At six o’clock on a quiet morning in Kansas City’s historic 18th & Vine District, Ronnie Matlock’s phone rings.
There’s a VIP coming to the American Jazz Museum, and they need him to come in to greet the guest. It’s just another day for the man known affectionately as the “Mayor of Vine Street,” whose two-decade tenure at the museum has made him as much a part of the district’s fabric as the jazz that once filled its streets.
Matlock is part historian, part ambassador, and a full-time advocate for the district he calls home. He has transformed his role as museum host and greeter for the past 22 years into something far more significant.
He’s the welcoming face of the American Jazz Museum, sharing stories, history, and an infectious enthusiasm for KCs rich musical heritage.
In short, he’s the mayor.
“They started having fun calling me the mayor, but I want you to know that I have nothing to do with no potholes,” says Matlock.
Matlock has welcomed visitors from every corner of the globe. Music enthusiasts from Osaka to Israel have made the pilgrimage to this cornerstone of jazz history, each finding in Matlock a passionate ambassador for Kansas City’s musical legacy and the Jazz District.
His encounters with jazz luminaries and celebrities alike read like a who’s who of American music & culture: Patti LaBelle, Buck O’Neil, Dave Brubeck, Harry Connick Jr., Walter Cronkite, Bill Cosby, Nancy Wilson, Joe Sample, Al Jarreau and dozens more have all crossed paths with the mayor of 18th & Vine.
The Making of an Unofficial Mayor
Today, Matlock is almost always present around the district. When he’s not working as a host and greeter at the American Jazz Museum, he’s volunteering at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum next door or brightening folks’ days at The Blue Room Jazz Club.
But the path to Matlock’s informal mayoral status began even before joining the museum. He worked all over the neighborhood, including as a doorman at the Peachtree Restaurant, one of the earliest occupants of the revitalizing district, Red Vine (now Juke House), Danny’s Big Easy, and Bayou on the Vine.
His omnipresence and genuine love for the community naturally led to the nickname. What truly sets Matlock apart is his gift for making connections.
“Whoever walks in the door, my job is to make them feel comfortable,” Matlock says that even on difficult days, he focuses on lifting others’ spirits.
“My job is to make that person walk away saying, ‘’Man, he made my day.'”
It doesn’t hurt that if you’ve met Matlock once, he’s instantly recognizable. He’s always impeccably dressed in a pressed suit, polished shoes, and a hat. Matlock’s sharp-as-a-tack appearance comes from lessons learned in his youth; he learned from his older brother, Antoine Brown, and the generation before him to always dress well.
“Nowadays, the kids call ‘em OGs, but some old-timers used to always tell me, ‘Hey, man, shine your shoes, put on something nice. You may not have a dime in your pocket, but look like you’re somebody.’ So I started matching their style, and it just kind of stuck,” he said.
From Wichita to the Heart of Jazz
Matlock grew up in Wichita — on 16th & Grove and Prince Street before that — and still has many friends and family there. He says he maintains a strong friendship with Jim Trotter, and some of his Hervey family members are still in Wichita today.
But in 1968, an 18-year-old Matlock left Wichita with a simple goal to strike out on his own.
He landed in Kansas City and found work as an MC at Roy’s Golden Lounge on 27th and Troost, where his natural talent for hosting first emerged. Matlock says he had no idea he possessed such a gift for connecting with people, but his mother’s advice shaped his approach.
“My parents trained me well,” says Matlock. “My momma used to always tell me, ‘Smile, it doesn’t cost you a quarter, and learn to listen,’ so I learned to listen, and I learned people.”
Watching 18th & Vine Rise Again
When Matlock arrived, 18th & Vine was a shadow of its former glory. Living around the corner from what would become the American Jazz Museum, he witnessed the district’s rebirth firsthand.
The $50 million museum project in 1997 marked a turning point, bringing stars like Billy D. Williams and Al Jarreau to the neighborhood for its grand opening. From there, he watched as the vision of then Mayor Emmanuel Cleaver and others to revitalize the area began to bear fruit.
The complex that today houses the American Jazz Museum, the Blue Room, and the Negro Leagues Museum impressed Matlock. He already loved baseball and jazz, so one day, he came in to try and get a job.
At first he worked as a custodian, cleaning the building for Rightway Janitorial Service. But, he also got to talking to folks, and it wasn’t long before his gift of gab was noticed and he moved into his current role.
His true passion lies in sharing the district’s story with everyday visitors: From how KC started as a blues city more than jazz, to explaining how African Americans migrated to Kansas City in the late 1920s, bringing the musical traditions that would transform the city’s cultural landscape.
A Living Legacy
Today, as 18th & Vine continues to evolve, Matlock remains its most devoted ambassador. While he’s reduced his hours since the pandemic, even at 75 years old, he has no plans to retire any time soon.
“I’ll have to make a long-distance call to the good Lord and see what he’s got on the schedule,” says Matlock when asked how long he plans to keep working at the museum.
For those fortunate enough to meet him, Matlock transforms a visit to the American Jazz Museum into something more meaningful: a personal connection to the living history of the Kansas City Jazz District, served with a smile that hasn’t dimmed in decades.
“It’s been a joy in my life to be down here,” says Matlock.
Stop By and Meet the Mayor of 18th and Vine at these locations or strolling down the streets of the district.
American Jazz Museum
1616 E 18th St, KCMO
Open for Tours
Tue – Sat 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sun Noon to 5 p.m.
The Blue Room
The live jazz venue within the museum
Free Monday Night Jam Sessions 7-10 p.m.
Free Jazz at Noon first & second Thursdays
Free Indigo Hour every Friday at 5 p.m.
Friday & Saturday Night Sets at 8:30 and 10 p.m.$10 for one set, $15 for both
