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Key local figure

Frank Heath

Frank Heath has owned the Cat's Cradle since 1986, when he and Richard Fox bought the Chapel Hill club from David Robert, and he has been its sole owner since 1987. The club moved to 300 East Main Street in Carrboro in 1993, after developers took over its last Franklin Street home.

Source: NC Arts Council: Hip History, Cat's Cradle Is Still Rocking After 50 Years (David Menconi)

0 indexed records are connected with this person.

In the index

Related works found in catalogs and archives across North Carolina. Each links to the institution that holds or provides it.

No work in the index names this person by itself yet. The works below belong to Chapel Hill and Carrboro music scene, the wider story it is part of (309 works in all).

A Really Strange and Wonderful Time

Maxwell, Tom · 2024 · Hachette Books

"North Carolina has always produced extraordinary music. From Charlie Poole standardizing the bluegrass form in the 1920s, to the creation of an entire diaspora of Black musicians which included Thelonious Monk, John Co…

Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records, the Indie Label That Got Big and Stayed Small

Cook, John · 2009

Death Chick and the Caveman : 1987 to 1989 -- Wet behind the ears : 1989 to 1991 -- Where's your patience, dear? : Matt Suggs, Butterglory, and White Whale -- The popular music : 1991 to 1993-- Signals that sound in the…

2015 WXYCzine.

2015

UNC

Late century dream : movements in the US indie music underground.

2013

UNC

What did you expect? : the Archers of Loaf live at Cat's Cradle

2011 · MVD Visual

UNC

The artist as a collaborator in the community : working with Latino youth in Carrboro, North Carolina

Almirall, Katie R. · 2007

UNC
Show 6 more

A calendar of events for ...

ArtsCenter (Carrboro, N.C.) · 1995 · The ArtsCenter

UNC

Chapel Hill young rock.

1994 · Cane Man Films

Video compilation of Chapel Hill-area bands. "Seventeen videos interspersed with clips of our most famous and not-so-famous locals."

Government funding of the arts : how funding affects arts programming

Bish, William · 1992

UNC

WXYC scene.

1991 · WXYC

UNC

[WXYC website archives].

WXYC (Radio station : Chapel Hill, N.C.)

UNC

A monthly calendar of events

ArtsCenter (Carrboro, N.C.) · The ArtsCenter

UNC

In the chronology

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9 dated entries
  1. Frank Heath buys Cat's Cradle

    Ownership change · Chapel Hill

    David Robert and his partners sold the Chapel Hill club to Frank Heath and Richard Fox in 1986; Heath became sole owner in 1987 and still runs the club.

    People: Frank Heath

  2. Cat's Cradle opens at 206 West Franklin Street

    Relocation · 206 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill

    After leaving the small 320 West Franklin Street room known as the shoebox in August 1988, the club reopened at 206 West Franklin Street, its fourth location, where it stayed until 1993.

    People: Frank Heath

  3. The Cat's Cradle moves to Carrboro

    Business relocation · Carrboro

    After about six months dark, the club reopened in the former Nice Price Books space at 300 East Main Street, a standing-room hall holding about 750.

    People: Frank Heath

    Subject: Cat’s Cradle

  4. Cat's Cradle closes its last Franklin Street location

    Closing · 206 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill

    The owners of the building at 206 West Franklin Street sold to a developer, and the club scheduled its last show there for May 19; Frank Heath then spent about six months looking for a new site.

    People: Frank Heath

  5. Cat's Cradle opens the Back Room

    Building opening · 300 East Main Street, Carrboro

    The club added a second room holding about 200 people beside its main hall at 300 East Main Street.

    People: Frank Heath

  6. Frank Heath tells the Carrboro Board of Aldermen that the Cat's Cradle has outgrown its building

    Public hearing · Carrboro

    At the second public hearing on a proposed arts and innovation center and hotel at East Main Street, Heath said the Cat's Cradle and the ArtsCenter were both too big for their buildings and that expansion had become urgent. He called it a dilemma for a small town with two successful arts organizations.

  7. Cat's Cradle marks 50 years with an anniversary concert series

    Anniversary · Cat's Cradle, Carrboro

    The "Cat's Cradle Turns 50" series put 50 acts on stage over six nights at the Carrboro club.

    People: Frank Heath

  8. Cat's Cradle plays its last shows before the pandemic shutdown

    Business closure · Cat's Cradle, Carrboro

    Destroyer played the main room at 300 East Main Street on March 11, 2020, and Songs From the Road Band played the Back Room on March 13, the club's last shows before COVID-19 closed it. Heath said he began rescheduling on the night of March 11, when the NBA suspended its season, and the March 14 shows were cancelled.

  9. North Carolina musicians release Cover Charge to benefit the Cat's Cradle

    Benefit album · Carrboro

    Twenty-five North Carolina acts, among them Superchunk, the Mountain Goats, Tift Merritt and Iron and Wine, recorded cover songs for an album to raise money for the closed Carrboro club. Musician and UNC professor Florence Dore organized it, and Heath said presales were running better than expected.

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