Errol Garner set the house record at the Celebrity Club in the spring of 1951. It was a success he would repeat in Boston and San Francisco within weeks of each other. These events would catapult Garner on a nationwide tour, and boost his record sales with Columbia Records, according to articles in the Chicago Defender (May 19, 1951 and November 24, 1951).
Erroll Garner was born in Pittsburgh, PA in 1923. He began playing the piano at the age of 3, and by the age of 11 was a local phenomenon. At the age of 21, Garner made his way to New York City, and played with legends such as Charlie Parker and Slam Stewart. Garner had a robust tour schedule and a large following of fans, as demonstrated by the string of house records for sold-out shows he set in Boston, Providence and San Francisco. Self-taught, Garner never learned to read music but played by ear. --written by Lydia Kelow-Bennett
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Founded in 1949 by Paul Filippi, the Celebrity Club was not just the first integrated club in Providence. It was also the first integrated club in all of New England. While the Celebrity Club was closed in the early 60s, it made an indelible mark on the Providence arts scene, and made Providence a major New England destination for many Black artists and performers. --written by Lydia Kelow-Bennett
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