Celebrity Sighting

Dancing With the Stars hotties create sultry stir on San Salvaje patio

Dallas celebrity chef Stephan Pyles welcomed the cast of Ballroom With a Twist, aka a traveling Dancing With the Stars, to San Salvaje for the official cast party.

After a successful show at the Music Hall at Fair Park, a posse comprising Cheryl Burke, Karina Smirnoff, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Tony Dovolani headed to the modern Latin restaurant, where the staff was ready and waiting. Other BWAT cast members — including Legacy Perez, Jenna Johnson and Randi Lynn Strong — as well as former Bachelor and DWTS castmember Sean Lowe and wife Catherine, also hit up the Arts District hot spot, bringing the tally to more than 30 singers and dancers.

Tony Dovolani was the life of the party, showing that trademark charm and charisma his fans adore.

Dovolani was the life of the party, showing that trademark charm and charisma his fans adore. He and Smirnoff created quite a stir on the patio with their smoking hot moves, causing passersby to snap photos and drivers to roll down their windows to get a better look.

Salsa band Fifo Y Su Combo impressed the group so much that they opted to hire the band for another hour. Sources also tell us that Burke and Smirnoff were dolls throughout the evening, never letting their celebrity status get in the way of a little Texas fun.

If you were inspired by this dance party, you can create your own: San Salvaje has live Latin music and dancing every Friday and Saturday, from 9 pm to midnight.

Karina Smirnoff.

Photo by Anthony Citrano Wikimedia Commons

Karina Smirnoff.

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RIP Joe

Texas country music singer-songwriter Joe Ely dies at 78

Joe Ely/Facebook

Joe Ely was a major figure in Texas' progressive country scene.

Joe Ely, the legendary songwriter, singer, and storyteller whose career spanned more than five decades, has died from complications related to Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and pneumonia. He was 78.

According to a statement posted to his Facebook page, Ely died at his home in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife Sharon, and daughter Marie, at his side.

Born February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas, Ely was raised in Lubbock and became a central figure among a generation of influential West Texas musicians. He later settled in Austin, helping shape the city’s reputation as a hub for live music.

"Joe Ely performed American roots music with the fervor of a true believer who knew music could transport souls," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

In the 1970s, Ely signed with MCA Records, launching a career that included decades of recording and touring around the world. His work and performances left a lasting impact on the music scene and influenced a wide range of artists, including the Clash and Bruce Springsteen, according to Rolling Stone.

"His distinctive musical style could only have emerged from Texas, with its southwestern blend of honky-tonk, rock & roll, roadhouse blues, western swing, and conjunto. He began his career in the Flatlanders, with fellow Lubbock natives Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, and he would mix their songs with his through 50 years of critically acclaimed recordings."

Read the full story at KVUE.com.

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