Historic Grant’s Lounge in Macon is considered the original home of Southern Rock and has remained a stable fixture in the music scene for over 50 years. According to the Historical Marker Database, Grant’s Lounge was founded in 1971 by Ed Grant Sr., becoming Macon’s first genuinely integrated bar. Grant’s grew in popularity alongside Capricorn Records, an independent recording studio that helped capture and define the voices and genre of Southern Rock. Bands often auditioned for Capricorn Records at Grant’s Lounge, which gave many musicians, bands, and artists, now considered music legends, a start in the industry. Grant’s Lounge remains open to this day and hosts bands and artists of all genres, including Rock, Southern Rock, R&B, Country, Jazz, Blues, and Bluegrass.
1. The Allman Brothers Band
Macon’s own, The Allman Brothers Band, signed to Capricorn Records in 1969 and frequently played at Grant’s Lounge from 1971 to 1976. The group comprised brothers Duane Allman and Greg Allman, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, and Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johnson. Each group member brought bits of Jazz, Rock, Country, and Blues. The fusing and blending of these genres gave way to the birth of Southern Rock in Macon. The Allmans would become one of the biggest bands in America, and at its height, Capricorn Records would become the largest independent label in the country. The albums released under this label were Almans’ “Brothers and Sisters,” “At Fillmore East,” and “Eat a Peach.” The Allman Brothers’ single “Ramblin Man” became No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973. Other popular songs released by the Brothers include “Whipping Post” (1969), Dreams (1969), and Black Hearted Woman (1969). The Allman Brothers Band has 11 gold and four platinum albums released from 1971-2004 and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. The band also received the Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 2012. The Allman Brothers Band profoundly impacted Macon and the American South as a whole and paved the way for other successful Southern Rock bands.
2. Lynyrd Skynyrd
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In the early 70s, members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, and The Charlie Daniels Band would play a lot of jam sessions together at Grant’s Lounge. All of these bands also recorded songs at Capricorn Records. Lynyrd Skynyrd first signed to Hustlers Inc., a company co-owned by Alan Walden, brother to Phil Walden, who managed the Allman Brothers and owned Capricorn Records. Lynyrd Skynyrd later signed to MCA Records on the hood of Alan Walden’s 1973 Ford pick-up truck in the Macon Coliseum parking lot. Alan managed the rock legends and published songs such as “Freebird” and Sweet Home Alabama,” which remain legendary Southern anthems. During live performances, Lynyrd Skynyrd has frequently dedicated the song “Free Bird” to the late Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band. And fittingly, the double guitar solo at the song’s end is reminiscent and widely considered a tribute to Duane’s playing style. The original members of Lynyrd Skynyrd were Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Larry Junstrom, and Bob Burns. This original band released some of the group’s biggest songs, such as “Call Me The Breeze” (1972), “Simple Man” (1973), and “Gimme Three Steps” (1973).
3. Eric Clapton
Legendary English Rock and Blues guitar player and vocalist Eric Clapton has also graced the stage at Grant’s Lounge. From 1963 to 1966, Clapton worked with a sequence of bands that launched his stardom and legitimized his career as a professional musician. In 1966, Clapton and the other British rock band Cream members recorded the first half of the Klooks Kleek Album at Capricorn Records. Guitar greats Eric Clapton and Duane Allman made guitar history in 1970 when they were temporarily bandmates in Derek and the Dominos. The two met at an impromptu jam session 1970 at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida. Upon meeting, the two had an immediate electric chemistry and a shared admiration for one another’s technique. The following day, Clapton invited Allman to play on almost all the tracks of the group’s first album, “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.” “Layla” became somewhat of the touchstone for the blue rock subgenre and is considered by many to be one of the greatest rock albums ever recorded. The fiery interplay between Clapton and Duane and the blend of their unique playing styles was the key element to the album’s magic. Allman even helped Clapton transform the song “Layla” from a self-pitying ballad to a rock masterpiece. The album encapsulates Clapton’s personal tribulations, authentic feelings of loss, and unrequited love for his friend George Harris’s wife, Patti Boyd. “Layla” is a defining achievement in rock music, highlighting the power of collaboration and passion in this album.
4. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (going by Mudcrutch at the time)
Before Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers achieved worldwide rock and roll success, Petty spent time in Macon in 1973 and 1974 with the band Mudcrutch. Petty and Mudcrutch auditioned and played at Grant’s Lounge many times as the group tried to get signed by Capricorn Records. However, the band never received a contract and broke up in 1975. The following year, former Mudcrutch members Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, and Benmont Tench formed the core members of the new band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Ron Blair, the bassist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, is actually from Macon—Blair’s family-owned Blair’s Discount Furniture in downtown Macon for 45 years. Ron Blair’s sister, Janice Blair, married Gregg Allman in the early 70s, so the two bands shared a friendship throughout the years. The band Mudcrutch reunited in 2007 to release their first self-titled album and tour. And again in 2016 to record their second album, Mudcrutch 2, and their first major American tour.
5. Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band is a group that quite literally got their start on stage at Grant’s Lounge. The Marshall Tucker Band, a group from Spartanburg, S.C., consisted of George McCorkle, Doug Grey, Jerry Eubanks, and brothers Toy Caldwell and Tommy Caldwell. In 1972, the band played at a local club with Wet Willie, a group signed to Capricorn Records. After this performance, Wet Willie suggested the group leave a demo with Phil Walden. Capricorn Records then booked the group to play a private audition at Grant’s Lounge. Marshall Tucker’s performance at Grant’s in 1972 impressed the Allmans, and Walden danced down the aisles. The very next day, the Marshall Tucker Band was signed by Capricorn Records. After signing, the group was temporarily assigned to play the opening act position on the Allman Brothers tours. The band’s debut album, The Marshall Tucker Band, was released by Capricorn in 1973, and by 1974, the group was headlining their shows and touring across the United States. The group earned seven gold and three platinum albums containing hit songs such as “Heard It In a Love Song,” “Fire On The Mountain,” “Can’t You See,” and “Take The Highway.” The Marshall Tucker Band has recorded twenty-two studio albums and three live albums in over forty years. In a full-circle moment, the Macon City Auditorium is hosting The Marshall Tucker Band and Wet Willie for an upcoming show this fall. The show is taking place on Friday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m.
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