6 musicians who put Macon on the map
Editor’s note: The following story is part of a feature called Home Grown in which we take a look at the people and products that have made a name for themselves well beyond our Middle Georgia borders.
The nation listens to Macon. The pioneers and legends with Macon connections have impacted nearly every genre of popular music. They’re the midstate’s most well-known Home Growns. And while they really don’t really need introductions, acknowledgments are in order.
LITTLE RICHARD
With a voice that trilled and thrilled, Macon-born Richard Penniman had an energy that even the raucous spirit of early rock ‘n’ roll could barely contain. A mighty influence on R&B and rock, he also had a unique and joyful personality that spread his fame beyond music.
Best known for: The songs “Tutti Frutti” and “Good Golly Miss Molly,” and numerous TV and movie appearances.
THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND
Both the ur- and the uber-Southern rock group, the Allman Brothers Band came to town in 1969. Working with its Macon-based label Capricorn Records, the band created an improvisational, bluesy, guitar-heavy style that resonated with the post-Beatles generation. Public triumph was matched by private tragedy when members Duane Allman and Berry Oakley died in motorcycle accidents just over a year apart.
Best known for: The albums “At Fillmore East” and “Eat a Peach,” the single “Ramblin’ Man,” and their live performances.
OTIS REDDING
If music didn’t exist, it would need to be created just so people could hear Otis Redding sing. The most soulful of vocalists, he was also a talented songwriter — penning Aretha Franklin’s signature classic “Respect.” His family moved to Macon when Redding was a child, and after his 1967 death in a plane crash, his wife and children enlarged his legacy by becoming community leaders.
Best known for: The songs “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and “Try a Little Tenderness,” and his monumental Monterey Pop Festival performance.
JASON ALDEAN
Born in Macon and acclaimed in Nashville, Tennessee, Jason Aldean is one of country music’s hottest stars. He’s the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year and already has produced an impressive heap of No. 1 singles and albums with a performing style that is at once gritty, mournful and spirited.
Best known for: The album “My Kinda Party,” and the songs “Burnin’ It Down” and “Dirt Road Anthem.”
BILL BERRY AND MIKE MILLS
Former Macon residents Bill Berry and Mike Mills joined with Michael Stipe and Peter Buck at the University of Georgia in 1980 to form R.E.M., an early alt-rock band that went mainstream and achieved worldwide success by eschewing grunge for a catchy bop.
Best known for: The albums “Murmur” and “Automatic for the People,” and the songs “Losing My Religion,” “Stand” and “The One I Love.”
JAMES BROWN
The voice that out-funked ‘em all was first captured on vinyl in Macon. As a member of the Famous Flames, James Brown recorded “Please Please Please” in the studios of WIBB. As a solo performer, he would release a record number of No. 1 soul hits.
Best known for: Owning every stage he was on, and the songs “I Got You (I Feel Good),” “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” and “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.”
This story was originally published November 11, 2016 at 2:59 PM with the headline "6 musicians who put Macon on the map."