Tulsans of the Year: As caretakers of Cain's Ballroom, Rodgers family keeps historic venue alive

For the past 20 years, members of the Rodgers family have been caretakers of the historic music venue.

Job well done: The Rodgers family was selected by Tulsa World Magazine among Tulsans of the year.

“I think I was the only one of the family who had been inside Cain’s Ballroom prior to us buying it, but I wasn’t familiar with the history and significance of the venue,” Chad Rodgers said.

“Our family owning the Cain’s Ballroom and with Hunter and I running it over the last 20 years, we’ve always felt a huge responsibility to continue the Cain’s Ballroom legacy by continuing to bring world-class performers to the city of Tulsa. We want everyone to be proud to have the Cain’s Ballroom here in Tulsa, Oklahoma.”

“It’s an honor to own and manage one of Tulsa’s iconic venues,” brother Hunter said. “We have a great day-to-day team that helps keep the music alive.”

Alice Rodgers, going back to when the family acquired the property, said they happened upon a run-down building (“we walked in and it was like it had been deserted and was going to fall down”) that “used to be” a music venue. She said the boys turned “used to be” into “now and wow!”

“I am most proud of how Chad and Hunter, who were 25 and 21 with no experience, took on this project and resurrected and brought back to life this venerable music venue to world prominence,” Alice said of her sons.

“After seeing the venue for sale on a Sunday local newscast, walking through it on the following Tuesday and buying it on that Thursday, the whole purchase was a whirlwind,” Chad recalled.

“It was very daunting, as the first show we did, we lost like $25,000 as the show didn’t sell, and it really opened my eyes into how hard this endeavor might be, and was. Promoting shows is not for the faint of heart. There’s a ton of risk with every show, and it’s a very hard business.”

Cain’s Ballroom closed for four months in 2003 for what the Tulsa World reported as a million dollar refurbishment that included upgraded restroom facilities, climate control and other improvements that helped extend the life of the iconic facility.

There were lots of surprises and unpredictable costs, said Jim Rodgers, father of Chad and Hunter. But he called it a labor of love to fix up Cain’s Ballroom and keep it polished. He said there was lots of on-the-job-learning — and the family tried to avoid repeating the same mistakes while keeping Cain’s rolling over the past 20 years.

Hunter said he had never been to Cain’s and knew little about it before his family bought the venue that has hosted music artists ranging from Bob Wills to the Sex Pistols.

“I was living in Florida at the time, and I remember my mom calling and saying ‘We bought Cain’s.’ I came back for Christmas in 2002 and stepped foot in it for the first time. I was graduating in the summer of 2003 and, when I came home, I just basically started working with Chad. I just assumed this was what I was going to do for the next few years. I am shocked to think it’s been as long as it has. What a trip!”

Hunter said he is proud that Cain’s is still an independent venue and it makes him proud to hear music artists say it’s their favorite venue. In October, Marcus Mumford told a sold-out crowd that it is an honor to play Cain’s.

Members of the Rodgers family used words liked “shocked,” “humbled” and “proud” upon learning of the Tulsans of the Year honor.

“We know there are many amazing people and organizations that do so much for the Tulsa community,” Chad said. “It’s amazing to be included among them.”

Said Hunter: “We just provide people with a venue to create memories.”