Since 1968, the concrete block building at 2614 Jefferson Street has housed Elks Lodge #1102, an important part of the neighborhood community. Before that, though, it was an integral part of Jefferson Street’s live-music scene as Club Baron. From the mid-1950s through the mid-1960s, Club Baron booked the likes of B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Ray Charles, Little Richard, Fats Domino, and Etta James. The mural on the side of the building commemorates a legendary 1963 guitar duel between Jimi Hendrix and local blues guitarist Johnny Jones. Jones is said to have won that showdown, partly because Hendrix was still developing his genre-shaking sound and partly because Jones had the more powerful amplifier. Like many buildings in North Nashville, the structure suffered damage during Nashville’s March 2020 tornado and has other issues that need addressing. Preserving a building with such significance in the local community and the city’s musical history should be a priority.
