Elvis Presley- The Cotton Club Lubbock, TX - October 15, 1955
April 29, 1955 Elvis, Scotty and Bill returned to Lubbock and performed at The Cotton Club. For over forty years the Cotton Club stood as the most influential and diverse performance venue in the region. It was once the only profitable venue for a band to stop between Dallas and Los Angeles. The Cotton Club was unique because of its blindness to race, color and musical genre, presenting artists such as Little Richard, Elvis, and Willie Nelson among many others.
Some of the earliest film footage of Elvis was shot there of this performance and backstage by local, Ben Hall. Ben would later write 'Blue Days, Black Nights', one of the first songs recorded by Buddy Holly in Nashville after he signed with Decca and subsequently his first release. On later dates Ben also shot backstage film footage there of Buddy, Sonny Curtis, Don Guess, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash.
The Cotton Club
- October 15, 1955
The club/dance hall was actually in the city of Slaton, located in the Southeast part of Lubbock County about 15 miles outside of Lubbock on Highway 84. It was owned and operated by Lubbock native Ralph Lowe and his family and according to the book Rockin Across Texas by Stanley Oberst, the club booked the best talent that waltzed through West Texas from Bob Wills to Harry James.
Ralph Lowe's daughter, Pat, would go to the club after school and fix sandwiches for the night's patrons. One time Elvis was entertaining her and they played Tic/Tac/Toe on one of the white tablecloths. Ralph, the owner got angry, had it washed, and then took .75 cents from Elvis' check that night for the laundering.
She also would let Buddy Holly, Mac Davis and others slip in thru kitchen to see Elvis perform.
Ralph Lowe Jr., Scotty and Elvis onstage at the Cotton Club - Oct. 15, 1955
Pat Lowe and Elvis at the Cotton Club - Oct. 15, 1955
Stop, look and listen baby that's our philosophy .... First thing in the morning, last thing at night ... look, stare everywhere and see everything inside .... Stop, look and listen!
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