General Information

General Information

The RI Story Cont. Local and traveling African American performers were playing R&B in popular nightclubs and dance halls around the Black Belt (Hoyle Square) and Randall Square areas of Providence, mostly for African American audiences. Some popular live entertainment spots of the era included the John Hope USO Center on Pratt Street, Providence (later moved to Knight Street, Providence) and The Club Zanzibar (1943-1949) on Westminster Street, Providence (renamed the Club Downbeat in 1950s).

Randall Square, a depressed area of the Providence lower East Side, was generally avoided by diversity until it became the home of the famous Celebrity Club. Owner Paul Flippie changed the entertainment landscape of the square when he changed the former R&B Club 56 Restaurant & Lounge, that he opened in 1946, into the Celebrity Club Restaurant & Lounge on 11/12/49. The Club 56, it was a popular R&B venue that catered to African American locals and service members.

Due to the social climate of the times, neither the jump blues nor R&B music styles had as much appeal to the RI diversity community as Jazz until the Celebrity Club opened its doors as a class act supper club that had a cover charge and served popular dinners. The Club, with its high class seductive identity, was the first known venue of this type in the state of RI to combine a mixture of entertainment that promoted a slow process of racial integration over a three year period. It was Paul Flippie, a charming man with a big smile, a big handshake and dynamic personality to match, who personally welcomed practically everyone, that jump started the attitude change.

Paul booked big name R&B and Jazz performers usually on alternating weeks in the large club room with its own back entrance and coat room. The room was an extension added on to the original bar. The front bar and club room were connected by an access door. Paul hired popular local R&B bands for gigs in the front bar and back room to retain his old Club 56 customers and attract new local minorities. The club headliners attracted patrons from up, down and across the demographics especially the R&B crowd. However, in addition to all the good times, the club also attracted its share of race mixing and other activities that lead to visits by the local police. The Celebrity Club validated the R&B music style by booking R&B headliners and the popularity of the music and lifestyle in the local diverse community soared.

Known for his strong support for African American entertainment, Paul Flippie became a local and national legend in the world of R&B and Jazz entertainment. However, it was the club emphasis on booking big time Jazz and variety performers to play in the club room, balanced by local R&B performers playing in the front bar, that lifted the Celebrity Club to national acclaim and established its image as a great jazz club by the diversity community. However, some R&B oral historians believe that ,”if not for the support from the local R&B customers from 1946-1953, the club would not have happened”. In addition to being remembered setting the standard for Jazz excellence and being the state’s first integrated supper club in RI, the Celebrity is also remembered for providing a high visibility venue for celebrity and local R&B performers that helped to promote and preserve the music style during the era. Urban Renewal ended the life of the Celebrity Club in November 1963. However, the club ended by featuring mainly local R&B entertainment the same way it began.

Located not far from the Celebrity Club were other R&B venues that featured local R&B entertainment ,such as, the Bond Café (1944-1961) (renamed the New Bond Café (1962), Flippies Bar (1963), the Paradise Lounge and others. Across town, South Providence had the Hurry Back Lounge (1966) on Thurbers Ave., the first African American owned private club in the state, the Watergate Lounge and the Bennie Woods Lounge on Eddy Street, during the late 1960s. Then there was the Parkway Social Club on Water Street, East Providence (1963), Eloises lounge on Westminster Street, Hoyle Square (1967).

Popular RI R&B dance halls frequented by African Americans and the later diversity crowd during the era included; The Arcadia Ballroom on Washington Street, Providence, Odd Fellows Hall on Cranston Street, Providence and Eagles Hall on Cranston Street, Hoyle Square. In addition, there were the Phillips Street Hall on Orchard Ave., East Providence, The Cape Verdean Social Club on Grosvenor Ave., East Providence, Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet and the Elks Hall on Oliver Street, Providence (later moved to Haskins Street, Providence.) During the 1940s the Metropolitan theatre was one of the few venues that featured big name jump blues road bands and a few local R&B groups in concert.

Lodgings for R&B road entertainers during the 1940s-1950s were limited by the prevailing attitude to certain locations in Providence. These locations included the Capitol Hotel that also housed the Capitol Theatre on Westminster Street, the Metropolitan Hotel that housed the Metropolitan theatre on Chestnut Street, the Continental Hotel on Broad Street and private homes mostly on the East Side and West Elmwood, Providence.

