Howard Johnson’s Motels usually included the famous HoJos Restaurant on their premises. However this one, located at 5701 Baltimore National Pike in Catonsville, MD, additionally offered a bar called The Gaslight Lounge. Most nights during the early 70’s it featured live music and dancing. The house band named The Cherry Smash, whose cute, blonde drummer often made the girls swoon, covered rock and soul music from the late 60’s and early 70’s. The patrons consisted of a funny and entertaining mix. On one hand there were the out-of-town businessmen in suits who might relax with a whiskey sour or Tom Collins after a day of meetings or sales calls. Of course there were a number of adult singles looking for a pick-up. And then there were the underage drinkers who carried false ID and breezed past the bouncer with great ease. We felt so grown up at the Gaslight Lounge as we sipped our Southern Comfort cocktails and dared each other to dance with the “older” men.
