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| courtesy of Jeff Mitchell https://www.etsy.com/shop/BoxingBear |
The Cain’s was constructed in 1924 to actually serve as a
garage for W. Tate Brady, one of Tulsa’s Founding Fathers – hence that whole
Brady district thing. It didn’t operate
as a garage for long though. As the
country was in the grips of prohibition, Tate started opening the building up
to the public as a speakeasy for Tulsa’s oil elite. In 1930 the building was sold to Madison
“Daddy” Cain and became Cain’s Dance Academy where, for one thin dime, you
could receive a dance lesson.
Although it seems foreign to us now, at the time a new genre of music was becoming popular in the southern states – commonly referred to as “western swing” – a combination of country music, jazz, blues, big band swing, and jitterbug. The dance academy soon became the site of the Texas Playboys’ regular radio broadcast of this new sound. Bob Willis and his Playboys broadcast their midday shows via KVOO from coast to coast for almost 10 years, thus the ballroom is often referred to as Home of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. Even today his portrait, along with the portraits of other prominent musicians of the day, still graces the walls. In 1976 the building was sold once again and received a complete refurbishment and reopened under its current name – Cain’s Ballroom Dancing.
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| photo courtesy of CM |
Although it seems foreign to us now, at the time a new genre of music was becoming popular in the southern states – commonly referred to as “western swing” – a combination of country music, jazz, blues, big band swing, and jitterbug. The dance academy soon became the site of the Texas Playboys’ regular radio broadcast of this new sound. Bob Willis and his Playboys broadcast their midday shows via KVOO from coast to coast for almost 10 years, thus the ballroom is often referred to as Home of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. Even today his portrait, along with the portraits of other prominent musicians of the day, still graces the walls. In 1976 the building was sold once again and received a complete refurbishment and reopened under its current name – Cain’s Ballroom Dancing.
In 1978 Cain’s earned its place in the history of Rock and
Roll by being one of only seven venues to host the Sex Pistols on their one and
only American tour. Now that’s
something!
Today the Cain’s is host to such a variety of acts, it would
be almost impossible not to find someone you enjoy. I’ve seen an odd assortment of acts at the
Cain’s – from Citizen Cope to Willie Nelson to Alice In Chains. Some of my personal highlights though, are
seeing Beck bust out a Bob Wills tune in the middle of a set, Billy Bob
Thornton working the crowd like a mad man (yes, I know….Billy Bob!), and
Scissor Sisters tearing it up to a packed house.
So if you’re in the mood for a concert experience like no
other, check out the Cain’s. You will
not be disappointed!
Thank you for the write-up! - Cain's Ballroom mgmt
ReplyDeleteGreat write up.. cant wait to see Cains in person!!
ReplyDelete