Elvis' first show after Christmas and last of 1954 was a long way from Memphis at Cook's Hoedown Club in Houston, advertised in the Houston Post as a 'Yuletide Hillbilly Jamboree'. The December 25th Houston Press even included a portrait of Elvis (That's All Right) Presley for the show, which at $1.25 was more than a ticket to the Louisiana Hayride, but it would go toward raising money for the fire department. Adjusted for inflation, the ticket would set you back about $15 nowadays.
Although the venue reportedly held around 2,000 people, I have not found any contemporary exterior photos, but this photo of Johnny Ragsdale and his Sundowners, circa 1954, shows the stage as it appeared when Elvis, Scotty, and Bill were there:
According to one source, only 150 people attended the December 28th show, but I'm not sure where this information originated or how accurate it is. The fate of Cook's Hoedown Club seems to be largely absent from the historic record. Although the Houston Post cites the address as 602 Capitol Avenue, it was actually 602 Capitol Street, and the area has been completely redeveloped in modern times. The red marker in the aerial photo below shows the approximate location, and the street view shows a skyscraper that occupies the site.
Comments
Post a Comment