From Loretta Lynn to Pantera, iconic Diamond Ballroom still where young bands reach fame

Artifacts and old photos heavy with history line the wood panel walls of the Diamond Ballroom. When you step into the Oklahoma ballroom that helped launch careers and played host to icons, including Loretta Lynn, Wanda Jackson, Pantera, Garth Brooks and Tyler, the Creator, you can almost hear the room sing.

The Oklahoma landmark got its beginning in the 1960s when Oklahoma City lawyer and businessman Ralph Russell Sr. and a couple of friends decided to start an after-hours spot. Inspired by Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, Russell wanted a place to host country music and ranch dances to bring the community together.

Since its opening, the Diamond Ballroom has been home to nearly 60 years of musical artists in Oklahoma.

Roots in classic country and rock 'n' roll

Andrew Ivy, communications manager at DCF Concerts, the Diamond Ballroom’s current concert management company, said that in the 1960s and '70s, country artists would constantly travel between Austin, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee, for their managers, and between this constant traveling were the Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, the Cotillion Ballroom in Wichita, Kansas, and the Diamond Ballroom in Oklahoma City.

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Russell partnered with musician Perry Jones and several other business partners, and the Diamond Ballroom was officially established on Nov. 21, 1964. Perry Jones and his band the Diamondairs performed as the house band for the next 10 years.

Ivy said the Diamond was located at a perfect crossroads to feature prominent new country artists.

In the late '70s, Russell split from Jones and other partners and took sole ownership. Russell retired from practicing law and began running the Diamond Ballroom as a full-time operation with family members to help run the business. In 1987, Russell fully handed over management to his son, Ralph Russell Jr.

Vernon L Gowdy III, a concert photographer and author of two books about the Diamond Ballroom, said Russell Jr. helped shift the Diamond Ballroom fully into the rock 'n' roll scene.

"In the '80s, country swing was dying out and so (Russell Jr.) started having ... local heavy metal bands play there, and ... the Diamond Ballroom became a venue place for all types of music," Gowdy said. The schedule featured rock 'n' roll on Fridays and country music on Saturdays.

In its time, the Diamond has been host to a variety of iconic artists, including Loretta Lynn, Wanda Jackson, Willie Jackson, Pantera, Garth Brooks, Mac Miller, Tyler, the Creator and many more.

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The Diamond Ballroom's legacy

While the Diamond Ballroom currently hosts artists from all corners of music, Ivy said he believes the legacy of the Diamond will always be in good old-fashioned country and metal music.

In his time at the Diamond Ballroom, Ivy said he has seen the growth of many artists rise into big stars. He reminisced on Twenty One Pilots' first performance at the ballroom when they were still a young band and had handmade props. Now, Ivy said, it's incredible to see them play sold-out arenas.

“I would tell you who's the next big band, but they always kind of amaze me,” Ivy said.

Gowdy said the ballroom's intimate nature fosters a unique connection between the audience and the performing artist.

"When I see a performer at the Diamond Ballroom, I really get into the the emotion of the musician. ... What's cool about it is you got the intimate experience of the performer ... with the diversity music it has, I just think it's a good place to see a show," Gowdy said.

Ivy said he often tells guests that if you’re from Oklahoma or have a connection to the state, then you probably know people who have come through and seen every era of music that has come through the Diamond Ballroom.

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"When you go there, you feel the history being made when you're inside," Gowdy said.

With all the changing music that comes through the Diamond’s doors, Ivy said the consistent hallmark of the venue is that it is a place for artists to grow.

“I see the Diamond fitting in historically, structurally, musically as one of those spots where you're not a real band until you play here,” Ivy said. “When bands play here, they immediately identify that they are becoming part of the Diamond’s rich history.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Loretta Lynn to Pantera, playing OKC's Diamond Ballroom still a sign of success