Zoo Bar (Lincoln, Nebraska)

The Zoo Bar is a blues music venue and nightclub located in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska on 136 North 14th Street. [ [http://www.zoobar.com/contact.html] Styled around the Chicago blues clubs, it is a long, narrow venue in a building built in 1921.

Around 1971, Jim Ludwig, Bill Kennedy and Don Chamberlin purchased the barhttp://www.thereader.com/archives.php?subaction=showfull&id=1215015307&archive=&start_from=&ucat=33&] . Larry Boehmer, a Master of Fine Arts student at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln at the time, promoted the bar to his fellow artists. He booked the first band in 1973 and was sole owner by 1977.

Boehmer met Chicago musician and promoter Bob Riedy and formed a connection that brought many revered Chicago artists to the Lincoln club. Because of this connection, the Zoo Bar was the first white club that Magic Slim ever played. In 1975, he'd never ventured outside the clubs in Chicago's African-American neighborhoods.

In 1977, Boehmer was the sole owner and the Zoo was established as an important stop for bands on the touring circuit.

The first band Boehmer booked to play in the club was The Cotton Blues Band in the summer of 1973.

The first national act to play at the bar was Luther Allison in September 1974.

Musical acts have included: Albert Collins, Koko Taylor, Charlie Musselwhite, Luther Allison, Bo Diddley, Chris Duarte, Magic Slim, Rod Piazza, Anson Funderburgh, James Harman, Dave Alvin, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, Son Seals, Junior Wells, Jay McShann, John Hammond, Doug Sahm, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Otis Rush, Tommy Castro, Kim Wilson, Curtis Saldago, Tab Benoit, Janiva Magness, Candye Kane, Watermelon Slim & The Workers, and the Hacienda Brothers.

Numerous live albums have been recorded in the club.

Magic Slim and his band were regular performers at the bar, playing week-long stints. In the 90s, Magic Slim moved his family from Chicago to Lincoln.

In 1993, the Zoo Bar won the Blues Foundation's Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Club of the Year.

James Harman wrote a song for the club. "Everybody's Rockin' (At The Zoo Bar)" can be found on Harman's 1995 "Black And White" CD [http://www.amazon.com/Black-White-James-Harman/dp/B000007QBO] .

In 2000, Larry Boehmer retired and passed the bar on to his sons, Jeff and Tim Boehmer, and Pete Watters. Jeff Boehmer and Pete Watters are partners in the club now.

In July 2008, the bar celebrated its 35th anniversary.

External links

* [http://www.zoobar.com/ The Zoo Bar Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/zoobarmusic Zoo Bar on MySpace]