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Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes

Outside of the Five Points neighborhood, other dancehalls including the Lakeside Ballroom and the Elitch Gardens Trocadero Ballroom attracted musicians too. But few rivaled the Rainbow Ballroom. Located just outside of Five Points on 5th and Lincoln, the Rainbow Ballroom had the largest dance floor west of the Mississippi. Leroy Smith was responsible for booking some of the biggest names in music at the time, including Count Basie, Lester Young, and Dizzy Gillespie.

This was a stark difference from the clubs located in Five Points, which welcomed everyone to the dance floor. Just as white folks in New York traveled uptown to Harlem to dance, white Denverites went to Five Points for the best music and dancing.

Fast forward to the jazz scene in Denver today and you will still find a few niche spots where the community is as vibrant as it was 70 years ago. Though outside of Five Points, Dazzle and the Nocturne Jazz and Supper Club are the new staples, and the annual Five Points Jazz Fest draws in over 100,000 people a year. 


Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes
  • Written by: Jackie DeShannon and Donna Weiss
  • Released in: 1996
  • Genre: Rock, Pop

"Kim Carnes is an American singer/songwriter. She is noted for her distinctive, raspy voice which she attributes to many hours spent singing in smoky bars and clubs."

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Location: United States

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