Introduction

The Ash Grove

1958 - 1973

8162 Melrose Avenue,West Hollywood, CA

For 15 years, beginning in 1958, the Ash Grove presented music as a major voice for the experiences, beliefs and feelings of communities and peoples. It was an important focus in the lives of over 100,000 Los Angelenos. The performance standards and creative interplay among musicians, young and old, produced many great artists, enriched the lives of audiences, and gave the club a leading role in the culture of a generation.

Muddy Waters, Linda Ronstadt, Lenny Bruce, Joan Baez,Phil Ochs, Taj Mahal, Jerry Garcia, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and dozens of other stars all played at the Ash Grove. Flatt & Scruggs, Bill Monroe and Doc Watson performed their first West Coast concerts here. Bluesmen Lightnin' Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt and Mance Lipscomb also frequented the legendary club