Club Troubadour became known for nurturing new talent in the late ’60s and ’70s. It was instrumental in the careers of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Guns N’Roses, James Tylor, Harry Styles and Tom Waits, among others.

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Playing to an audience of fellow musicians and music executives, artists including Billy Joel, Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, Linda Rondstadt and Nina Simone made their cases for stardom. One of the first notable singer-songwriters to take the Troubadour stage early in his career was Bob Dylan.

He played an impromptu jam session with a local band at a small, staff-only gig in 1964, according to the Troubadour. Dylan went on to become one of the most influential singers and songwriters of his generation, creating a long list of famous tracks, including “The Times They Are a-Changin’” and “Like a Rolling Stone.”

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The Troubadour was originally conceived as a club for singer-songwriters, or “modern day troubadours” as founder Doug Weston called them. The club’s status as a kingmaker was cemented over years by the talent discovered there.

Here are some of the greats who’ve taken the stage at the Troubadour as listed by CNN.

The legendary Bob Dylan

He played an impromptu jam session with a local band at a small, staff-only gig in 1964, according to the Troubadour. Dylan went on to become one of the most influential singers and songwriters of his generation, creating a long list of famous tracks, including “The Times They Are a-Changin'” and “Like a Rolling Stone.”

His performance at the Troubadour became the first in a long line of history-making performances from artists big and small for the next six decades.

James Taylor and Carole King

James Taylor and Carole King, both iconic musicians in their own right, forged a lasting friendship in the wings of the Troubadour’s stage. Taylor debuted at the Troubadour in 1969, a gig that was a big deal to him at that time.

“It had a proper stage and a backstage, and if you did well there people noticed it and the word got out,” he said, reminiscing about the experience. The pair met through a mutual friend and immediately hit it off, with King playing piano for Taylor and later beginning a solo career with his encouragement.

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Before King made her own debut at the Troubadour, she ran through her setlist for Taylor, and he heard a song he immediately fell in love with. Taylor later recorded “You’ve Got a Friend” with King’s permission, and it went on to become one of his biggest hits.

They have acknowledged the importance of the Troubadour in their careers and friendship many times. In 2007, they performed an encore of their joint 1970 concert at the Troubadour for the venue’s 50th anniversary. They later took that show on the road bringing their 2010 Troubadour Reunion Tour to arenas around the world.

Elton John

Perhaps most notably, on six nights in August 1970, Elton John was catapulted into the American consciousness with a series of shows that started his US career. Introduced by Neil Diamond to a crowd of industry giants including Linda Ronstadt, Brian Williams, Stephen Stills, and David Crosby, John made a serious impression and received a stellar review by Los Angeles Times’ critic Robert Hilburn.

Guns N’ Roses

Future superstars Guns N’ Roses made a name for themselves locally after playing gigs around Los Angeles, including at the fabled Troubadour.

The local buzz got them on the radar of record executive David Geffen, whose label went to see their Troubadour set on June 6, 1986, and signed them soon after to a worldwide deal that made Guns N’ Roses a household name.

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Harry Styles

In modern times, the club has become the perfect place to host secret concerts or exclusive shows. Coldplay debuted songs off of their new album “X&Y” at a secret show in 2005, and Billie Eilish played an exclusive with SiriusXM and Pandora for fans of her debut album. Harry Styles made his solo US debut in 2017 at the venue with special guest Stevie Nicks in a show that paid homage to the Troubadour’s folk roots.

“At the Troubadour, the percussive piano on ‘Woman’ began like Elton’s ‘Bennie and the Jets.’ The folky glimmer of his ‘Meet Me in the Hallway’ shimmered like Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity,”‘ wrote Rolling Stone in a review of the concert.