During the 1940s Groom played at clubs owned by
Jack Ruby, a man he referred to as his friend. After the second world war, Groom went into club management as a means to showcase his own musicianship. In 1950, he opened the Bounty Ballroom. In 1958, he moved his operation to the former Bob Wills Ranch House, where The Longhorn was operated. The Longhorn nearly became the site for the filming of
Urban Cowboy, but Gilley's with its larger space became the final choice. As a country music artist who played guitar and bass, he had worked with
Howdy Forrester and
Georgia Slim. ==Career==