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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 5 december 2019
Iconic Southern rock recording studio is revived in Georgia

By JEFF MARTIN cer University and other
Associated Press supporters to restore and
ATLANTA (AP) — The Geor- equip it with state-of-the-
gia music studio that fused art technology.
blues, country and other "It's a place that spawned
sounds into Southern rock is a decade of remarkable
being reborn. creative activity," Mercer
Capricorn Sound Studios in President William Under-
Macon helped propel the wood said in an interview.
Allman Brothers Band and It also helped make Ma-
other groups to stardom in con one of the nation's
the 1970s. music capitals. Underwood
Capricorn's historic Studio hopes the renovated stu-
A is reopening this week, dio will help preserve Ma-
after years of work by Mer- con's place among cities

In this May 16, 2016, file photo, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gregg Allman performs during Mercer
University's Commencement at Hawkins Arena in Macon, Ga.
Associated Press
that forged the music his- private donors — will help to show the world what the
tory of the United States spur downtown redevelop- South was capable of, and
— places like Nashville and ment. today we are here to cel-
Memphis in Tennessee, The restored Macon studio ebrate a chapter of that
Muscle Shoals in Alabama is part of Mercer Music at mission," she added.
and Detroit, Chicago and Capricorn, a 20,000-square- Walden, his brother Alan
New Orleans. foot (1,860-square-meter) Walden and their business
Macon's civic leaders view complex that will include a partners discovered new
Southern rock through a far museum. Among its goals: artists who went on to cre-
different lens these days To train and inspire new ate what became South-
than in the 1970s. musicians. To that end, the ern rock.
Southern rockers and Capricorn Music Incuba- The Allman Brothers Band
Southern Baptists traveled tor will provide 12 rehears- became so popular that
in different orbits back then. al rooms for musicians to they helped a former
The Capricorn music scene hone their craft. Georgia governor named
— part of the drug-infused The idea is "to be a place Jimmy Carter win the 1976
counterculture movement to bring talented, creative presidential election by
of the time — was not al- people together and have performing at campaign
ways welcome in conser- them interact and engage events, Carter has said.
vative Middle Georgia. with one another," Under- Carter told Mercer gradu-
Now, Capricorn and South- wood said. ates at their 2016 com-
ern rock are officially sanc- "One day hopefully the next mencement that he might
tioned by today's leaders, Otis Redding will come out not have been elected if
many of whom were fans of that incubator," he said. the band hadn't "adopted"
in their younger days. Un- Redding's voice became him.
derwood, for instance, emblematic of Macon mu- "Gregg Allman was better
grew up listening to South- sic six decades ago, after known than I was at that
ern rock and considers The Mercer University student time," Carter said in 2017.
Allman Brothers Band "the Phil Walden discovered his "The band got the cam-
greatest jam band ever." vocal talents while booking paign political attention
In planning the new music local bands for fraternity and raised much needed
complex, Underwood and parties. funds."
others visited music hubs In 1969, Capricorn Records When Underwood be-
including Nashville, where was formed by Walden came Mercer's president,
Elvis Presley and others re- and others, including Frank the vacant offices that
corded their hits in RCA's Fenton and producer Jerry once housed Capricorn
Studio B. Wexler of Atlantic Records. were a shambles, with one
"There are people all over "My father loved the South, exception. A second ven-
the world who travel to see he loved Georgia and he ue, Studio B, will be used
these restored studios," said especially loved Macon," for larger-scale recordings
Larry Brumley, a senior vice Phil Walden's daughter, and to host concerts and
president at Mercer. Amantha, said at Tuesday's other special events. Film
Macon-area officials hope dedication ceremony. "He scores could be recorded
the restoration — funded loved Southern music deep there, tying into Georgia's
with help from two charita- inside his soul." booming movie industry,
ble foundations and other "My father's life mission was Underwood said.q