Here are my recollections of Sunset Rollerama. ??Please correct my cobweb covered mind if I am wrong on any of the details.
It was located on the NW quadrant of 22nd Street & Swan Road. ?I believe there is a health supply company in the building. ?There was a gas station on the corner.
There were two rooms for skating. ??The front room (nearest Swan Rd) ?was for the beginners while the west room was where the "hot dog" skaters performed.
Mr Gary Olsen played the organ. ?Mr. Olsen also played at the old skating rink on Speedway (about where Lucky Strike Bowl is now) ??This rink was a wood frame building and burned down. I can't remember it's name.
Sunset Rollerama was one of the largest privately owned floors in Pima County in the 1960s. ??It could legally hold a ton of people.
Probably because of it's size they would book entertainers and hold concerts open to teens. ?(no alcohol)
I remember seeing ?Bobby Vinton, ?Fats Domino and Chubby Checker. ???The venue was small enough that you could walk up and touch the perfomers. ??Security was very minimal and hardly deeded in those days.
The country night club ?"The Maverick" ?was on the SE corner across from the skating rink. ??They also had famous intertainers perform. ?I remember seeing Mel Tillis (Mumblin Mel) ?and Doug Kershaw ?(The Ragin' Cajun) at the Maverick. ?I was only ?maybe 16 years old, but the Maverick looked the other way on concert night .
