67:, a private room for special parties, a dining room that could be rented, and a club room with oak paneling and wall-to-wall carpeting. The dance floor could fit approximately 250 people. Mitchell's wife Ernestine Mitchell worked as a hostess, and Bryant T. Williams Sr. of the Tri-State Defender handled the public relations.
129:
The Club
Paradise sponsored a Ray Charles concert at Ellis Auditorium on June 5, 1966. Although the show was highly anticipated, Mitchell took a loss. "It cost me $ 8,000 to bring him in, and I only took in $ 6,000, so I lose $ 2,000. I should have had him at the paradise instead of the Auditorium,
55:
In 1965, Sunbeam
Mitchell took out a six-year lease for a 42,000-square-foot building at 645 E. Georgia Avenue in Memphis. The 2,500-seat capacity venue had originally been built as a bowling alley but it was never used. Mitchell said he "just felt Memphis had grown so much it was time for 'a
115:
In 1966, the
Memphis City Commission attempted to purchase the club with federal funds and convert it into a recreation center. Mitchell entered a lease-to-own agreement and eventually purchased the venue.
690:
119:
From its heyday until its closure, soul, blues, and funk musicians performed at the Club
Paradise. Singer Merk Harris was a regular headliner along with R&B singer
636:
133:
In 1985, Mitchell sold the nightclub to Willie Moore and Paul Jordan. They renamed the club the New Club
Paradise, which remained in operation until 1999.
464:
63:
The Club
Paradise was one of the few establishments in the city for which the authorities approved a public dance hall license. The nightclub had
685:
680:
96:, Southwestern, Henderson and Griggs Business—sponsored a benefit at the Club Paradise on April 15, 1965. The performers included
33:
126:
Mitchell also rented the club out to fraternities such as
Kingsmen, Social Gents, Gay Cavaliers, and Ebonett Social club.
675:
562:
Evans, Bill (April 12, 1966). "Count Basie's
Artistry Weaves Its Spell: 1,500 Were One O'Clock Jumping".
43:
from 1965 until 1985. In 1985, Mitchell retired and the nightclub opened under new ownership as the
89:
136:
In 2016, the New Club
Paradise reopened as a community center, the Paradise Entertainment Center.
101:
85:
445:
Buser, Lawrence (July 3, 1985). "Nightclub sales pushes boss into early retirement at 78".
203:
74:
8:
622:
Dawson, Walter (July 27, 1975). "34 Years of Music- From Beale Street To Club
Paradise".
280:
248:
208:
25:
607:"Sam and Dave and their 1969 All Star Review, Sunday Nite - Sept. 28 (Advertisement)".
21:
29:
40:
592:"Club Paradise Brings You ... Aretha Franklin, Sunday - Nov. 27 (Advertisement)".
56:
fabulous club with big seating.'" At the time, Mitchell was already operating the
223:
168:
173:
77:'s orchestra performed at the opening of the Club Paradise on March 21, 1965.
669:
651:
638:
238:
228:
109:
64:
233:
178:
158:
153:
97:
93:
213:
198:
188:
183:
148:
70:
547:
Burk, Bill E. (March 10, 1966). "Big Ella: 'I Like to Sing, Period!'".
243:
163:
105:
57:
218:
193:
120:
385:"Memphis After Dark: Merk Harris Has Sunbeam Mitchell Beaming".
81:
28:," a selection of venues considered safe and acceptable for
144:
Notable performers who performed at Club Paradise include:
307:"City Andy Operator Disagree On Future Of Club Paradise".
532:
Burk, Bill E. (February 24, 1966). "Memphis After Dark".
60:
and had previously owned the Mitchell Hotel in Memphis.
691:
Historically African-American theaters and music venues
508:
Burk, Bill E. (August 26, 1965). "Memphis After Dark".
465:"Memphis' Club Paradise to reopen as community center"
400:
Burk, Bill E. (June 2, 1966). "Memphis After Dark".
355:Johnson, Robert (March 31, 1965). "Good Evening!".
337:Johnson, Robert (March 18, 1965). "Good Evening!".
488:Johnson, Robert (May 19, 1965). "Good Evening!".
667:
39:The Club Paradise was owned and operated by
20:was a nightclub at 645 E. Georgia Avenue in
611:. September 26, 1969. pp. Showtime 14.
278:
123:and Irvin Reason's Big Band in the 1960s.
47:. The New Club Paradise closed in 1999.
487:
462:
354:
336:
34:racial segregation in the United States
668:
621:
577:"Lou Rawls Scores Carnegie Sellouts".
370:"City's Move Rocks Boat Of Paradise".
561:
527:
525:
523:
521:
519:
503:
501:
499:
463:Donahue, Michael (January 22, 2016).
458:
456:
444:
139:
546:
531:
507:
399:
350:
348:
332:
330:
328:
326:
324:
322:
320:
318:
302:
300:
274:
272:
270:
268:
266:
264:
130:and I'd have made money," he said.
686:1999 disestablishments in Tennessee
13:
516:
496:
453:
279:Lauterbach, Preston (2006-07-01).
14:
702:
596:. November 27, 1966. p. 172.
345:
315:
297:
261:
681:1965 establishments in Tennessee
615:
600:
585:
570:
555:
540:
481:
438:
415:"Ray Charles' Likely Selloue".
389:. October 20, 1967. p. 17.
80:The Intercollegiate Chapter of
423:
408:
393:
378:
363:
1:
581:. October 2, 1966. p. 2.
311:. March 23, 1966. p. 21.
254:
374:. March 23, 1966. p. 8.