Although numerous R&B headliners performed in RI during the era, many past and present Rhode Island local entertainment legends and icons began their careers playing gigs in the mentioned local clubs and dance halls performing traditional R&B “tunes” or mixing R&B licks in their play list to help preserve and promote the legacy. A partial list of these legends and icons include performers like: Late Jimmy Berry (Drums), Late Bruce Whitley (Piano), Late Legs Osborne (Trumpet), Late Nathaniel Robinson (Trombone), Late Bubby McKay (Sax), Late Clay Osborne (Singer), Randy Ash (Sax/Drums), Rose Weaver (Singer/Actress), Jose Thomas Santos (Singer/Organ), Late Lady Sylvia Crum (Singer and organ) and Elaine Smith (Singer). Also included are Lonnie Gasperini (Organ), Jeffery Osborne (Singer), Joel Osborne ( Vocalist, drums, organ composer and arranger), Late Ray McCabe (Sax), Late Gerry Sisco (drums), Arthur Hazard (Sax), Buddy George (Sax), Eddie (Prof.) Coates (organ/sax/singer), Freddie Morrison (Drums), Willie Love (Sax), Late Teddy (Stix) Baskins, (drums) George Montiero (sax), Late Fatman Wilson (singer), Late Louie Camp (sax), The Four Hearts (Quartet), Dippsy and The Doodles (Quartet), The Sultans (Band), Late Manny Sliva (Sax), Max Whiting (bass) and The Tarvares (Quintet). Also included are the Five Dukes (Quintet), Spellbound (Band), Dave Hamel (Trumpet), The Dynamics (First RI R&B organ Band), Ronnie Rose (Singer) Duke Robillard (Guitar), Dick Willner (Guitar) and Late George Azevedo (sax). There were many other homegrown performers, too numerous to mention here, that made a significant contribution toward keeping the music tradition alive along with their celebrity counterparts. Many have been nominated for the RI Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame, a future project of the Rhode Island Rhythm and Blues Preservation Society (RIRBPS).

In the years leading up to the closing of the Quonset Point Naval Station, the Ocean State had a solid R&B audience that consisted of mostly resident African Americans and black service members from the local naval bases. By this time the diverse community had fully accepted and helped to preserve and promote the music. When Quonset Point finally closed on 6/28/74, Rock & Roll, Soul and Motown R&B had extracted much of the life from the 40s’ R&B music style but, the heart and soul of R&B music still survived on life support in the state as a potent musical influence in the entertainment community. The passing of the 40s R&B music style resulted in the passing of an era that was subsequently overlooked as a significant period in RI history.

The RI community holds the distinction of promoting and preserving R&B music from the day it was introduced to the state by Clarence “Bubby” McKay in 1946 and the legacy, although weak, continues through passionate local R&B performers, fans and oral historians. It is because of this strong legacy that the influence of rhythm and blues in Rhode Island is so pervasive and inspires a story to be told. It is also because of this proud legacy that the local African American community continues to make a significant contribution to the current day diversity that characterizes the R I entertainment community and local popular music.

Although heard but seldom recognized today, rhythm and blues is the fun loving, danceable offspring of the basic blues art form with its own “ feel” and identity that is often imitated but seldom duplicated. This unique variation of the blues music art form is an integral part of the local African American heritage that has earned a special place in RI History. It is the mission of the RI Rhythm & Blues Preservation Society to tell the story to help bridge a gap in in the states’ history.

Because of the efforts of the Society in 2007, the Governor of the State of RI proclaimed the Month of August “in perpetuity” to be Rhythm & Blues Heritage Month in the State of Rhode Island. See RI State Laws; Chapter 25-2, Section 25-2-49,:Days of Special Observance.

Contributors: Mr. Lynn Pegg, Mrs. Elizabeth Pegg, Mr. Richard Maynard, Mrs. Arlene Maynard, Mr. Stanley Crum, Mr. Chris Polselli, Mr. Thomas Jose’ Santos, Late Mr. Frank Morris ,Late Mr. William “Bill” Coates, Mrs. Theresa Coates, Mrs. Jean Coates, Mr. Richard Pena, Mrs. Donna Pena, Mrs. Yvonne Brown, principle writer and contributor, Edward A Coates, ED.D.