The Mini-Music Museum and law office of Tim Griggs

Wall Hanger Wednesday - When I was in high school, I played drums in a band called Trax. A competing band in Macon was called Shadowfax, which featured a drummer named Bill Berry and a bass player named Mike Mills. After completing high school, I moved back to the city of my birth - Atlanta - to go to Georgia State University. Bill and Mike, after high school graduation, moved to Athens, Georgia to attend the University of Georgia. I graduated from college but they never did, however they did go on to form a band called R.E.M. and now they are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Wall Hanger Wednesday - Clarence Carter recorded his Sixty Minutes album here at Capricorn Studios, but most of the credits erroneously went to Fame Studios. In fact, Paul Hornsby was really excited that he was going to get his first production credit on a major label artist, but when the album came out the credit went to Rick Hall. Paul ended up doing okay though, because he produced all of The Marshall Tucker Band’s big albums plus several gold/platinum albums for The Charlie Daniels Band and many others. BTW, Rodgers Redding is the brother of Otis. Rodgers ran one of the biggest R&B booking agencies of the 1980s here in Macon after previously working with Otis and the Walden brothers.

Wednesday Wall-Hanger - Last year, I visited the home that Gregg Allman shared with Cher here in Macon back in the seventies. By Cher’s standards, it was probably a very modest home; however, even today, it’s a really nice house

Wednesday Wall-Hanger - Back in the 1970s, two shows were must-sees for music fans - The Midnight Special and Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert. Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert came down to Macon to do a southern rock based show entitled Saturday Night In Macon, GA. The Allman Brothers Band, The Marshall Tucker Band and Martin Mull were all filmed performing at the Grand Opera House. Wet Willie wasn’t originally scheduled to be on the show, but Dickey Betts had a temper tantrum during the ABB performance at the Grand and walked out. The next day, Wet Willie played a show at Central City Park and the Kirshner people filmed it. This single Country Side of Life was Wet Willie’s followup to Keep On Smilin.’

Wednesday Wall-Hanger (Thanksgiving Eve Edition) - I Thank You was Sam & Dave’s followup single to Soul Man and their last top 10 hit (which was later revived by ZZ Top). The duo was booked and managed by Phil Walden here in Macon back in the 1960s. There are still musicians living in Macon today who played with them back during their heyday. Sam & Dave was one of the few acts who gave Otis Redding a run for his money when it came to performing live.

Wednesday Wall Hanger - Larry G. Hudson never hit the big time, but he came close. Larry took over Razzy Bailey’s nightly gig at Nashville South after Razzy Bailey left Macon for the real Nashville (Jason Aldean also performed at Nashville South before hitting it big). Eventually, Willie Nelson signed Larry to his Texas-based Lone Star Records. Later, Larry released an album on Mercury Records, which included a song he recorded with Willie at the Capricorn Studio. One of the most memorable performances I’ve ever witnessed was a music awards show at the Macon Auditorium where Larry performed a song about his mother killing his father. The audience was stunned. Unfortunately, Larry G. Hudson died in a tragic accident last week.

Wall Hanger Wednesday - Wayne Cochran, The White Knight of Soul, was born in nearby Thomaston, GA. He moved to Macon and became friends with Otis Redding and James Brown. In fact, he played bass on some of Redding’s earliest recordings and he eventually signed a record deal with King Records, which was the same label that James Brown was on. Cochran formed a band called the CC Riders and made several recordings, most notably was a song he wrote entitled Last Kiss. Cochra...n’s recording of Last Kiss bombed, but a later version by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers became a #2 hit on the Billboard pop charts in the sixties. Last Kiss had somewhat of a revival in the late nineties when Pearl Jam recorded it. BTW, one of the members of the CC Riders was a teenage bassist named Jaco Pastorius, and Elvis Presley liked Cochran’s version of the song CC Rider (which is on this album) so he used it to open many of shows. See more

Wednesday Wall-Hanger - Billy Joe Shaver recorded his second and third albums for Capricorn Records back in the seventies. Gypsy Boy featured guests like Willie Nelson, James Burton, Emmylou Harris, Nicolette Larson, Rodney Crowell, Ricky Skaggs, etc. and had songs that Shaver co-wrote with Bobby Bare and Waylon Jennings. Shaver’s songs from Gypsy Boy were also recorded by Jennings (Honky Tonk Heroes), Elvis Presley, Toby Keith, etc. Shaver’s first Capricorn release, W...hen I Get My Wings included label mates Chuck Leavell, Bonnie Bramlett, Dickey Betts, Scott Boyer, and Tommy Talton as well as Charlie Daniels. Wings was recorded at Capricorn Studios. Shaver’s composition Ride Me Down Easy from that album has been recorded by dozens of other artists including Lee Ann Womack, Bobby Bare, Jerry Lee Lewis, David Allan Coe, Waylon, Kinky Friedman and even Roy Rogers. Pictured is a radio commercial (on 1/4 tape) for Shaver’s Gypsy Boy album. See more

