Ash Grove (music club) facts for kids
The Ash Grove was a famous folk music club in Los Angeles, California. It was started in 1958 by Ed Pearl. The club was named after a Welsh folk song called "The Ash Grove."
For 15 years, the Ash Grove changed the music scene in Los Angeles. It helped many musicians become popular on the West Coast. Even Bob Dylan dreamed of playing there. The club was a place where older folk and blues legends met young artists. These young artists later created the music revolution of the 1960s.
Many famous artists played at the Ash Grove. These included Canned Heat, Doc Watson, Pete Seeger, Bill Monroe, Johnny Cash, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Howlin' Wolf, and Muddy Waters.
The Limeliters performed at the Ash Grove in 1960. Their show was recorded and became a popular album.
A Special Music School
Folk singer Ross Altman called the Ash Grove a "West Coast University of Folk Music." This meant it was like a school for folk music.
Ry Cooder played his first public show there in 1963. He was only 16 years old. Linda Ronstadt also spent time at the Ash Grove when she was starting out. She remembered that playing there was her main goal. It was the center of folk music at the time. She met Kenny Edwards there, and they started the band Stone Poneys.
Future members of The Byrds, Chris Hillman and Clarence White, met at the Ash Grove when they were in high school. They later played there with The Byrds.
The club was best known for "folk" and "roots" music, like bluegrass and blues. But Ed Pearl also featured other types of music. These included jazz and rock artists. Some of these were Chuck Berry and Jackson Browne.
The Ash Grove also welcomed music from around the world. Long before "world music" was a popular term, artists like Ravi Shankar and Miriam Makeba performed there.
The Ash Grove was also connected to the big changes happening in the 1960s. It was a place where music mixed with poetry, talks, films, and comedy. Comedians like Lenny Bruce and Steve Allen performed there. Luis Valdez's El Teatro Campesino also performed. Artists campaigning against the Vietnam War, like Jane Fonda, also visited.
Challenges and Closing
Sometimes, people who had traveled from Cuba gave talks or showed films about Cuba at the Ash Grove. This led to protests and threats from some groups.
A series of fires also happened at the club. Patrons believed some of these fires were set on purpose. These events led to the club closing in 1973.
After the club closed, Ed Pearl helped activists in Los Angeles. He helped them organize big concerts for Latin American music groups. These events helped bring "world music" to Los Angeles.
Lasting Impact
About 3,000 hours of live performances from the Ash Grove still exist today.
Some people say the Ash Grove was a victim of its own success. It helped new musicians become popular. But then these musicians needed bigger places to play. Ed Pearl believed that big music companies made it harder for smaller clubs to exist. He felt they didn't support new folk music talent.
After the Ash Grove closed, music critic Robert Hilburn wrote about its importance. He shared a story about Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones. Jagger often visited the club. He thanked Ed Pearl for all the entertainment and musical learning the club gave him. Hilburn said the Ash Grove's contribution to Los Angeles music was very valuable.
In 1974, a comedy club called The Improv opened in the old Ash Grove building. It became very famous there.
In 2015, some special Ash Grove music events were held at The Improv. Ed Pearl guided these events. They celebrated the Ash Grove's history in its original location. Performers included The Chambers Brothers and Jackson Browne.
Brothers Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin often talk about how important the Ash Grove was to them. Dave Alvin's 2004 album, Ashgrove, has a song about his memories of the club.
See Also
- The Ash Grove
