MACON, Ga. (AP) - Signs will soon be placed at significant sites and entertainment venues in Macon in an effort to recognize the Georgia city’s rich music history.
Historic Macon Foundation aims to put up the plaques as part of the “Historic Macon Music Registry” program.
Plaques would recognize the musical history at the City Auditorium and Douglass Theatre, The Telegraph newspaper of Macon reported (https://bit.ly/2c1vLr0).
The Douglass Theatre plaque would describe it as “Macon’s Premier Historic Black Performance Venue.” The City Auditorium’s plaque would mention performances from Middle Georgia legends Otis Redding, The Allman Brothers and Little Richard, the Macon newspaper reported.
Plans call for a plaque to also honor the Rev. Pearly Brown, a blind gospel and blues musician who performed for years on Macon’s downtown streets. That plaque would be placed a fountain in Third Street Park.
The project wouldn’t be possible without the donations of the Cox family in Macon, WMAZ-TV reported (https://on.wmaz.com/2blkIVa).
Members of the Cox family say they got the idea when they saw music plaques on a trip to London.
“We saw that and we thought, ’Well, gosh, when people come to Macon, they hear about Macon’s music history, but it’s kind of hard to find it,’” Charles Cox told the Macon television station. “This is an easy way when you’re walking around to identify spots that have some significance with Macon’s music history,” Charles Cox said.
Project organizers hope to unveil the first three plaques next month. Eventually, they hope to have as many as 20 around the community.
“With this project, it’s creating a music history registry so we can actually keep track of these places and add to them and protect them and recognize them,” Jessica Walden of Rock Candy Tours told WMAZ.
“It also creates a great sense of place and weaving all the stories that come from Macon’s music history,” Walden said.
The music registry program is a partnership between Historic Macon and Rock Candy Tours, NewTown Macon, Community Foundation of Central Georgia and the Charles Cox Family Trust, which is funding the plaques.
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