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In a sense none of us really have lived- because none of us experienced The Chitlin' Circuit. We didn't pick out outfits f/ the concerts, we didn't wait in lines wrapped around the corner, we didn't peep prime Moms Mabley, & your DJ's didn't pack the power to stop a "race" riot
Pre- Ticketmaster. You copped fr. record stores. 5-6 acts on a bill. Royal Peacock in ATL, Apollo, Fox Theatre in BK, Regal in Chitown, Uptown in PHI, Howard in DC, Royal in Balt. Talent shows on Wednesdays. Blue comedians, soul acts
Local soul deejays intro'ing the performers, or burgeoning comics such as Clay Tyson or Flip Wilson. The '66 DC riot @ The Tempts show. Gene Chandler coming out of one suit ro reveal another. The posters. The performers coming on a teen dance show that week
Acts not wanting to follow Patti & The Bluebells, because they shut things down w/
The attendees up front reaching f/ the performers, & vice versa. Acts attempting to upstage each other.
Big Chitlin' Circuit idol:
Imagine these dudes on The Chitlin' Circuit: (TBF, until '64 Claudette toured w/ them)
Toured on The Chitlin' Circuit while enrolled @ Howard University:
Discovered on The Chitlin' Circuit, & named after its theatre in their hometown of B'more:
Regal Theatre Chitown amateur night winners, The Chitlin' Circuit:
The Motortown Revue, The Chitlin' Circuit, Apollo Theatre 1963:
Moms Mabley @ The Apollo, The Chitlin' Circuit, 1963:
The Howard Theatre- The Chitlin' Circuit:
B.B. King live at Chitown's Regal Theatre, The Chitlin' Circuit, 1964:
A sweet effort to revive the Royal Theatre in Baltimore:
On Philly's Uptown Theatre, Chitlin' Circuit:
The Royal Peacock, ATL, the southern tip of The Chitlin' Circuit:
Clay Tyson, opening comic f/ Chitlin' Circuit acts:
Soul Brother No. 1, live @ The Apollo, The Chitlin' Circuit:
The Miracles performed @ the Apollo when young, & didn't have lead sheets f/ the house band. Headliner Ray Charles asked them to sing the tunes to him, & he transcribed them f/ the theatre's band.
