A memorial service celebrating the life of James Michael McGroarty will be held May 31, 2026, from 1 to 3 p.m. at 11th Street Cowboy Bar in Bandera.
James McGroarty, the largerthan-life entrepreneur, oil industry executive and cultural force behind 11th Street Cowboy Bar, died April 27 surrounded by family and friends. He was 71.
McGroarty, a native son of Bandera, spent decades shaping the town’s identity through business, tourism, live music and philanthropy, earning recognition as one of the Texas Hill Country’s most influential figures.
In a statement posted to Facebook, 11th Street Cowboy Bar described McGroarty as “the heart and soul of 11th Street.”
“It was his vision that made 11th Street what it is today,” the statement read. “A native son of Bandera, his dream was to bring music to life and create a place that celebrated the cowboy culture that is inseparable from this town.”
The venue invited residents and visitors to gather in his memory and “raise a glass and celebrate him today.”
Born April 5, 1955, in Kerrville to Patrick and Mary Mc-Groarty, James Michael Mc-Groarty came from a family long tied to Bandera’s economic and civic development.
His grandmother, Mary Boyle, and her brothers established the original M. Boyle Mercantile on 11th Street in 1904, helping lay the foundation for the family’s interests in banking, business and real estate.
McGroarty attended St. Joseph Catholic School and St. John’s Seminary before graduating from Bandera High School in 1973. He learned the value of hard work early, taking jobs at the Bandera Ice Company, a local beer storage facility and the famed OST Restaurant, where he worked alongside his mother.
While attending AAI (Arizona Automotive Institute), McGroarty landed his first job with Sun Drilling Company out of Arizona.
That entrepreneurial drive emerged quickly. In 1974, at age 19, McGroarty became the youngest person at the time to obtain a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission mixed beverage permit. He opened the Frontier Purple Cow and operated the venue until 1978, later opening Foolish Pleasure and Lupe’s Tejano Bar.
At the same time, McGroarty launched a 20-year career in the oil industry with Crutcher Resources and later Saudi Aramco, traveling extensively through the North Sea and the Middle East. His work included participation in projects that set world records for offshore pipeline production and completion of the Norwegian Trench underwater bridge project.
During the Gulf War, King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud appointed Mc-Groarty to oversee cleanup efforts for the world’s largest oil spill.
He was also one of only three Americans awarded the King’s Commission to manage pre-arrival operations for the Saudi monarch at Aramco facilities.
Following his retirement from the oil industry in 1994, McGroarty co-founded Shamrock Environmental Corp. in Greensboro, North Carolina. The company later handled major environmental cleanup operations, including work tied to the 2001 anthrax attacks at the NBC Tower and several postal facilities.
Though his career took him across the globe, Mc-Groarty eventually returned home to Bandera.
In 2006, he and his wife, Stella Tedesco McGroarty, purchased and expanded 11th Street Cowboy Bar at 307 11th Street. Under their leadership, the venue grew into one of the bestknown country music destinations in Texas.
Dubbed the “Biggest Little Honky Tonk in Texas,” the property featured a 20,000-square-foot bar and a 70-foot stage that hosted countless country, Cajun and zydeco performers. McGroarty often described the venue’s mission simply: “Providing the best Country Western music experience in Texas and sharing drinks with good friends.”
The venue became especially known for Cowboy Mardi Gras, an annual event blending Cajun and cowboy traditions. The celebration routinely drew more than 15,000 attendees from around the world and featured live music, parades, gumbo cook-offs and costume contests. In 2023, performers included the John Christopher Way Band, Jason Allen, Ryan Foret, Bayou Rush, Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners, Wayne Toups and Kenny Orts.
James and Stella Mc-Groarty were named grand marshals of the 2023 Cowboy Mardi Gras Parade in recognition of their role in building the event into one of Bandera’s signature tourism attractions.
McGroarty’s influence on Texas music and tourism earned recognition at both the local and state levels.
On April 8, 2022, Gov. Greg Abbott proclaimed James M. McGorarty a “Living Legend” for his contributions to tourism and the country music industry.
It is believed that on April 9, 2022, Bandera Mayor Suzanne Schauman proclaimed April 5 “James McGroarty Day” in the City of Bandera.
Abbott also issued a certificate of appreciation recognizing McGroarty for transforming the venue into the largest music destination in the Texas Hill
Country. In July 2022, James and Stella McGroarty sold 11th Street Cowboy Bar. The venue was purchased by Richard and Sasha Sutton, who pledged to continue the bar’s cowboy culture and traditions.
Even after the sale, McGroarty remained closely identified with the venue and the culture it represented.
His impact extended beyond entertainment and tourism. In 2024, McGroarty received the Hometown Hero & Real Deal Honky Tonk Legends award from the Arthur Nagel Community Clinic during its Cork and Fork fundraiser, sharing the honor with fellow recipient Arkey Blue.
Friends and family remembered him as a fearless adventurer who embraced life on a grand scale. His children recalled African safaris, expeditions through the Rub’ al Khali desert and surfing trips to Bali — experiences that reflected his philosophy of “take the trip” and live life without limits.
He is survived by family members and friends who described him as resilient, charismatic and endlessly driven, a man whose influence could still be felt in the music, lights and crowds gathered beneath the Texas sky at the cowboy bar he helped turn into a legend of its own.
A full obituary and service details are available at BanderaFuneralChapel. com.
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