Where's The Fish? Is It The End Of Bakersfield's Historic "Trout's" Nightclub?

For decades Trout's Nightclub has been a fixture in the Oildale neighborhood of Bakersfield. It was the musical home of people like the late Red Simpson and others who helped make the "Bakersfield Sound" incredibly popular among country music fans in the decades following World War II.  The venue was also considered one of the city's last original honky-tonk clubs. But earlier this spring the bar closed, and doesn't show any signs of reopening soon. There's also an additional loss to fans of country music history - the famous "Trout's" sign has disappeared, and the new owners of the building claim it was stolen. Journalist Steven Mayer of the Bakersfield Californian has been following the story and the search for the sign, which has now gone nationwide, even attracting attention in Nashville. Mayer joined us on Valley Edition to talk about what the loss of the venue means for the community.