That first Red Hot & Blue restaurant was conceived and opened its doors to rave reviews in Arlington, VA just a few short miles from our nations capital where three of the founders worked on Capital Hill. One of the original investor/founders was then-U.S. Rep. Don Sundquist of Memphis, who served 12 years in the House of Representatives and eight years as governor of Tennessee. Another original investor was the late Lee Atwater, a blues musician and legendary political figure who managed George H.W. Bush’s successful race for the presidency and served as chairman of the Republican National Committee. It was just a group of friends who wanted to eat good barbeque, listen to some good rhythm and blue tunes and make new friends in the process; they were successful beyond their wildest imagination.