7:
434:. June 9, 1966. p. 21.
419:. June 4, 1966. p. 12.
32:entertainers in the era of
10:
707:
609:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
564:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
549:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
534:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
510:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
490:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
432:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
417:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
402:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
387:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
372:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
357:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
339:The Memphis Press-Scimitar
50:
676:Music venues in Tennessee
112:and the Club Handy Band.
24:. It was a stop on the "
430:"Lost—But No Regrets".
624:The Commercial Appeal
594:The Commercial Appeal
579:The Commercial Appeal
469:The Commercial Appeal
447:The Commercial Appeal
309:The Commercial Appeal
204:Ike & Tina Turner
652:35.1284°N 90.0402°W
648: /
209:Cannonball Adderley
84:—with members from
281:"Chitlin' Circuit"
140:Notable performers
71:Bobby "Blue" Bland
22:Memphis, Tennessee
657:35.1284; -90.0402
149:Bobby "Blue Bland
108:, Charles James,
45:New Club Paradise
698:
663:
662:
660:
659:
658:
653:
649:
646:
645:
644:
641:
628:
627:
619:
613:
612:
604:
598:
597:
589:
583:
582:
574:
568:
567:
559:
553:
552:
544:
538:
537:
529:
514:
513:
505:
494:
493:
485:
479:
478:
476:
475:
460:
451:
450:
442:
436:
435:
427:
421:
420:
412:
406:
405:
397:
391:
390:
382:
376:
375:
367:
361:
360:
352:
343:
342:
334:
313:
312:
304:
295:
294:
292:
291:
285:Memphis magazine
276:
249:Phineas Newborn.
41:Sunbeam Mitchell
30:African-American
26:Chitlin' Circuit
706:
705:
701:
700:
699:
697:
696:
695:
666:
665:
656:
654:
650:
647:
642:
639:
637:
635:
634:
632:
631:
620:
616:
606:
605:
601:
591:
590:
586:
576:
575:
571:
560:
556:
545:
541:
530:
517:
506:
497:
486:
482:
473:
471:
461:
454:
449:. pp. D12.
443:
439:
429:
428:
424:
414:
413:
409:
398:
394:
384:
383:
379:
369:
368:
364:
353:
346:
335:
316:
306:
305:
298:
289:
287:
277:
262:
257:
224:Aretha Franklin
142:
53:
12:
11:
5:
704:
694:
693:
688:
683:
678:
630:
629:
614:
599:
584:
569:
554:
539:
515:
495:
480:
452:
437:
422:
407:
392:
377:
362:
344:
314:
296:
259:
258:
256:
253:
252:
251:
246:
241:
236:
231:
229:Sam & Dave
226:
221:
216:
211:
206:
201:
196:
191:
186:
181:
176:
174:Arthur Prysock
171:
166:
161:
156:
151:
141:
138:
110:Sam & Dave
73:'s revue with
52:
49:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
703:
692:
689:
687:
684:
682:
679:
677:
674:
673:
671:
664:
661:
625:
618:
610:
603:
595:
588:
580:
573:
566:. p. 23.
565:
558:
551:. p. 16.
550:
543:
536:. p. 19.
535:
528:
526:
524:
522:
520:
512:. p. 19.
511:
504:
502:
500:
492:. p. 33.
491:
484:
470:
466:
459:
457:
448:
441:
433:
426:
418:
411:
404:. p. 27.
403:
396:
388:
381:
373:
366:
359:. p. 33.
358:
351:
349:
341:. p. 21.
340:
333:
331:
329:
327:
325:
323:
321:
319:
310:
303:
301:
286:
282:
275:
273:
271:
269:
267:
265:
260:
250:
247:
245:
242:
240:
239:The Delfonics
237:
235:
232:
230:
227:
225:
222:
220:
217:
215:
212:
210:
207:
205:
202:
200:
197:
195:
192:
190:
187:
185:
182:
180:
177:
175:
172:
170:
167:
165:
162:
160:
157:
155:
152:
150:
147:
146:
145:
137:
134:
131:
127:
124:
122:
117:
113:
111:
107:
103:
99:
95:
91:
87:
83:
78:
76:
72:
68:
66:
65:valet parking
61:
59:
48:
46:
42:
37:
35:
31:
27:
23:
19:
18:Club Paradise
633:
626:. p. 3.
623:
617:
608:
602:
593:
587:
578:
572:
563:
557:
548:
542:
533:
509:
489:
483:
472:. Retrieved
468:
446:
440:
431:
425:
416:
410:
401:
395:
386:
380:
371:
365:
356:
338:
308:
288:. Retrieved
284:
179:Jimmy Dorsey
169:Howlin' Wolf
159:Rufus Thomas
154:Bill Doggett
143:
135:
132:
128:
125:
118:
114:
102:David Porter
98:Rufus Thomas
79:
69:
62:
54:
44:
38:
17:
15:
655: /
244:Funkadelics
234:O.V. Wright
214:Ray Charles
199:Count Basie
189:Red Prysock
184:Lloyd Price
670:Categories
643:90°02′25″W
640:35°07′42″N
474:2023-09-23
290:2023-09-23
255:References
106:Wendy Rene
58:Club Handy
219:Lou Rawls
164:B.B. King
75:Joe Scott
194:Big Ella
121:Big Ella
90:LeMoyne
88:, CBC,
51:History
94:Owens
82:NAACP
16:The
86:MSU
672::
518:^
498:^
467:.
455:^
347:^
317:^
299:^
283:.
263:^
104:,
100:,
92:,
36:.
477:.
293:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.