The SAND MOUNTAIN COFFEEHOUSE / Houston TX

  1. Jon Hall
    Jon Hall
    The Sand Mountain was a great music venue for many years in the 60s and 70s. It was owned by Mrs Carrick and located on Richmond in the Montrose area. Frequent performers in the early years were Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Jeff Walker and Guy Clark.

    I played there on several dates. The performers I remember sharing the bill with were Bill Staines, bill and Lucille Cade and Don Sanders.

    Do any of y'all have recollections of Sand Mountain or photos?
  2. MiguelPrats
    MiguelPrats
    I remember Sand Mountain well. I was too young to get in. I think you had to be 18. But I would hang around outside the door to hear the music. I think I heard Janis sing there one night but have never been able to verify it. I'm talking to some other people about acts we saw at places like The Catacombs (a dump), The Cellar and Love Street. Do you know if there's any literature on these old clubs?
    Thx
  3. Jon Hall
    Jon Hall
    A biography of Townes VanZandt has been published that has a lot of references to music scene in Houston. I don't recall the title but I'm sure it can be found at
    Amazon.
  4. OldFolkSinger
    OldFolkSinger
    Jon - I remember Sand Mountain well. I also played there on occasion. Other notables from the era you mentioned were Gary White (author of Long, Long Time) and Frank Davis (one time partner of K T Oslin). And of course, John Carrick, son of the owner and a great Texas musician.

    Miguel - you may very well have heard Janis at Sand Mountain. I know for a fact that she played there on at least one occassion.

    Janet Davis (Janet Davis Music, sponsor of the forum) also played there.

    If there are any questions or desire to rehash old times, I may be able to contribute. I don't think I have any pictures that can be shared.
  5. Panhandle
    Panhandle
    Well, I'm a few years late getting in here, but that's typical for me.

    I heard that Sand Mountain in earlier times was a rehearsal place for the Houston Grand Opera. Back then, circa late '60s, all I remember Sand Mountain selling was non-alcoholic drinks, since liquor by the drink wasn't approved in Texas until 1970.

    Anyway, apparently Mrs. Carrick would let musicians playing there stay in some upstairs rooms. There are stories about Townes Van Zandt who'd smuggle in a big bottle of wine and keep it on a rope hanging outside the window, so she'd be none the wiser. John Carrick was a great guy too.

    Along with Townes, there was Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff, Don Sanders, Bill Staines, Bill and Lucille Cade, Vince Bell, Reb Smith, Peter Gorisch, John Kuntz, Carolyn Terry. Lots of just-passing-through talent played there.

    One good bio of Townes is "A Deeper Blue" by Robert Earl Hardy. There are some others as well. There's a new Guy Clark biography out that's getting good reviews too.
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