“If you are over 40 years old (in Kansas City) you partied somewhere that the Shelbys owned.” Anita Dixon: Executive Director of Creative City-KC (UNESCO Creative City of Music Kansas City)
*A perfect combination of humanity was the man known as Benny J. Shelby. He lived a stellar life from September 28, 1943 – August 10, 2021. He was a husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, community activist and businessman who changed Kansas City nightlife forever.
As owners of the Kansas City Blues & Jazz Juke House, he and his brother Calvin entered the spectrum of night club entertainment, where at one time there where approximately 60 Black owned establishments.
In addition to the Juke House in the historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, the Shelby’s owned The Epicurean, Bodyworks, Mingles and The 9th Inning Sports Bar & Grill between 1978 and 2021. Presently The Juke House is the only remaining Shelby owned club, now run by Benny’s daughter Andrea Shelby.
OTHER NEWS ON EURWEB: Watch this Toddler’s Adorable Reaction the Moment She Realized Cotton Candy is Edible
The buzz around Kansas City is that the Shelby’s ran a tight ship and insisted on upscale entertainment with a down home flair and zero tolerance for any rambunctious behaviors that could tarnish the reputation of being an elite melting pot for bands, club goers and tastemakers.
Back in the day it was a hotbed for local jazz artists, as well as stars such as Johnny Taylor, Jerry Butler and the group Bloodstone. As family and friends noted Benny Shelby’s many achievements during his celebration of life on Friday, August 20th at Palestine Missionary Baptist Church, Betty Brown commented on Benny’s leadership of the Southeast Bar and Restaurant Association.
Benny was president for 40 years. At the start several associates were giving scholarships to local youth. Benny deemed the amounts to be minuscule, given the breadth of business that Black restaurant and bar owners were doing in the community and with major liquor companies. So Benny demanded that the liquor companies fork over huge dollars to benefit scholarships for youth in the community. They complied to the tune of over 270 scholarships and $350 thousand dollars over the years.
Brandon Shelby (nephew of Benny and Assistant Head Coach of the Indiana Hosiers) provided sentimental memories of Benny’s 50 year tenure as a youth coach, chiding young athletes to be dependable, produce a great product and whatever you do, do it with love. Jarita Williams Johnson managed to tell stories to evoke humor, despite losing such an iconic visionary. She told of Benny as the employer who offered work to those who might have otherwise been jobless. Ms. Williams also brought to mind one time when Benny and Calvin had to eject an unruly patron from The Juke House head first and out the front door.
Anita Dixon is Executive Director for the UNESCO Creative City of Music Kansas City. She spoke with LaRita “Jazzy Rita” Shelby about her long time friend Benny Shelby.
Jazzy Rita: This conversation is for you to share with the world about what Benny and his brother Calvin Shelby did to transform the Kansas City nightlife community and the community at large.
Anita Dixon: To be an enduring club owner in those times, we saw tremendous transition from being an almost completely live music city a crack epidemic that decimated those ranks. At one time in Kansas City there were like 60 Black owned clubs. Benny and Calvin Shelby were at the top of the food chain as far as being in that era of club ownership. Their club was gonna be open with great entertainment, wonderful drinks and good food and with consistency. And then they were community people. That’s how I and hundreds of other people knew Benny Shelby.
Click below for the full interview with Anita Dixon featuring music by LaRita Shelby & Willie Daniels.
Benny Shelby was a faithful member of Southside First Missionary Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife Charlesetta, daughters Andrea & Alicia, sons Brent and Darren, brothers Paul and Calvin and sisters Gracie & Marva. Benny Shelby is the cousin of LaRita Shelby and the man responsible for her reuniting with her father and learning of the Shelby family legacy. That story is told in On My Father’s Side. Follow Anita Dixon and the UNESCO Creative City of Music Kansas City on https://www.facebook.com/creativecitykc
LaRita “Jazzy Rita” Shelby is a writer & entertainer and Director of Digital Strategy & Sales for EURweb.com, newly branded Everything Urban & Radioscope. Winner of MIMPA’S 2020 Entertainment Journalist of the Year Award & Proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho. LaRita is the author of The Brand Beside the Brand and On My Father’s Side. Chat, swap ideas & vision at [email protected]
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
