Donald Edward “Dew” Westbrook has been dancing to his own beat since age four — starting on roller skates. But it was his love for the two-step on the massive wooden dance floor at a honky tonk in Pasadena that landed him in the sights of a big-city writer. 

The article in the 50th edition of Esquire magazine led to a film, turning Gilley’s, where he became “king” bull rider and its subculture of Gilley Rats, into an international cult sensation.  As Cotton Country Club in Granger, Texas, gears up for its Gilley’s-style Urban Cowboy Night on Oct. 5, 2024, we sat down with Dew to ask a few questions.

How were you connected to Aaron Latham, the writer of the article that inspired the movie?  

There was a newspaper and magazine conference held all around the country, and that year it happened to be in Houston. A guy from the Houston Chronicle took people from different newspapers and magazines around, and they ended up at Gilley’s. Aaron Latham was part of that group, and they were fascinated with the bull at the bar. I didn’t really know who Aaron was at the time, but that’s where we first crossed paths. 

What did you think of his article?

It was a big deal being in the 50th anniversary issue, and that was something special. I almost got to be on the cover for the 50th anniversary of Esquire magazine.  That would have been something.  But a magazine article can only show so much. It may have touched on the lifestyle and energy of Gilley Rat life, but there’s always more to the story when you’re living it day in and day out.  

I’ve been interviewing you for a while, and after reading Aaron’s article, some things don’t quite add up. Did you notice he said you were still living with Betty when you started dating Pam?

I never actually took the time to read the article. But I definitely was not living with Betty at that time. The story in the movie about the flying bottle, the first question I asked Pam, and the fight in the diner — all that happened. 

They made me look bad in that fight but what happened was just a reaction because she pinched me really hard. I never did it again, and I’ve never lived it down in the public eye. She was trying to walk home and I did go pick her up and carry her into my truck, but the mud scene fight didn’t happen and that’s not when I asked her to marry me. The things that didn’t happen made a good movie, though. 

Tell me about the first time you met John Travolta. 

It was his birthday, and I sure wasn’t expecting it. There was a knock on my door and when I looked out, I saw this huge guy standing there filling out my doorway. I answered the door with a shotgun in hand, not knowing what to expect. John’s bodyguard took one look and bolted into the bushes! Then I see John standing behind him, cool as can be, just grinning. We had a good laugh about how he just left John there defenseless.   

You invited John Travolta in, then what happened? 

We talked a lot, mostly them asking questions, and me answering. Then the CEO asked, “What do you think about John playing your part?” I looked at him and said, “Are you sure you want the answer to that?”. He tried asking again, but I turned my attention to Aaron and let the CEO hang in suspense. Well, he asked again and I gave him the same response, “Are you sure you want the answer to that question?”. Then John jumped in and asked me a question and then the CEO, tired of being ignored, interrupted, bellowing out his question again. I looked him square in the eye and said, “I don’t think John should play my part. He’s a disco guy, he does New York, ‘Welcome Back Kotter’  kind of stuff.” The CEO didn’t like that and got up, headed for the door in a huff.  

How did John react to that?

Well I added, “If he can pull it off, it’ll show what a good actor he is.” But the Director was not about to turn around. He yelled at John to come with him but John just laughed and spun around to me and said, “Nobody ever challenged me like you just did.” He wasn’t upset — he actually respected that I spoke my mind. But the CEO, man, he was ticked off. Turns out that a billionaire didn’t expect someone like me to speak to him like that. 

What happened after that? 

After that, everything I’d been promised started falling apart. I was supposed to go to the premieres in California, New York, and Houston. They even said I’d get the truck from the movie. But after that night, I was completely cut out. They dropped me from everything, and I never even saw the 1% I was supposed to earn from the film. I didn’t realize I had only two years to collect, and by the time I figured it out, it was too late.

Did you ever tell John Travolta that he pulled it off?

Yeah, I did. We talked again at an after-party at Gilley’s. The CEO couldn’t keep me out of there, and I got the chance to tell John that he actually pulled it off. He appreciated it. Even though I didn’t think he could do it at first, I admitted that he proved me wrong, and I respected him for that.   

Is there really such a thing as an Urban Cowboy? 

A cowboy is someone who may not live or work on a traditional ranch, but still embodies the spirit of a cowboy. It’s about having the heart and attitude of a cowboy whether you’re in the country working the cow fields or in the city working the oil fields; or somewhere else entirely.  An Urban Cowboy still holds onto the same values of a country cowboy – respect, bravery, honesty and being there for others when they need help. It’s not about where you live, but what’s in your heart and how you carry yourself. It’s all about your character.

Urban Cowboy might not have been the first movie shot in Texas, but its cultural impact was legendary. It brought the wild energy of honky-tonk nights, the heart of the Texas cowboy, and the soul of Southern living together into a story that echoed far beyond state lines. Eddie Westbrook, the real-life Urban Cowboy who put his boots on to dance and ride at Gilley’s, and John Travolta, the big city actor who stepped into his cowboy boots on screen, shared a fierce determination to take on any challenge. That connection between two men from completely different worlds transformed a simple story about a man, his relationships, and his simple southern life into a phenomenon that resonated across cultural lines. It fused the tenacity of a farm raised cowboy living his best life in the city with people and cultures around the globe.

Now’s your chance to meet the man behind the legend! Don’t miss Eddie “Dew” Westbrook and other Gilley Rats at the Urban Cowboy Night at the Cotton Country Club in Granger, Texas, on Oct. 5, 2024. He’ll be sharing stories and celebrating the spirit and the fun that made “Urban Cowboy” and Gilley’s iconic. There will be a dance contest, a Dolly Parton look-alike contest, a Bud and Sissy look-alike contest, and, of course, a mechanical bull.  Dance to music by the Urban Cowboy Reunion Band Featuring Jessie Mapes. Get your tickets here.  

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Cover photo Rhonda Jenkins

Rhonda Jenkins is a former Instagram strategist and writer for Texas Lifestyle Magazine, with a passion for interviewing celebrities and uncovering unique, relatable stories. When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to learn a few dance moves from the pros at the Cotton Country Club or spending quality time with her family.