Calderon Ballroom
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The Calderon Ballroom was a music venue at 1610 E. Buckeye Road in Phoenix, Arizona. It was one of the most popular dance halls in the state in the 1950s and 1960s, hosting the region's top Mexican and Latin bands. During its heyday, some of the top R&B acts performed at the Calderon Ballroom. It was a stop on the "Chitlin' Circuit," a selection of venues considered safe and acceptable for African-American entertainers in the era of racial segregation in the United States.[1]
History[edit]
The Calderon Ballroom was opened by Leonard Calderon on October 23, 1953.[2] Calderon sold tires for B. F. Goodrich and before he opened the ballroom it was an auto repair shop.[3] Calderon decided to turn it into a dance hall because there weren't any local venues for Mexican-Americans to dance on weekends.[3] Calderon organized weekly Friday night dances at the Calderon Ballroom with musician Curtis Gray and his band as the house band.[2]
The venue was located at 1610 E. Henshaw Road (later changed to Buckeye Road) in the neighborhood of Golden Gate Barrio in Phoenix, Arizona.[4] The Buckeye Road area had a high crime rate so the city council proposed assigning more police presence in the area in 1956.[5]
Calderon was public-minded and involved in many community activities. He rented the Calderon Ballroom out to social clubs and organizations for events. In August 1954, the Vesta Club sponsored a benefit dance at the Calderon Ballroom. The proceeds from the event were used for a scholarship given to an Arizona State College at Tempe student of Latino-American descent.[6] In February 1956, a dance sponsored by Los Conquistadores of Arizona State College was held at the Calderon Ballroom.[7]
At a time when many local venues did not accept African-American performers, Calderon welcomed them to his ballroom.[8] He brought the top R&B performers to the Calderon Ballroom while still embracing Mexican music and booking regional bands.[9][10]
In 1973, state senator Alfredo Gutierrez told The Arizona Republic the "Mexican ballrooms in Phoenix, Calderon's, Riverside, Emma's and Salon Mexico, play a very important part in providing the Mexicano community with a sense of self-identity."[3]
Calderon continued to operate the Calderon Ballroom until the 1980s. He hired a mariachi band, and the venue was also used for wedding receptions and quinceanera parties.[11]
The ballroom was demolished as the Golden Gate Barrio neighborhood was razed due to eminent domain for the expansion of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.[12][13]
Calderon died at the age of 90 in Scottsdale, Arizona on May 1, 2004.[14]
Notable performers[edit]
Notable acts who performed at the Calderon Ballroom include:
- Los Tres Diamantes[15]
- Johnny "Guitar" Watson[16]
- Little Willie John[16]
- Rene Touzet[16]
- Fats Domino[16]
- Ray Charles[17]
- Brook Benton[17]
- James Brown and The Famous Flames[17]
- Tito Puente[18]
- Ike & Tina Turner[19]
- Sam Cooke[20]
- Manny Lopez[20]
- Hank Ballard and the Midnighters[9]
- Etta James[21]
- Bobby Blue Bland[22]
- Little Joe and the Latiniers
- Tyrone Davis[23]
References[edit]
- ^ "Jazz & Blues". PHOENIX magazine. 2013-09-01. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
- ^ a b "New Dance Hall To Open". The Arizona Sun. October 16, 1953. p. 6.
- ^ a b c Oversenf, William (February 4, 1973). "Saturday Night at Calderon Ballroom: Beyond the Music and Dancing - A Sense of Community". The Arizona Republic. pp. L-1.
- ^ Barnes, Lynn (June 11, 2004). "Letters to Editor: Memories of barrio". The Arizona Republic - Extra. p. 6.
- ^ "Buckeye Road Need For Police Aired". The Arizona Republic. January 12, 1956. p. 27.
- ^ "Vesta Club To Hold Benefit Dance Tomorrow Afternoon". The Arizona Republic. July 31, 1954. p. 34.
- ^ "ASC Organization Schedules Dance". The Arizona Republic. February 3, 1957. p. 20.
- ^ Garcia, Teclo (May 14, 2004). "Memories of ballroom swirl in dust". The Arizona Republic - Extra. p. 3.
- ^ a b "Calderon Plans Gala Labor Day Show". Arizona Tribune. September 1, 1961. p. 4.
- ^ Cordova, Randy. "Iconic bandleader 'Chapito' Chavarria turns 100". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
- ^ "Local Mexican music halls exude genuine ambiance". Arizona Republic. September 2, 1981. pp. Extra 8.
- ^ Shaffer, Mark (June 15, 1997). "Hispanic presence overshadowed by growth after WWll". The Arizona Republic. pp. A6.
- ^ "Sacred Heart Church in Phoenix's Golden Gate barrio". The Arizona Republic. July 21, 2017. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
- ^ "Obituaries". The Arizona Republic. May 5, 2004. pp. B10.
- ^ "Sunrise Dance / Jitterbug Contest - Coming June 20, Sun., Trio 'Los Diamontes' - Calderon's Ballroom". The Arizona Republic. June 12, 1954. p. 18.
- ^ a b c d "Calderon Ballroom - Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, Thursday April 21 / Little Willie John, Friday April 29 / Rene Touzet, Sunday May 1 / Fats Domino, Sunday May 15 (Advertisement)". Arizona Tribune. April 15, 1960. p. 8.
- ^ a b c "Coming Attractions - Brook Benton and Orchestra, Wednesday, August 3 / Ray Charles and His Orchestra, Wednesday, August 17 / James Brown and The Flames, Friday August 26 - Calderon Ballroom (Advertisement)" (PDF). The Arizona Sun. July 21, 1960. p. 6.
- ^ "Tito Puente Coming To Calderon Ballroom". The Arizona Sun. October 27, 1960. p. 4.
- ^ "Calderon Ballroom presents Ike & Tina Turner, Thurs. Nov. 10". Arizona Tribune. November 4, 1960. p. 11.
- ^ a b Curtis, Jack (November 23, 1960). "Sometimes It Just Doesn't Pay To Volunteer". Arizona Tribune. p. 35.
- ^ "Calderon Presents Etta James and Tito". Arizona Tribune. June 9, 1961. p. 1.
- ^ "Bobby Bland Signed Calderon Ballroom Concert Poster (1962). Very Rare". Heritage Auctions.
- ^ "Leisure calendar: Clubs". The Arizona Republic. September 3, 1982. pp. E3.