The Cotton Club holds a unique place in Lubbock’s history and American music history as well. It brought well-known artists featuring a variety of music styles to Lubbock and was open to all races and social classes. In the early 1950s, a young Buddy Holly was influenced by hearing and meeting Elvis Presley at the Cotton Club. In later years, oilfield workers, farmers, cowboys and hippies came together to enjoy music and dancing at the Cotton Club. Cindy Martin has worked for many years to discover and share Lubbock's history through research, exhibits and public presentations. A former archivist at the Southwest Collection at TTU, she currently serves on the Lubbock County Historical Commission and on the Board of the Lubbock Heritage Society.