Club Matinee: Houston’s Iconic Music Venue
Club Matinee: Houston’s Iconic Music Venue
The Cotton Club of the South
Club Matinee is a major piece of the cultural heritage of 5th Ward. Founded in 1936 and open until 1973 this cultural landmark was an exceptional musical venue. After opening with Cab Calloway, this visionary Cotton Club of the South hosted entertainment legends from Ray Charles (one of his first gigs) to James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Louis Armstrong, Sam Cooke, Little Richard, and B.B. King.
The 5th Ward Cultural Arts District honors the legacy of Club Matinee with Memory Builds the Monument: A project that seeks to collect memories and memorabilia of this iconic venue. Help us to to archive and share the story of our Cotton Club of the South. Let your memories help to build a monument! Send pics and stories to fwcrcad@gmail.com
Compelled by the vivid memories of the legendary Club Matinee by Houston’s elders, Memory Builds the Monument is a documentation project to share the rich history of the legendary live music venue and the Greater Fifth Ward community. This conversation was screened prior to the film premiere on August 28, 2021 at Moonstruck Drive-in in 5th Ward.
