Rockefeller's business records

The music venue, Rockefeller’s, began as way to cover the renovation costs of the historic Citizens/Heights State Bank building on 3620 Washington Avenue in Houston. In the beginning, Sanford and Susan Criner envisioned a performance space for local talent. Early on, they realized that local acts were not enough to fill the hall. The Criners turned to booking jazz acts and made a trip to Los Angeles to promote the venue to bigger names. The trip was incredibly successful.

From 1979 to 1997, Rockefeller’s hosted great performers from a variety of genres: blues, jazz, rock, country, and comedy. Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Fats Domino, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Chet Atkins, Garth Brooks, Bonnie Raitt, the Dixie Chicks, Pee-wee Herman, Bill Hicks, and Timothy Leary all graced the stage. While ownership of Rockefeller’s changed hands during that time, the venue always thrived on presenting Houston with a wide mix of talent.

As for the renovation, Taft Architects and construction manager Matt Pasternak headed up the project. The revitalized building, originally designed by Joseph Finger, won a Texas Society of Architects Honor Award for historical preservation.