Stanley Snadowsky (1942 – 2013)
Stanley Snadowsky, who, along with childhood friend Alan Pepper, founded the legendary New York City club, The Bottom Line, passed away from diabetes complications. A New York City native, Snadowsky and Pepper began promoting jazz concerts throughout the city even as Snadowsky was still in law school. In 1974, they took over a Dixieland jazz club called The Red Garter and renamed it The Bottom Line. The 400 seat club quickly became the premier place to showcase hot, up and coming talent as well as a place where veterans can showcase new material or get back to their roots. Bruce Springsteen’s five night stand at The Bottom Line in August 1975 – two months before he made the covers of Time and Newsweek – are now the stuff of legend. Van Morrison, Dolly Parton, Tito Puente, Joan Baez, Dizzy Gillespie, Lou Reed, Harry Chapin, The Ramones, Prince, The Cars, The Police, Dr. John (who performed the first show at the venue), Joan Armatrading, Janis Ian and Suzanne Vega are just a sample of some of the exceptional artists who graced The Bottom Line stage. Lou Reed, Laura Nyro, David Johansen and Patti Austin are just some of the artists who recorded their live albums at The Bottom Line.
In 2003, The Bottom Line fell in financial trouble. The building’s owners, New York University, raised the rent to a level that the club couldn’t afford and quickly fell into debt. Talks for a new lease weren’t going well and fans started a petition to have the club granted landmark status. Bruce Springsteen personally got involved in the negotiations, offering to pay the back rent if the two sides can come to a agreement on a new lease. Sirius Satellite Radio made a similar offer, but rather than be thrown out or taken over, Snadowsky and Pepper closed the club in January 2004, just short of the venue’s 30th Anniversary.
Even though he re-located to Las Vegas, Snadowsky stayed connected to his New York City roots, coming in for business trips and lectures on how to make it in the music business. The Bottom Line is still looking for a new home in New York and material from the club’s extraordinary archive is being prepped for a box set.
Stanley Snadowsky was 70 years old.
