“Club Ebony was the main attraction in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Everyone looked forward to the weekends, especially when people like Little Milton Campbell and Bobby Rush were in the house. It was truly the hang-out for my girls and me. I recall my mother having to get me from the club one night because it was way past when I was told to be home…The times we had in Club Ebony were remarkable.”, said my grandmother, Bettye Bush.
One of the South’s most influential nightclubs was reopened on Saturday, and the juking was back in session. Over the years, the club hosted notable people who helped contribute to what we know as the best of blues, funky music, and so much more. As the B.B. King Museum says, “in its heyday” Club Ebony saw acts from legends such as Ray Charles, Count Basie, Bobby Bland, James Brown, Ike Turner, and Indinaola’s very own B.B. King.
Although it was just a soft opening for the community, it felt like the club was open for some time. The environment was welcoming, easy to embrace, and beautifully renovated overall. Club Ebony was packed from the door to the stage with the B.B. King Museum board of directors, the mayor and his wife, county officials, law enforcement officials, and other prominent community members in attendance.
Sitting in Club Ebony enjoying the B.B. King All-Stars, it felt like I had been clubbing all my life. I couldn’t drink, but I could dance, which I did with a few of the museum’s directors. My favorite part of the night was when Hayden Myrick performed “The Thrill is Gone” by B.B. King. I can’t even imagine being a Club Ebony goer in the day…They would have had to pull me off the dance floor!
Now that the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center owns and operates Club Ebony, they plan to host several events throughout the hours of operations, such as comedy nights, regular musical nights with laid-back vibes, and special events that are soon to be announced. “The Return of Club Ebony” re-opening weekend will continue June 1-3.
