1940-1945
411 S. Maynard St.
Davey Lee opened this very popular after-hours club, sometimes referred to as the 411 Club because it was located at 411 S. Maynard St., in the basemen of the Bush Hotel, with winnings from the “Chinese Lottery” across the street. The 411 showcased a teenage Ernestine Anderson for its “breakfast show,” the first session of a day that continued with performances through the day and night. The dice game never stopped, for three years, according to bartender Al Hilbert. Considered one of the better-run clubs, a sign on the wall counseled customers to “stay with your party,” to discourage people from disrupting others. Leon Vaughn hosted a band here and recalled that late in the evening, women would twirl while they were dancing, after being prompted to “show your linen, baby!” Duke Ellington’s tenor sax man Ben Webster came down to jam one night and left in a huff when he heard how well local tenor man Corky Corcoran had picked up his Webster’s style.
Jackson Street After Hours (print only). No known online links.