Club Canton attracts Detroit country music crowd

Thanks to everyone who attended the party for the Detroit Country Music book at Club Canton on Jan. 19! A packed house kept proprietors Emmett and Autumn and their crew busy, but they too enjoyed the live music played by Behind The Times, Dave Beddingfield, Brian Ferriby, Mitch and Jesse Manns, Hugh Nix, Keith Cady, and myself, along with singers Andy Barron, Jay Haynes, and others. The musical variety from the stage sounded like a soundtrack to the book, as patrons were treated to old-time, bluegrass, western swing, rockabilly, and honky-tonk songs. Guitarist Mitch Manns even worked in some fast picking numbers.

The legendary Club Canton and its bandstand, dating from the 1950s, hosts live C&W music several nights a week, so stop in and say “hello” some time. By the way, Emmett pointed out to me the tables closest to the dance floor date from sixty years ago. “I can’t get rid of them,” he said with a smile, “because they represent the history of this place.”

We sold out of our stock of books at Club Canton, but plan to bring more when we make a presentation at the Livonia Library Civic Center branch on Tuesday, March 4, at 7 p.m.