‘Mama Louise’ nurtured a generation of musicians

Thanks to Kirsten West and John Griffin, Louise Hudson’s 88th birthday celebration on July 26 is now a part of Macon’s history. At a red carpet event at the Tubman Museum at 4:30 p.m., “Mama Louise,” as she is affectionately known to her legion of fans, was recognized by Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert and received the Harriet Tubman Act of Courage Award for the compassion she extended to so many people at her restaurant, H&H, in the Cotton Avenue corridor. There are few musicians that played in Macon or came to the city seeking stardom in the 1960s and ‘70s that were not the recipients of Mama Louise’s generosity at one of her tables.

West and Griffin enlisted the talent of some of those same musicians to pay tribute to Mama Louise at the Cox Capitol Theatre after the Tubman awards ceremony. Joining the seasoned and famous were several recording artists who have more recently met Mama Louise and consider themselves fortunate to be part of the fold Mama has nurtured through the lean years to see them return to her restaurant where they can pay any old IOUs.

After West welcomed the sponsors and guests, Atlanta singer Alexis Vear serenaded the honoree with “Mama, I Love You,” after which Caroline Aiken, another Georgia singer and songwriter who has previously performed in Macon, took the stage for selections from her popular album, “Broken Wings Heal.” Overheard in the audience were remarks from guests that traveled long distances to join the birthday celebration for a Macon icon.

Tommy Talton, part of the band Cowboy that recorded on the Capricorn label, brought his special brand of spellbinding guitar for the lady that made sure the young struggling bands of the ‘70s had at least one square meal before going on the road. Paul Hornsby and his All Stars, which included Talton, were introduced by Kirk West, for an hour long session of tracks which hit the charts during the heyday of Macon music. The band of musical brothers also included Chris Hicks, singer Jimmy Hall with his harmonica, Donna Hall, Jack Hall, Lamar Williams Jr. on bass, Ken Wynn, Gary Porter and John Fountain.

A long time friend of Gregg Allman, Chank Middleton, gave a brief recollection of the role Mama Louise played in the lives of the Allman Brothers and of several other memorable bands that were beneficiaries of her kindness and of her great home cooked food, just down the street from Capricorn’s offices.

The evening came to a close with a performance by drummer, Jai Johanny Johanson, familiar to R&B fans as Jaimoe and his Jasssz Band, introduced by Ed Grant Jr., owner of Grant’s Lounge. Jaimoe lays legitimate claim to being a member of Otis Redding’s band, drummer for the duo Sam & Dave and for being a longtime member of the Allman Brothers Band in all of its reincarnations.

Grant’s Lounge was to the musicians of the ‘60s and ‘70s looking for an audience what the H&H restaurant was for those looking for something to stop the hunger pains. Today, Grant’s is a mecca for locals and for visitors that know its history as a launching pad for many of their favorite musical artists just as the H&H restaurant is a destination for visitors on a musical history pilgrimage to Macon.

The Moonhanger Group, which now owns H&H, was one of the sponsors for Mama Louise’s birthday celebration, providing the catering for the reception at the Tubman Museum and for the tables at the Cox Capitol Theatre. West and Griffin tapped into the interest of the community for recognizing Mama Louise’s birthday and her contributions to the archives of a legion of musical artists, many of whom were on hand to thank her in person. Included in the sponsors were Mercer University, ECI Contracting Group, Mark Pucci Media, Morgan Stanley, BTBB, Inc. architectural firm, Hogue & Hogue LLP, Springer Mountain Farms, the Big House Foundation, James F. Braswell CPA and Dr. Clark Stull. Kudos to the organizers for a memorable tribute to Mama Louise!

This story was originally published August 3, 2017 at 2:59 PM with the headline "‘Mama Louise’ nurtured a generation of musicians."