1960's Folk Music Scene. (Glendale, Scottsdale: houses, school, live)

[XS11E]

I recall the coffee houses of the 1960's, the Lumber Mill in Scottsdale, just south of Camelback on the east side of Scottsdale road between the road and the canal where I first saw/heard John Denver, the Mews where they had Ron Ryan, Norm Heard, etc..


I can't recall where the Mews was originally located, I think they relocated south to the Scottsdale/Tempe border at one time.


Can anyone jog my failing memory?

[observer53]

I think it did move down just north of the river bed, on Hayden Road.

[XS11E]

Yes, but from where? I think the original location was in Scottsdale but I'm not even sure of that.

[ddandano]

a little off topic but Saguaro Ranch park in Glendale just held a HUGE folk festival. I was amazed by the quality of some of the pickers.https://www.facebook.com/events/160070127793776/ They had 7 or 8 stages and performance areas with solo and combos playing all day.

[Arizona Mike]

There was also the Babquivari and the Foggy Mountain Coffee House in Scottsdale as folk music venues. The Mews' hootenanny (open mike) nights were Wednesdays, Foggy Mountain's was Sunday night.

Ronnie Ryan, a folk-singer himself, owned the Mews, then Stan Patmor. As of 1963, The Mews was at 602 N. Miller Road in Scottsdale, which was called Craft Village and had an English pub as well. They had a Russian bassman named Igor who often worked with Dolan Ellis who often played there.

As of 1965, it had become the Mews - Blue Goat, but still at that same address.

Here's an ad from 1963:

[observer53]

Originally Posted by ddandano

a little off topic but Saguaro Ranch park in Glendale just held a HUGE folk festival. I was amazed by the quality of some of the pickers.https://www.facebook.com/events/160070127793776/ They had 7 or 8 stages and performance areas with solo and combos playing all day.

A coworker of mine who hasn't lived in AZ long went, and really enjoyed it. Planning to go if they do it again.


Back to topic.... thanks, ArizonaMike, for the ad. I lived not far from the Miller Road location as a teenager.

[XS11E]

[quote=Arizona Mike;47656850] As of 1963, The Mews was at 602 N. Miller Road in Scottsdale


I recall it moved there about that time, but before that I recall it being north of there, maybe nearer to downtown Scottsdale?

[observer53]

Originally Posted by XS11E

I recall it moved there about that time, but before that I recall it being north of there, maybe nearer to downtown Scottsdale?

I actually recall it further north, too, at some point, before we moved into the area.

[Armadilla1971]

The Mews coffee house was located (late 50's, early 60's) on the west side of Miller Road about half way between Indian School Rd and Camelback Rd. Later on it became the Blue Goat. I went to Our Lady of Perpetual Help grade school just south of Indian School Rd on Miller Road. My parents told me to stay away from the place because there were Beatniks there and they might be smoking marijuana. Kinda of scary huh?

[Colt AZ]

Originally Posted by Armadilla1971

The Mews coffee house was located (late 50's, early 60's) on the west side of Miller Road about half way between Indian School Rd and Camelback Rd. Later on it became the Blue Goat. I went to Our Lady of Perpetual Help grade school just south of Indian School Rd on Miller Road. My parents told me to stay away from the place because there were Beatniks there and they might be smoking marijuana. Kinda of scary huh?

Yep! Whew...