"Welcome to the Club" A Musical Cachet of the Great American Crooners

Nightclubs were a cultural mainstay during the Big Band Era of the late-1930’s-40’s, continuing to entertain crowds well through the mid-20th Century. In major American cities, the most fashionable nightclubs were grand-scale venues featuring top performers, showgirls, and live orchestras playing jazz or swing music. The best of the male crooners headlining these rooms featured such luminaries as Frank Sinatra, Nat ‘King’ Cole, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Mel Tormé, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Tony Bennett. They all performed with the famous big bands of the day at such iconic hotspots as The Copacabana, Chez Paree, The Maisonette, The Latin Quarter, Ciro’s, The Rainbow Room, The Cotton Club, and larger landmarks such as The Savoy, The Sands, The Apollo, and The Tropicana, to name only a few. 

The trendiest nightspots attracted a rich and famous clientele who created a stir beyond the cocktails, dancing, and all-star entertainment. The environment…