Born out of rock and roll, country music and the blues, Southern Rock is deeply woven into the fabric of our city’s history. Taking us back to the musical revolution of 1960’s and 70’s, Macon Pops is set to rock a showdown!

The ‘Back to our Roots: Southern Rock’ concert will be held on Friday, Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at Mercer University’s Hawkins Arena.

Collaborating with the Big House Museum and Rock Candy Tours, this eagerly anticipated concert will include special guest appearances by some of Macon’s musical elite, including performances by Josh Carson and singer-songwriter, Lamar Williams Jr. (and the son of Lamar Williams, performer and bassist of the Allman Brothers Band and Sea Level).

Jamie Weatherford (Rock Candy Tours) assisted Macon Pops with the development of the setlist for the August 23 performance. “The music for the evening will celebrate Macon's contribution to Southern Rock and will actually be a chronological journey from the birth of the Allman Brothers Band and Capricorn Records in 1969 until the slide of Southern Rock's popularity beginning in the late 70's,” says Weatherford.

Right as the Macon Pops founders, Matt Catingub and Steve Moretti, were contemplating performing a concert to celebrate Macon’s musical heritage, little did they realized that celebrating Southern Rock in Macon, Georgia was especially poignant this year. “The timing of the Southern Rock concert with the 50th anniversary of the Allman Brothers Band was fortuitous,” says Moretti.
Catingub is the creative mastermind behind the music of Macon Pops. Choosing Southern Rock was a natural choice, he says. “It’s free and soulfully influenced rock music, without rules.”

Southern Rock music’s distinctive electric sound can be traced back to Macon, Georgia born in the heart and mind of Duane Allman. According to Weatherford, Duane is the sole visionary of the style of music that blended R&B, rock n roll, a dash of jazz, and a touch of country that later became known as Southern Rock.

"Macon Pops has always found a unique way to put their own spin on various kinds of music, much like The Allman Brothers Band did in their epochal 45-year career. The Big House Foundation is proud to be working with Macon Pops in celebrating 50 years of The Allman Brothers Band and 50 years of Capricorn Studios,” says Richard Brent, Executive Director of the Big House Museum in Macon.

Community:

Building on the mission to further music education, elementary, middle, high school and college students will have the opportunity to attend Macon Pops’ rehearsal, talk to the musicians, learn about the production of musical concerts and how a non-profit operates and lastly, attend the concert for free via the 'For the Love of Music' initiative.