Saturday, February 21, 2004 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
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12th and Jackson
From the 1920s to the 1960s, Seattle had a thriving nightclub district centered at 12th Avenue and Jackson Street. The king of the after-hours clubs was E. Russell "Noodles" Smith, who owned about a dozen, The Black and Tan club being perhaps the best known. Smith's main competitor was John "Doc" Hamilton, who owned several clubs.
Most of the major national jazz, blues and R&B performers played here. Artists such as Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Count Basie would typically play one of the after-hours clubs after performing at one of the downtown venues earlier in the evening.
The scene had its local stars as well, the most noted being Ray Charles, who lived here for about two years.
— Jesse Tarbert
Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company
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