Page 31 - Macon Flipbook 2021

Macon’s Music Takes Center Stage
F or about 35 years, the closest you could get most notably historic Studio A, the original studio

– a music incubator, offices, co-working space and
to Macon’s famous Capricorn Sound Studios,
the birthplace of the Southern Rock genre,
“Walking into that room has an effect on people

was to stand outside the building while a tour guide meeting rooms.
narrated the building’s history. With the January and musicians in particular. The room itself is still
2020 opening of Mercer Music at Capricorn and the completely original and so is its sound. Many musicians
Capricorn Museum, music fans can now can experience who have recorded in Studio A decades ago have come
the amazing Capricorn story back and they all say the same
through digital, visual and thing – “it looks the same,
audio storytelling. “All the musicians that have come smells the same, and sounds
Here is where the music to Capricorn to work in historic the same,” Konrad said.
of the Allman Brothers Band, Studio A say they feel the vibes Konrad said the response
the Marshall Tucker Band, from visitors has been
the Charlie Daniels Band, Wet and the spirits of the place.” wonderful. “They say how
Willie, Elvin Bishop and many Bob Konrad happy they are to see such a
other legends was produced in Mercer Music at Capricorn historic place come back to
the 1970s. Visitors today can Museum Manager life. Many of our visitors are
sample the Capricorn Records local to the area and enjoy
catalog at an interactive sharing their stories relating
listening station, tour the studios, and stock up on to studios and the musicians that helped put Macon on
Capricorn-themed merchandise at the retail store. the map.”
“Music fans are excited to take the full studio tour, Mercer Music at Capricorn joins other Macon sites
which is offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at that speak to the city’s musical heritage: The Otis
10 a.m. before recording sessions start for the day,” said Redding Foundation & Museum, the Allman Brothers
museum manager Bob Konrad. “And when the tour ends Band Museum at the Big House, Ann’s Tic Toc Lounge
upstairs in the museum, visitors are most excited to see (now the Tic Toc Room) where Little Richard performed
our interactive displays where they’re able to listen to and the Visit Macon headquarters on Martin Luther
hundreds of Capricorn records and thumb through tons King, Jr. Blvd., which was originally a bus station where
of historic photos and documents.” Little Richard worked as a dishwasher.
In its first six months of operation, the museum and “Macon has always been and will continue to be a
studios had visitors and musicians from 26 states and Mecca for musicians and music fans,” said Konrad. “Being
eight foreign countries, Konrad said. able to invite them in to the original historic Studio and
In addition to the museum, the nearly 20,000- our interactive museum is a wonderful addition to
square-foot complex features recording studios – Macon’s already impressive music community.”

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