The Dew Drop Inn, at 2836 LaSalle Street, in the Faubourg Delassize section of Central City neighborhood of new Orleans, Louisiana, is a former hotel and nightclub that operated between 1939 and 1970, and is famous as “a very powerful and influential membership” in the development of rhythm and blues music in town within the put up-conflict interval. Throughout World Conflict II, Painia also started booking bands for concerts in the city, and steadily had the musicians staying at his lodge. The venue primarily served the African-American inhabitants within the then closely segregated Southern United States.

Joe Turner, the Sweethearts of Rhythm, Amos Milburn, Lollypop Jones, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Ivory Joe Hunter, Chubby Newsom, The Ravens, Massive Maybelle, and Cecil Gant. The resident bandleaders have been native musicians Dave Bartholomew and Edgar Blanchard, and Painia found and helped establish native stars including Larry Darnell, Tommy Ridgley, Earl King, Huey “Piano” Smith, and Allen Toussaint. In November 1952, Frank Painia, together with Hollywood movie actor Zachary Scott and his associates, were arrested and charged with disturbing the peace, following a complaint to the new Orleans Police Division that “Negroes and whites had been being served collectively,” which was technically illegal on the time. The costs were later dismissed, and Painia continued to problem the constitutionality of the regulation, filing go well with towards the city simply earlier than the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forced its repeal.

The membership continued to attract star performers in the 1950s and 1960s, together with Ray Charles, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Ike & Tina Turner, Otis Redding, Solomon Burke, and Little Richard, who wrote a track, “Dew Drop Inn”, about the venue. The club’s reputation declined from the mid-1960s, after the repeal of segregation laws allowed different clubs to open, and Painia suffered from sick health. The membership’s MCs included blues singer Joseph “Mr. Google Eyes” August, and drag queen Patsy Valdalia (born Irving Ale, 1921-1982), who organised and hosted the annual New Orleans Gay Ball, held on the membership every Halloween. Although the resort continued to operate, the flooring exhibits became irregular and finally ceased.

Frank Painia died from most cancers in July 1972, and the restaurant and bar have been leased to new occupants. Later in 2010 the positioning was designated a historic landmark by the new Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission. The constructing fell into growing disrepair, however remained within the ownership of the Painia family. A campaign to lift $3.5 million to restore the Dew Drop Inn as a nightclub-resort-restaurant and training middle was began by Painia’s grandson Kenneth Jackson in 2015 with support from Harmony Neighborhood Growth and the Tulane Faculty of Architecture.

In 2021, it was reported that actual property developer Curtis Doucette Jr., with the help of Kenneth Jackson, had secured funding for a $7.Eight million challenge to restore and develop the Dew Drop Inn. Know Louisiana (Encyclopedia of Louisiana). March 1987). “The Dew Drop Inn”. Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. Kunian, David (March 28, 2013). “Dew Drop Inn”. Hen, Christiane (1994). The Jazz and Blues Lover’s Guide to the U.S.. The building was below restoration efforts by Ryan Gootee Common Contractors for years. The Dew Drop Inn reopened on March 1, 2024, with a weekend-long event. Hannusch, Jeff (1997). “The South’s Swankiest Evening Spot: The Legend of the Dew Drop Inn”.

Aswell, Tom (2010). Louisiana Rocks!: The True Genesis of Rock and Roll. Burnett, John (August 24, 2015). “As New Orleans Recovers, Will The Dew Drop Inn Swing Once more?”. 2010 New Orleans’ 9 Committee (2010). “2010 New Orleans’ Nine: New Orleans’ Most Endangered Websites” (PDF). Mariano, Allie (June 23, 2017). “The rise and fall of recent Orleans’ legendary Dew Drop Inn”. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing. Parker, Kelly (November 17, 2014). “Iconic Middle Metropolis Landmark to be Resurrected”.

New Orleans: Louisiana Landmark Society. Hirsch, Jordan (Could 30, 2018). “With Dew Drop Inn available on the market, can its legacy be preserved?”. New Orleans: Tulane College of Architecture. Offner, Robert (December 1, 2012). “The Dew Drop Inn: Dancing into the Past, Current and Future?”. Hernandez, Nicole (January 14, 2010). “Landmark Designation Report: The Dew Drop Inn, 2836 LaSalle Street” (PDF). Albert and Tina Small Heart for Collaborative Design (2015). “The Dew Drop Inn: Renovation Challenge Vision Booklet” (PDF). New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Fee.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dew Drop Inn, New Orleans. This page was final edited on 27 July 2025, at 02:11 (UTC). Jackson, Kenneth. “The Dew Drop Inn”. Text is out there beneath the Artistic Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.Zero License; additional phrases might apply. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Basis, Inc., a non-profit group. By using this site, you comply with the Phrases of Use and Privacy Policy. The Dew Drop Inn Revitalization Mission.