The Barrelhouse

The Barrelhouse Club, at 107th and Wilmington in Watts, Los Angeles, was a rhythm and blues nightclub opened in 1948[1] and co-owned by Johnny Otis, and Bardu and Tila Ali.[2]

It was named in honour of the Barrel House in Omaha, Nebraska, the first club in that district to welcome black and white customers.[3]

Artists who performed at the venue included Mel Walker, Esther Phillips, who first performed there at a talent show, The Robins,[4] The Hollywood Flames, and tenor saxophonist Big Jay McNeely. Many of the performers at the club would join Otis' California Rhythm and Blues Caravan in the early 1950s.[1] Pete "Guitar" Lewis, who played with the Johnny Otis Orchestra between the late 1940s and mid-1950s, also recorded an instrumental, "Midnight in the Barrelhouse" (the flip-side, "Barrelhouse Stomp" was by McNeely), for the Excelsior record label, presumably in honor of the club.[5]

References
  1. Otis, Johnny (2009) Listen to the Lambs, pp. 156-7. University of Minnesota Press At Google Books. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  2. Lipsitz, George (2010) Midnight at the Barrelhouse: The Johnny Otis Story, p. xxv. University of Minnesota Press At Google Books. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  3. Lipsitz, George (2010) Midnight at the Barrelhouse: The Johnny Otis Story, pp. 20-23. University of Minnesota Press At Google Books. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  4. Warner, Jay (2006 American Singing Groups: A History from 1940 to Today, p. 285. Hal Leonard Corporation At Google Books. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  5. Les Fancourt & Bob McGrath, "The Blues Discography," p 425. Eyeball Productions, 2006.

33.939009°N 118.239076°W / 33.939009; -118.239076

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