East Texan’s band to be one of first performances at renovated historic Mayfair Building

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - West Rusk High School graduate and Tyler blues musician Edwin Holt and his band, The Red Clay Roadhouse, are some of the lucky few who have secured a spot to perform in the historic Mayfair Building, which has hosted famous acts including Dolly Parton, Buster Brown and the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.

“It’s going to feel amazing because, it’s, hey, I’ve been wanting to do this since I heard about it,” said Holt who will perform in a concert in February of 2024.

He spent much of his career learning and finding musical inspiration from Black musicians, yet another reason the project is so special to him.

“It really is the only building that I know of in the South that would allow blacks and whites to have events during the Jim Crow Era, and I really don’t know of any other building around that would allow that,” he said.

The City of Tyler has already started a waitlist for artists and performers interested in using the Mayfair building.

“To me, whether it’s the mayor hat or not the mayor hat, it’s part of Tyler,” said Mayor Don Warren, “It’s not South Tyler, it’s not North Tyler, it’s not East, it’s not West – this right here represents the community. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, where you live, this is everybody’s place to come.”

The city is applying for the building to be put on the National Register of Historic Places, a prestigious list of places and things that hold historic significance to their community. If approved, the Mayfair would join its neighbor the Tyler Rose Garden on that list.

The floors have recently been repaired, and crews were able to save nearly 75% of the original wood. Officials are hoping to have the grand opening in January of 2024. The project will cost around $4 million and is being paid for by the hotel-motel tax.

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