"Cowtown Ballroom...Sweet Jesus" is a documentary film about Cowtown Ballroom, a legendary concert venue in Kansas City, Missouri. It was only open for 38 months, but in its short life span established an incredible musical heritage.
By Up to Date, May 14, 2009
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/national/local-national-837460.mp3
Kansas City , Mo. – Cowtown Ballroom: Sweet Jesus is a documentary film about Cowtown Ballroom, a legendary concert venue in Kansas City, Missouri.
It was only open for 38 months, but in its short life span established an incredible musical heritage.
The hall itself, located at 31st and Gillham Road, was a former jazz club named El Torreon Ballroom which opened in 1927.
It was a home to the likes of Cab Calloway, Count Basie and even Red Skelton. Its next reincarnation was as a roller skating rink, which lasted for many years.
In the summer of 1971 Cowtown Ballroom opened with a concert by The Flying Burrito Brothers.
During the next three years it featured an eclectic mix of musicians including Frank Zappa, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Van Morrison, B.B. King, Steve Martin, Alice Cooper, Ravi Shankar, Foghat, Brewer and Shipley, Arlo Guthrie, Seals and Crofts and Linda Ronstadt.
The film opens exclusively at the Tivoli Theater on May 22, 2009.