Explore roots of Southern rock and Black music history in Georgia

The Chron - By Heide Brandes, May 3, 2025

In the heart of downtown Macon, Georgia, blues vocalist EG Kight leans into the microphone at Capricorn Sound Studios. "This is history in Georgia," she said between takes. "This is where Macon made a name for itself in music."

The studio looks almost identical to when Duane and Gregg Allman laid down tracks here in the early 1970s. The vintage soundproofing still lines the walls, the same wood paneling remains, even that distinctive studio smell lingers. But as Capricorn Studios Museum Director and Studio Manager Bob Konrad joked, "Step on the carpet too much, though, you might get a little buzz."

For decades, this sacred musical ground where Southern rock was born sat empty, nearly condemned. But today, thanks to an ambitious Mercer University restoration project, Capricorn Studios has been reborn as a multi-purpose music complex bridging Macon's storied past with its promising future.

"For a while, it was about to fall down. They were gonna tear it down," said Kight, who recorded her first blues album here in 1997 when it was briefly revived as Phoenix Sound. "And then Mercer bought it and redone it, kept what was, but updated the equipment. I love recording here."

Rebirth of soul

The rebirth of Capricorn represents something larger: the revitalization of Macon's soul. This mid-sized Georgia city, often overshadowed by Atlanta just 85 miles north, possesses a musical legacy that rivals Memphis or Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

"Going back to even before rock 'n' roll, at the turn of the century, there were jazz artists who came through who were African American," said Anthony Ennis, director of operations for 100.9 The Creek, Macon's locally owned radio station. "Macon was the Black Broadway of the South."