Houston's Folk Music Venues
A journey through Houston's folk music scene and its venues from 1961-1990.
All Houston folk music-related venues
A bird's eye view of all of the folk-related music venues throughout the city from 1961-1990. By clicking on each one, you can see when it opened and closed and its exact address.
Venues 1961-1969
See the growth of the scene by swiping left or right on the arrows.
1961
While the Houston Folklore Society had already been holding meetings in homes across the city for the last eleven years, there was not yet a folk club that brought together talent both locally, regionally, and nationally.
The Jester Lounge became the place where Lightnin' Hopkins influenced a generation, Guy Clark refined his performing skills, and Kay Oslin showed off her beautiful voice.
In 1963, the regular players at the Jester recorded the album "Look, It's Us." Here is audio of Frank Davis and Kay Oslin singing the folk song "My Girl," also known as "In the Pines," from that album.
While we have not seen any images of the interior of the Jester, we do have Judy Clements of the duo Ken and Judy describing its interior.
1963
The year before The Beatles hit the charts in the U.S., thereby interrupting the nation's great folk scare, at least four folk clubs sprang up around the city.
The Houston Folklore Society began holding its folk concerts at the Jewish Community Center the previous year. On February 15, 1962, Ed Badeaux and Mance Lipscomb performed the first of a series of concerts.
John A. Lomax, Jr. and Mance Lipscomb performing at an unknown location, circa 1968
Here is an example of one of those concerts featuring John A. Lomax, Jr. and Mance Lipscomb from October 30, 1966.
Folk continued to thrive at the JCC throughout the 1960s. Peter Gardner of the folk duo The Gardners became of the Director of Adult Activities. He also began a radio show at KRBE called Sampler, which featured Guy Clark, Frank Davis, Kay Oslin, Townes Van Zandt and others. Ed Badeaux, a founding member of the Houston Folklore Society, gave guitar lessons there.
Davy Jones playing and Ed Badeaux listening at the Jewish Community Center.
1965
Don Sanders in 1965
Despite the end of the great folk scare and the rise of rock n' roll nationally, John Carrick and Steve Gladson opened Sand Mountain Coffee House in May 1965. During its height, the coffee house managed by Corrine Carrick, hosted concerts by John A. Lomax Jr., Lightnin' Hopkins, Mance Lipscomb, Townes Van Zandt, Mickey Newbury, Guy Clark, Susan Spaw, Jerry Jeff Walker, Don Sanders, Carolyn Terry, and many others.
At some point, someone painted a large mural inside that featured Van Zandt, Newbury, Clark, Walker, and Sanders, highlighting their important role in the history of the venue and in the folk scene.
Early on the members of the scene performed traditional folk songs. Drawing on their influences which included blues legends Hopkins and Lipscomb, Van Zandt, Clark, Walker, and Sanders began writing their own music. This change helped re-infuse the scene with new life. Songwriting started to become the norm.
This is an ad for an upcoming show at the Rice Memorial Center at Rice University. The student discusses seeing Jerry Jeff Walker at Sand Mountain in the fall of 1969.
1969
In direct contrast to Sand Mountain Coffee House, the Old Quarter opened up in 1969. Where Sand Mountain was a non-alcoholic venue run by teetotaling Corrine Carrick, the Old Quarter had a beer and wine license and offered set ups. As the members of the folk scene began to grow up, the Old Quarter became a preferred spot.
Located downtown across from the police station and run by Dale Soffar and Rex Bell, the venue hosted local, regional, and sometimes national acts who visited based on its reputation. After a concert elsewhere in the city, The Allman Brothers famously sat in one night.
Franci Jarrard and Lyse Moore talk about the differences between Sand Mountain Coffee House and Old Quarter.
1970-1979
During the 1970s, folk music venues in Houston ballooned in size. Below you can compare, the scene from 1970 to its height in 1977.
Compare the scene in 1970 and 1977 by swiping left or right on the arrows.
1970
Anderson Fair Retail Restaurant, ca. 1977
Although it had officially opened as a lunch spot in 1969, Anderson Fair Retail Restaurant began to host musicians in its small space the following year. The small space was later expanded and a formal stage built.
Over the next several years, it became the space for songwriters in the city to share new lyrics, melodies, and stories over coffee or for late risers over a plate of spaghetti. Eric Taylor, Vince Bell, Lynn Langham, Nanci Griffith, Don Sanders, Bill and Lucille Cade, Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams, and many others honed their craft upon the buildings old brick floors.
Lynn Langham performing at Anderson Fair Retail Restaurant, ca. 1976
Lynn Langham describes the atmosphere of the scene at Anderson Fair.
