The Ash Grove first opened July 1st, 1958, at 8162
Melrose Ave. and was closed by fire on November llth, 1973, a
period of over 15 years.
Ash Grove Builders
by Ed Pearl
A large number of creative and dedicated people were indispensable
to the development of the original club, from before it opened
in 1958 to after its closing at the end of 1973. Some
were formally part of management and some not. The artists are
included not just because of their great music and inspiration,
but because they regularly put together programs and educated
me, personally. All these folks expanded and deepened
the music, the audience and the concept.
Heres a very incomplete list of these builders, in order of when
they appeared on the scene, and as much as memory allows:
Bess Lomax Hawes, Pete Seeger, Kate Hughes, Phil Melnick,
Ed Michel, Sherman Pearl, Freddy Wachter, Carroll Peery,
Barbara Dane, Martin Cohen, Barbara Dorman Boyle, Bernie Pearl,
David Cohen, Sandy Getz, John Cohen, Mike Seeger,
Clarence White, Joseph Chambers, Ralph Rinzler, Dick de Rusha, Taj
Mahal, Jerry Kay, Gordy Alexandre, Anita Fry, Bill Palmer, Gwen Palmer
and Louise Padden.
