Southern Club

Status: Closed

Parish: St. Landry

Location: Opelousas

Owner was Lionel (Chic) Vidrine- Cecil Doyle played there in the band Madison Fog- rail around the stage- David Greely remembers $2 bill bets at Bouree, Fats Domino Sept 29, 1961.

Included in Emily Ardoin’s 2014 thesis “Fais do-do to ‘Hippy Ti-Yo’: Dance Halls of South Louisiana”: “The Southern Club is located on Highway 190 to the west of Opelousas and primarily featured swamp pop music. It was built in 1949 and opened as the Southern Club in 1953 and closed in 1996. It featured a restaurant and gambling room. The building is of a frame construction, has a front gabled asphalt shingle roof, a scalloped parapet, and has a concrete pier foundation. The dance floor is constructed of wood strips and the ceiling is acoustic tile. There is a seperate bar in another room other than the one that contains the dance floor. Mostly unaltered. Alterations have been maintenance related: Roof shingles replaced in 1993; wood shakes on primary fac_ade removed in 1990s. Shingles on parapet and neon sign were replaced once, probably in 1960s. Original canopy over porch was damaged and replaced in early 1980s. Some auxiliary spaces were altered over time (pool table room opened and telephone booth in bar space relocated). The National Registry nomination is in progress- the owners hope to restore and reopen.”

Save the Southern Club: http://www.savethesouthernclub.com


Gallery:

Photo Credit: Photo from the Johnnie Allan Collection at the Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Interior and modern photos by John Sharp

30 Comments

  1. Wow what memories!

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    • Yes we all come from the days of the old southern club. Memories of the past for sure. I think they molded most of our young adult social status of the day before computers took over . What a shame people used to get out and socialize. Bring back the SOUTHERN CLUB!!!

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      • Trying to locate an Opelousas nightclub called the Marocko Club. Operating in 1980. Any info would be helpful. Thanks, Jim

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  2. I met my husband of 37 yrs there! He also played in the band Matise in the 70’s. I missed it .

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    • Hi Connie who did you marry? My brother David was in that band.

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    • I meet my wonderful husband 58 years ago. We have been married 55 wonderful blessed years.

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  3. I guess you could say I practically grew up in the Southern Club. It was our hangout all through high school and before if we managed to get in. Loved that place.

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  4. That was the place to be, and to sneak in. Great memories, great fun dancing, meeting up with friends. Would love to see it become a historical landmark. Chick was a great guy. Love that place. Would love to go inside and look around.

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  5. Got any pictures of the Step Inn Club in Lawtell, LA ? That place was a great stomping ground for many

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  6. Some of my fondest childhood memories occurred there. I Loved Chic & Brema Vidrine , they were like family. Shorty, Mr Zerangue , etc, made it a fun and safe place to hear great bands .

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  7. Used to travel from Oakdale every weekend and take in the Southern Club and the Evangline club in Ville Platte, as well as Brass Rail in Mamou.
    Life was simple then, work, get paid, party.

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  8. I miss my grandfather brema vidrine wish he was still here

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  9. I have such great memories of the southern Club. Chick & Joyce were like grandparents to me I miss them so much. I know they are both running the Bouree tables in heaven. And I miss Uncle Shorty and even Uncle Burk too.

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  10. It was the best to go when I grew up grandparents playing bouree and mom and dad danceing. I learned to dance on that dance floor listening to T.K. ,
    Johnnie Allen, Clint West, Warren Storm and even Jim Olivier and many many more. I wish somebody would restore it and open it up again. Loved that place!!!!

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  11. Played there many nights with Johnnie Allan

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  12. Loved that place. Would drive from plaquemine on sat nights to visit friends and dance. Made a couple very good friends there

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  13. Back in the day this was the place to be. I also mate my husband there too in 1975. I do wish it was still open. Do miss it so. Had the best times there. I’m great friends with the girl singer of Madison Fog & we are still friends today. We would get there just as it opened on Saturday night & sit at the bar & great everyone as they came everyone knew everyone. This was my best times growing up at the Southern Club. It would be nice if they would open it up again as a dance hall for people to go and enjoy themselves like we used to do. Maybe just maybe it will open up again & we could meet up with old friends that we have not seen in years. Wishing so.

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  14. Loved The Southern Club and The Plantation!

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  15. I had some good times at the southern club back in the day.me and my 3 sisters would all go when my dad would allow I think he would play Bourne there too,and also my mother would come with to chaparonne

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  16. This was my uncles club. With I could reopen it.

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  17. My father was maybe bartender or bouncer there once from what I have heard.

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    • My grandfather was head chef there from what I heard

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  18. I remember going to the “Southern Club” with my older sister every Saturday night and Sunday afternoon between the ages of 14 or 15 through age 18. There was no age check back then, we were on the “honor system”. We went there strictly for dancing and drinking “cherry cokes”. As George above stated, Life was much simpler back then and we had so much fun.

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  19. My husband Sherman and I met at the Southern Club 47 years ago . We got married later that year. We have many beautiful memories of the Southern Club and all of our friends that would meet there on Saturday nights. We had great times there . Would love to see it renovated and reopened.

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  20. I booked the bands for Chick at the Southern Club for many years when I had Mr. Christian Productions (Agency) What a great place that was for bands to play.

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  21. Had so much fun there loved going there

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  22. Travis Pitre
    Chic was our next door neighbor. He would call me over and say ” Travis don’t
    come to the club tonite I’m getting raided
    tomorrow night will be okay.” I truly grew
    up there and will never forget what I can’t
    remember.

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  23. I played many weekends at this place in the 70’s with the band Wild Cherry and The Apple Jam Band. I was the drummer. The fans were kickass, the ladies were beautiful and awesome and the club was one of a kind. Bring this place back so the fun can continue.
    John

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  24. I USE TO GO TO THE SOUTHERN CLUB WHEN I WAS YOUNG MY 2 OF MY UNCLE PLAY THE MUSIC THERE NAME WAS JOHNNY BADEAUX AND NOLAN BADEAUX

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  25. Loved the times I spent there. We all had so much fun.

    Reply

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