Fact #170329

Johnny Black (audience) : Dejan himself was 76 and many of the band members were not far behind. When my wife, Carol, spoke to him later, he gave her a souvenir token featuring the band name. Preservation Hall is one of the few places in The Quarter which has not become overly tainted by the influx of tourists which began here in the early 1970s, when a group of local businessmen decided to turn the area into a tourist haven. At the hall, you are charged a minimal $2.00 entrance fee. No drinks or food are one sale, and all you get is live New Orleans traditional jazz, played by men who have played it for decades. Dejan's band was later joined by a statuesque black lady singer called Sylvia Cooper Williams who belted out St. Louis Blues. Interestingly, looking at the audience, I didn't see one black face. A good evening nonetheless.
(Source : Johnny Black diary entry)