1973
Around 1973, venue options began to explode for local folk singers. With the legalization of liquor by the drink, the growing club scene led to no shortage of gigs. Surprisingly, this extended to food establishments like the Village Inn Pizza, Tanney's, The Refectory, and Bull and Anchor. Restaurant gigs were always a favorite, since it included a sometimes much needed meal.
Jack Saunders discusses the advantages of playing at restaurants.
1974
Started in 1971, Liberty Hall loomed large as a mid-size music venue catering to Texas and national acts. It hosted luminaries of the Austin cosmic cowboy scene, Bruce Springsteen, and even The Ramones.
It also became a place where Houston singer-songwriters could perform as opening and headlining acts. The folk bands Wheatfield and Dogtooth Violet played there many times.
Wheatfield describes their experiences at the Hall.
In 1974, Townes Van Zandt and his newly added guitarist Mickey White opened up for Hoyt Axton. Here is audio from that performance recorded from the KPFT radio live simulcast.
1975
The Sweetheart of Texas Concert Hall and Saloon
In December 1974, local KPRC producer Bruce Bryant, Dee Brown, and Charlie Hargrave opened The Sweetheart of Texas Concert Hall and Saloon. Although the venue was short lived, it hosted both local and national talent.
Mickey White and Townes Van Zandt, 1975
It even has a song devoted to it by R. W. Crouch and The Bum Steers from the album, "If You Divorce Me Baby, Who'll Get the Truck?"
1977
At its peak in 1976-1977, there were at least 18 folk-leaning venues across the city. In addition, to some already described, these included the incredibly popular Theodore's and Corky's.
Theodore's
circa 1977
Danny Everitt a frequent player at Theodore's describes the scene.
Corky's
Gurf Morlix and Blaze Foley, 1978-12-18
Sound engineer, Danny McVey, describes the venue.
1980-1990
By 1980, folk venues began to shutter. Compared to a high of 18 in 1977, only twelve remained and by the beginning of 1981, the number would be at nine.
Compare the scene in 1980 and 1990 by swiping left or right on the arrows.
1980
Shake Russell, Dana Cooper, and Jimmy Raycraft at Rockefeller's, ca. 1981
While singer-songwriters still performed in the city, some in the community began to relocate or join bands. At this time, one of the powerhouse groups on the scene was The Shake Russell / Dana Cooper Band. One of the spots in town where they loved to play was Rockefeller's. Unlike Theodore's or Corky's, this new venue held a larger amount of people and primarily hosted national acts. Since The Shake Russell / Dana Cooper Band was such a draw, they had no issue filling the seats.
Calendar mailer featuring The Shake Russell / Dana Cooper Band, as well as national acts, 1982-03
Sanford Criner, the owner of the building and the original club, discusses how the old bank building became a music venue. This audio originally aired on KTRU as part of the "Up in the Air" radio show.
1985
While not yet at the height of the oil bust, Houston's economy changed between 1980 and 1985, as oil prices fell. In addition, the hippies who kept the folk scene afloat began to settle down and move out of the city. At this point, only nine folk-friendly venues remained, three of which stayed continuously in business until 2018.
Stardom also took its toll on the scene. In the early to mid 1980s, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, and Robert Earl Kean began successful careers in Nashville. Others left the city to look for stardom elsewhere. Lucinda Williams moved to Los Angeles, though her career would take off in the 1990s. Richard Dobson settled in Nashville in the early 1980s to write songs and record independently, and Dana Cooper moved there in 1989 to re-energize his career.
With all of these changes, Houston haunts like Anderson Fair shifted from a hotbed of local talent to a venue that showcased more regional acts. Houston became the place that talent left rather than flocked.
Jack Saunders describes how the decline of a scene influences whether a musician will stay and struggle or relocate.
1990
In 1990, McGonigel's Mucky Duck opened and has been a mainstay of the Houston scene ever since. It's a favorite of Jack Saunders, Wheatfield, and Sara Hickman.
Sara Hickman and her husband at her last concert at the Mucky Duck, 2017, Photographer: Christopher Ng
Sara Hickman describes why she loves the Mucky Duck.
Today
Richard Dobson playing the guitar, 2017, photographer: Jeff Fitlow
Although Houston's folk scene is a thing of the past, local music venues continue to cater to members of the community who love folk and Americana music.
Existing folk music venues in 2018.
The Houston Folklore Society now the Houston Folklore and Music Society still hosts pickin' parties and their Second Saturday concert series. Anderson Fair is still a hallowed venue in the eyes of performers from all over the country. The Mucky Duck is still going strong, even hosting intimate performances by Rodney Crowell. As long as fans exist to fill the venues, musicians, young and old, can connect to Houston's folk past.
