History
On July 15th, 1922 the Natatorium opened up its
doors to allow swimmers in for the first time. The $25,000 Natatorium was an
open air swimming pool sitting on the street car line as well as 6th
Avenue (later Rt. 66). Billed as “modern in every detail” they encouraged
people to learn to swim for health and enjoyment. It was walled in about a year
later for year round swimming.
The real fun begins a few years later when JD Tucker bought
the Nat and installed a 10,000 square foot maple dance floor over the pool. The
Nat dance palace opened in 1926 on September 12th (my birthday, not
an important historic fact, but it does make me happy). Over 2000 people
attened opening night and danced to Ell Hoover’s nine piece orchestra.
According to attendees it was the most beautiful lighting effects seen in an
Amarillo dance hall.
1932 brings in a new owner, rancher, H.D. Badger. Badger
added the fortress façade that still decorates the front of the building as
well as many other additions, most having been changed over time. In 1935, on
Feb. 3, manager HA Dyer announced the opening of the Nat Café, an addition
running off the north side of the building with a front door facing Rt. 66.
Dinner as well as dancing was now the Nat’s specialty. During Badger’s ten years
as owner, Ell Hoover, musical host in the early days served as a manager.
Dr William Maddox bought the property in the ealy forties
and owned it for most of the following 50 years. During the years from ’26
through the 60’s, countless concerts, dances, receptions and more were held at
The Nat. It was open 6 days a week most of that time.
Through the early 1970’s it was known as the JC Ballroom and
was host to a number of Tejano acts and had live music and dancing.
In the 90’s Mike and Jamie Cavins made the old dance hall
into an antique mall, but they, partnered with Pete Elkins and Mike Baker,
stayed true to the rich musical history and had major acts perform as well as
receptions and other parties.
Rt. 66 Impact
Rt. 66 brought countless numbers of musicians through this cowtown of about
50,000 people. The Music Corporation of America booked the acts at the Nat and
all up and down Rt. 66. Amarillo being isolated and the only major town between
Oklahoma City and Albuquerque, it was a natural stop for any road act to want
to stop and play, if not just to get off the road if for no other reason. The
musician’s union helped the Nat out by imposing rules that a band couldn’t be
required to travel more than 400 miles in a day (later lowered to 300 during WW
II, when rubber drives made bus tires often times hard to come by and therefore
unsafe for much further). This again made Amarillo, and more importantly, The
Nat, a perfect spot to rest up and make a little cash to get on down Rt. 66.
Music History
During those years an unbelievably talented and influential
plethora of musicians performed at the Nat. Very few halls still survive that
can boast havinghad Duke
Ellington, Jerry Lee Lewis, and The Dixie Chics all on the same stage over the
course of an 80 year history.
During the 1920’s and ‘30’s, acts such as Guy Lombardo, Ben
Bernie, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Paul Whiteman, Ozzie Nelson, Rudy Valle.
Jan Gerber, and Ted Weems played to a packed dance floor. Often bands would
perform a concert at the Civic Auditorium, followed by a dance at The Nat. This
helped make sure people of the Panhandle and the South Plains could all afford
to see these famous acts.
Ted Fio Rito was once accompanied by WW II pin-up girl Betty
Grable. Helen O’Connell sang with Jimmy Dorsey. Later Texas swing became the
sound and Bob Wills played The Nat regularly. Dizzy Gillespe and Stan Kenton
brought in their own flavors of music.
World War II meant big changes nationwide, but the Nat
survived by bringing in local acts along with national touring acts when
possible. That just means that The Nat kept kicking out the tunes. The birth of
Rock and Roll brought Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, and countless
other road acts of the day played to play for sold out crowds night after
night. Little Richard led 400 youngsters into such a frenzy that it led to his
arrest on August 23, 1956. They charged him with a number of crimes, but
settled on a guilty plea for disturbing the peace. Ike and Tina Turner are
rumoured to have played The Nat, just to add another name and a new musical
genre.
During the 70’s Tejano music stars Little Joe, Carlos
Gruzman, and Johnny Canales all filled the Nat with dancers.
The Nat was silent a number of years before re-opening again
in the mid 90’s and hosting a number of musical genres from country to rock to
blues. Some noteworthy acts include Joe Ely, Robert Earl Keen, blues legend
Bugs Henderson, Asleep at the Wheel, and many more. It is even said that a
double bill starring the Dixie Chicks along with local act, the Groobies, led
the Dixe Chicks to hear Groobies’ lead singer, Susan Gibson’s song, titled
“Wide Open Spaces”, one of the top selling records of the decade when later
recorded by the Dixie Chicks.
The Nat has hosted hundreds of fund raising events as well.
From a Roosevelt rally in 1932 to a stop on Kinky Friedman’s gubernatorial bid
in 2006, and a 1940 benefit for the “Fightin’ Finns” to a ten year run of an
annual fund raiser for a local AIDS charity, the Nat has helped raise thousands
of dollars for many a worthy cause.
The Nat is currently operated as a family venture, with
James and Nell Griffin running a used book retail outlet in the front, and
their sons, Branden & Eric Mann offering the old Ballroom for a variety of
functions, mostly private parties. Public offerings have been limited so far,
but have included art shows, theater, live music- both local and national, as
well as a number of holiday offerings. The future is wide open. The Nat hopes
to continue to offer a variety of entertainment worthy the rich history of this
beautiful landmark.
