Macon’s music history isn’t only in books. A lot of it is still standing, across town from each other. Start anywhere.
Mercer Music at Capricorn
530 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., downtown
Capricorn Sound Studios opened downtown in 1969 and helped shape Southern rock. It came back to life in 2019 as Mercer Music at Capricorn, with historic Studio A at its heart and a museum on the label and the studio’s story.
Otis Redding Museum
339 Cotton Ave., downtown
A museum on historic Cotton Avenue packed with memorabilia from the King of Soul. It tells the story of his music and his roots in Macon. His bronze statue, sitting on dock pilings with his guitar, now stands in front of the Zelma Redding Amphitheater at the Otis Redding Center for the Arts.
Douglass Theatre
355 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., downtown
Founded by Black entrepreneur Charles Henry Douglass, the Douglass was part of a theater chain that booked African American performers. A young Otis Redding sang in talent shows here. Today it presents live music, theatre, film and community programs.
Grant’s Lounge
576 Poplar St., downtown
Grant’s Lounge opened on Poplar Street in 1971 and calls itself the Original Home of Southern Rock. It gave early stages to the Allman Brothers, Tom Petty and Lynyrd Skynyrd, and musicians still play here.
H&H Soul Food
807 Forsyth St.
Inez Hill and Louise Hudson opened H&H in 1959. They were known for their generosity to up-and-coming Southern rock bands, and the Allman Brothers Band made it a favorite in their early Macon years. It’s still serving Southern comfort food.
The Big House Museum
2321 Vineville Ave.
Members of the Allman Brothers Band, their crew, friends and families shared this Tudor house from 1970 to 1973. Today it’s the Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House, with gold records, instruments, concert posters and handwritten lyrics.
Little Richard House and Resource Center
Craft Street, Pleasant Hill
Little Richard’s childhood home, moved to Craft Street in Pleasant Hill, the neighborhood where he grew up. Inside are exhibits on his life, music and legacy, and the house works as a resource center for the neighborhood.
Making a day of it? Plan a Visit has places to eat, more to see and where to find a room.