Rockefeller's

In 1979, Sanford and Susan Criner opened Rockefeller's to serve as a performance space for Houston's music scene. The Criners wanted to create a place where both local talent and already-established acts could play to Houston crowds.^[2] They already owned a former bank building, designed by Joseph Finger in 1925; they turned it into a club and used proceeds to renovate the space.^[3][4][5][6]

The building's architecture lent itself to a unique performance space. The old bank vault became an artists’ dressing room, while the large lobby created a distinct acoustic atmosphere. Seating was two-tiered, with some of the audience on the ground level and some in balconies that nearly extended over the stage.^[7] The venue could seat about 325 guests.^[2]

Rockefeller's closed as a public venue in 1997. The owners of Star Pizza purchased the building and it was a private event and wedding space from 1999 to 2014.^[8] In 2016, concerts returned to Rockefeller's for the first time in nearly 20 years.^[9]

List of noted performers during the 80s and 90s:^[10][11]

• Houston Folk Music Archive (Woodson Research Center, Rice University)
• Houston Folk Music Archive Guide Archived 2022-07-03 at the Wayback Machine (Woodson Research Center, Rice University)