Wednesday Wall-hanger - Cowboy released four albums on Capricorn Records in the seventies. Their best known song Please Be With Me was written by Cowboy member Scott Boyer. Cowboy’s original recordings of the song featured Duane Allman on dobro. In fact, the best version of the song is included on Duane Allman’s An Anthology album. Eric Clapton later recorded the song and it has become a minor classic. Pictured is a check made out by the late Scott Boyer way back in 1971 on the band’s bank account.

Wall-hanger Wednesday - Released 20 years ago this week, Almost Famous was Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical film about his time as a music journalist during his teenage years (for Rolling Stone, Cream, and other rock & roll magazines). Crowe based the film on his interactions with Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, and other groups back in the seventies. Legendary Allman Brothers’ roadie Red Dog, who I knew as a teenager, is name-dropped in this film. This poster on my office wall is signed by writer/director Cameron Crowe and Nancy Wilson of Heart, who did some of the music for the film.

Wednesday Wall-Hanger - Dr. John spent a lot of time in Macon when he was managed by Phil Walden. He played many times with The Allman Brothers, recorded at Capricorn and even performed at Duane Allman's funeral. Before joining the ABB, keyboardist Chuck Leavell was a member of Dr. John's band.

Wednesday Wall-Hanger - a limited edition giclee print by Jimi Claybrooks signed by John Lee Hooker. Also present in the artwork is Sleepy John Estes, Lead Belly, BB King, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and Howlin' Wolf.

Wednesday Wall-Hanger - yesterday was Martin Mull's 77th birthday. He recorded four albums for Capricorn Records back in the 70s.

Wednesday Wall-hanger - Randy Crawford has released over 25 albums, mostly on Warner Brothers Records, over the last 45 years. She is perhaps best known for the song Street Life, which she recorded with The Crusaders. She also worked with Al Jarreau, Eric Clapton, Bootsy Collins, Quincy Jones, David Sanborn, George Benson, Rick Springfield, Cannonball Adderley, etc. And she’s from Macon, Georgia! Looks like l met her over 40 years ago - yikes!!!

Wednesday Wall-hanger - The first record released on Capricorn Records was by Macon. That’s right - Macon (short forThe Macon Rhythm Section). The band was made up of the earliest Capricorn Studio session musicians: Johnny Sandlin, Robert Popwell, Pete Carr, and Paul Hornsby. The single went nowhere but the all the members of Macon had great careers afterward. Johnny, Pete, and Paul previously played with Duane and Gregg Allman in the band Hour Glass and after Macon, they b...ecame successful record producers. Robert Popwell later became a member of The Crusaders and did session work with George Benson, Al Jarreau, Larry Carlton, Bette Midler, Bob Dylan, BB King, etc. Johnny Sandlin produced The Allman Brothers Band, Bonnie Bramlett, Delbert McClinton, Elvin Bishop and others. Pete Carr became a highly touted session guitarist in Muscle Shoals playing with Paul Simon, Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart, etc and he also co-produced many of Bob Seger’s more successful albums. Paul Hornsby produced The Marshall Tucker Band, Wet Willie, The Charlie Daniels Band and many others. Unfortunately, Robert, Johnny and Pete are no longer with us, but Paul Hornsby is still producing and lives right here in Macon, Georgia. The Macon single is hanging on my Walden Wall.

Wednesday Wall-hanger - Like many people, my work has slowed down considerably during these covid days, so I’ve decided to spotlight some of the memorabilia hanging on the wall of my Mini-Music Museum (and law office) at Capricorn Studios in Macon, Georgia. The first wall-hanger is Percy Sledge, who lived in Macon and was managed by the Waldens (the 8x10 is on my Walden Wall, which honors Phil and Alan Walden). I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that many, if not mos...t, Macon musicians of a certain age that I’ve spoken to since moving back here played with Percy Sledge at one time or another. In fact, just a few weeks ago, I had two different musicians in my office who played with Percy at different times. When A Man Loves A Woman is one of the most iconic songs ever and thus Percy Sledge will long be remembered for singing his heart out on that tune. See more

New Macon Music Monday Vid!

RIP Ronnie Thompson