About Memphis Tennessee’s Crown Jewell of the South, Club Paradise

When Club Paradise opened in 1965, Memphis was fast becoming the center of the musical world at the time, thanks to the contributions of record labels like Stax, Sun and Hi Records, which were all at their respective peaks.

A city so steeped in music deserved only the best nightclub, and Club Paradise was that club. With a huge dance floor, valet parking, private rooms & a fancy club room, Club Paradise became the shining beacon of a soulful, rockin’ city. 

Located at 645 East Georgia Avenue in South Memphis, the club was enormous by any standard — 42,000 square feet of former bowling alley turned soul & blues mecca. Prominent local entrepreneur Andrew “Sunbeam” Mitchell founded the ambitious club, one of the premiere stops on the Chitlin’ Circuit.

During its heyday, Memphis’ Club Paradise was the hub of high class entertainment. The air was thick with the rhythms of jazz, blues, and soul, the dance floor pulsed with energy into the early hours, as patrons reveled in the euphoria, creating memories that would echo through the city’s cultural legacy for years to come. 

Only the best musicians of the era graced the stage, the long list including B.B. King, Rufus Thomas, Howlin’ Wolf, Count Basie, The Funkadelics, Sam & Dave, Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes, Count Basie, Ike & Tina Turner, Sam & Dave & many more over some three decades.

Club Paradise wasn’t just a venue, it was a cultural, social and musical cornerstone of the city, a meeting place for the Civil Rights Movement, and a place to workshop the most soulful & experimental sounds of Memphis Music.

After Mitchell sold in 1985, the club continued until 1999 — an impressive 34 year run.