide!  Below are a few of the pictures I took of our day, and evening, in Llano, along with a little video of Sean playing the accordian.  

The Afternoon Before the Show…

It is only about a 2 hour drive from our home in McQueeney to Llano, so we decided to leave for Llano a little before noon on Thursday,  January 29, 2026.  We arrived in Llano around 2:30 p.m. and checked into the Best Western on West Young Street.  Dorothy wanted to rest up, so I headed over to the Llano County Historical Museum and enjoyed some local history and culture.  This little museum was a real treat!  The eclectic array of exhibits were nicely presented and very informative.  I found the materials about local archaeology, Indians, geology, and the Annual Fiddling Contest particulary enjoyable.

If you would like to see more of the pictures I took at the Llano County Historical Museum, look at this gallery page.  From the museum I walked under the Roy B. Inks Bridge to the Falls, then along the edge of the Llano River in Badu Park.  The Bridge, the Falls, and the large granite outcrops in the park were all beautiful in their own right, and fun to explore.  

After my walk in the park, I headed across the Inks Bridge to the Lan-Tex Theater, which is on the Llano Town Square, right across from the Llano County Courthouse.  I wanted to get some photos of the outside of the Theater in some good light, and I accomplished that in short order.  Just so happens nature called so I slipped into the Theater to use the bathroom.  The Theater Manager graciously granted my request to use the loo, for which I was very grateful.  Coming out of the loo I could see down one of the main aisles and, lo and behold, who should I see but Sean Dietrich on the stage getting set up for his performance later that night.  I explained to Mr. Theater Manager that I knew Sean and got his permission to go down to the stage and say “hi”.  Sean was very accomodating and I enjoyed a short visit with him.  On the way out, I ran into his wife Jamie and was able to say “hi” to her as well.  Sean and I talked about his debut at the Grand Ole Opry and the wonderful After-Party.  I also let him know that Llano hosted a Fiddling Competition each year and that the Museum had a section devoted to Llano’s love of fiddling, complete with a number of fiddles on display as well as other fiddle parapernalia.  Anyway, it was great to have an informal visit with Sean and his wife before the official performance.  

I departed the Lan-Tex Theater with a full heart and a big smile.  I went over to the beautiful Llano County Courthouse and went upstairs to the big courtroom on the second floor.  If that ornate and historic courtroom could talk, the stories it could tell!  Before heading back to the motel to pick up Dorothy for dinner I also visited and photographed the Old Llano County (Red Top) Jail, located a couple of blocks from the Courthouse.  

A Disappointing Dinner Before the Show…

I picked up Dorothy at the motel and we headed a short distance down the street to Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que.  I was excited to have the opportunity to dine at his well known and historic Bar-B-Que joint.  Unfortunately, I was very disappointed at our experience at this establishment.  While the facility certainly has a fair dose of rustic, or perhaps run-down, charm, the Bar-B-Que they served up to us was, I hate to say it, sub-par at best.  It was terribly expensive for pork ribs that were so salty that they were close to being un-eatable.  The brisket, in my opinion, was no better– I found it dry and chewy.  While Dorothy steadfastly claimed it had a “great flavor”, I had to respectfully disagree.  About the only thing I can say positive about this joint is that the beans are free and the locals are quite nice.  I won’t be coming back.  

Finally, Time for Sean Dietrich’s “The Where’s Home? Tour”…

I entered the Lan-Tex Theater in a less than hospitable mood, still wallowing in the disappointment of a once storied Bar-B-Que joint.  But my mood brightened considerably as the lights went down right on time and Sean Dietrich took the stage.  His performance was grand, as he switched instruments (guitar, banjo, fiddle, and accordian) while he sang and told stories.  Much of his performance that night was new to us, but we enjoyed some old favorites as well, such as his story about the shennanigans of his cousin “Ed Lee” and the first time he sang in church as a boy.  The Theater seemed almost full and the crowd appeared to enjoy the show, although probably not as much as two old die-hard fans from McQueeney, Texas.  We didn’t stick around to hug Sean’s neck, but as we exited the Theater he was hard at it in the lobbly, hugging any gray haird old lady that cared to stand in line and submit herself to Sean’s Charm!  Below are a few of the photos I took during the performance and a little video of Sean showing out on the accordian.   

My little bootleg video of Sean’s accordian medley at the Lan-Tex…

Time To Head Home…

We made it safely back to our motel room after the show, and enjoyed a good night’s sleep.  I got up hearly the next morning so I could be at the Lake Buchanan Dam at first light.  My goal was to photograph some Bald Eagles that are allegedly known to hang out there.  I spent an hour and a half at an observation deck below the dam, without success.  But, although very cold, it was a beautiful sunrise and a beautiful spot to start my day.  I picked up Dorothy at the motel and we drove back to the lack.  By the way, in just over a month (March 6, 2026) the dam is supposed to be complete and the powers-that-be will start filling the lake.  Hooray!!