Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-03-10
The Palomino Makes Its Highly Anticipated Debut with Exclusive Screening at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s Ford Theater
The Palomino will make its highly anticipated debut with an exclusive screening at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s Ford Theater on April 25, 2026 at 2:30 PM, followed by a special Q&A session with members of the cast and filmmakers.
Nashville, TN — Mule Kick Productions is thrilled to announce the official advance screening and panel conversation of documentary film The Palomino, directed by Adrienne Isom and written by KP Hawthorn. The premiere will take place on April 25, 2026 at 2:30 PM at the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum in the Ford Theater, followed by a special Q&A session with members of the cast and filmmakers. The Palomino editorial team includes Emmy Award- and ACE Award-winning editor Damian Rodriguez.
Just north of Hollywood, hidden in plain sight on a rustic stretch of Lankershim Boulevard, stood a neon-lit honkytonk that would unexpectedly shape the future of American music. The Palomino is a vibrant, untold history of the most influential country music venue you’ve never heard of — the beating heart of California country from 1949 to 1995.
While Nashville claimed tradition, The Palomino built a revolution. This legendary North Hollywood bar became the West Coast proving ground for rebels, innovators, and outlaws such as Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Cash, who rewrote the rules of country music. Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams, Merle Haggard, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, and George Jones all passed through The Pal’s humble doors and left forever changed.
Beyond the twang and stardom, this is also a story of family, love, and personal tragedy, all woven into the fabric of The Palomino’s legendary past through the raw memories of those who lived them.
Fueled by freedom, grit, and raw talent, The Palomino Club was more than a venue; it was a movement. Through wild stories, unseen archival footage, and unforgettable performances, this film unearths a secret history where Dust Bowl migrants, movie cowboys, and rock ’n’ roll misfits collided to spark a musical and cultural renaissance. If not for The Palomino, country music wouldn’t sound — or look — the way it does today.
“We didn’t go looking to make this film,” said Adrienne Isom, director of The Palomino. “This is our first film and the story found us. I feel very lucky that I got to spend the last 7 1/2 years under The Palomino spell with KP and our team, all the incredible artists, the family members, patrons, and staff who said ‘yes!’ to us and told us their stories. Creating this movie has been the journey of a lifetime.”
The film, which has already garnered attention for its incredible untold California country music history and Los Angeles folklore mystique, features country and roots music legends Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Dave Alvin, John Jorgenson, Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters), and many more.
Writer KP Hawthorn explains, “We acted as guardians of The Palomino history. We learned so much about our West Coast home and discovered some cult heroes while making the movie. Being able to showcase and allow others to discover them is one of the most exciting aspects of sharing The Palomino with the world.”
What: The Palomino Advance Screening and Panel Discussion
When: Saturday, April 25, 2026, 2:30 PM (panel discussion directly following)
Where: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum – Ford Theater
222 Rep. John Lewis Way S.
Nashville, TN 37203
Tickets: Available at
countrymusichalloffame.org
Los Angeles, CA / Nashville, TN-based Mule Kick Productions is a female-owned production company that began to facilitate the creation of The Palomino documentary. The Mule Kick team helped reopen the famous venue in North Hollywood for the first time in 23 years, with The Palomino, L.A. Country-Music Venue That Hosted Patsy Cline and Gram Parsons, Re-Opens for One Night. Rosie Flores, Jim Lauderdale, Chip Kinman, and more relived the club’s glory days one last time in 2018, and the team then began interviewing the many artists, musicians, historians, and others who would help assemble the story.
DBA Mule Kick Records, the company expanded its goals and began releasing records by legacy and up-and-coming artists who connect with the mission and brand of the boutique label.
