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![]() ![]() Over the next 30 years, Johnny D’s became a launching pad for future stars, like the Dixie Chicks and Alison Krauss a second home for beloved local outfits like Plate O’ Shrimp and Barrence Whitfield and the Savages a regular stop for road veterans like rockabilly legend Sleepy LaBeef and a hotspot for an eclectic array of musical genres, from Afropop to Cajun to blues. ![]() In 1984, their daughter Carla took over the booking for the club, and, along with her brother David, oversaw the expansion of Johnny D’s into a full restaurant. The DeLellis family - John, a Somerville policeman, and Tina, a spunky Italian immigrant whom he married - bought the bar in 1969 and through the ‘70s and early ‘80s played host to an eccentric collection of neighborhood regulars and a rotating cast of local country music outfits. ![]() Somerville Policeman John DeLellis directing traffic. The expansion of the Red Line in 1984 changed all that, and from that moment on, Johnny D’s Uptown Restaurant and Music Club led Davis Square’s transformation from a humble neighborhood spot to a destination for culture and nightlife. It’s hard to imagine now, but there was once a time when Somerville’s Davis Square was considered a frontier town, home to a handful of sketchy saloons and not much else. (Courtesy of Richard Chase) This article is more than 7 years old. The Heavy Metal Horns during a recent 25th anniversary performance at Johnny D's. ![]()
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