Mercer Music at Capricorn

Look at this beauty! Once owned by Gregg Allman, the barber chair is now part of the Capricorn collection. Come visit us, and we'll even let you sit in it

Happy birthday to Alan Walden! The brother of Capricorn Records President Phil Walden, Alan helped get Capricorn started before founding his own publishing and management company known as Hustlers Inc. Alan is pictured here at the 1977 inauguration of President Jimmy Carter, who Capricorn helped propel to the White House.

Hughes Taylor's new single, "Prettiest Thief," was recorded at Capricorn Sound Studios as part of his "Modern Nostalgia" album, coming July 9. You can hear the song on his website, hughestaylormusic.com, where he shares that one of his favorite parts of the tune came from a last minute decision to have Tom Wilson, on keys, solo over the break before the last verse: "In rehearsal, we had always just played that riff the same way as the others in the song. On a whim, the night before our session, I suggested a longer pause and for Tom to play a little something. When we went in to record, I believe it was only the 2nd or 3rd take, Tom took a full solo over the main riff and played that smooth run during the long pause. When listening to playback in the control room, everyone present perked up and said Woah.

Take a glimpse back in time at what is now Phil Walden Memorial Studio B.

Our talented studio musicians play with many of the artists who record at Capricorn Sound Studios. Today, we want you to meet Dwayne Boswell, who plays, as he says "anything you hit, or has strings or keys." Dwayne grew up in Warner Robins, and his earliest memories include him beating on kitchen pots and pans while his dad played guitar. He started playing actual drums at age 6 and picked up other instruments along the way. Dwayne loves the feeling, arrangement and "groove ...and sound" of music, with Stevie Wonder and Prince ranking among his favorite artists. Dwayne met his wife, Shana, another member of our house band, at an open mic night, and together they formed their own band called The Bozwellz. His previous band was named Best Blues Band by the Atlanta Blues Society, which led to him opening for and performing with B.B. King. He also worked with Wyclef Jean, Bono and percussionist Sheila E. Dwayne loves meeting and working with the new and legendary artists who come to record at Capricorn Sound Studios, saying: "I get to (hang out) and play music with them. What's better than that?"

Happy Halloween! Did Adam Hood and Brent Cobb experience something otherworldly at Capricorn? Listen to their stories, and you be the judge.

Our online merch store is up and running with Capricorn T-shirts and other swag! Check it out at https://www.merchmountain.com/brand/capricorn-sound-studios/

Forty-nine years ago today, we lost one of the world's greatest guitarists when a 24-year-old Duane Allman died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash in Macon. Rest easy, Skydog.

RIP to outlaw country legend Billy Joe Shaver. Shaver recorded two albums on the Capricorn Records label "When I Get My Wings" and "Gypsy Boy."

Happy birthday to the late Charlie Daniels, who was born on this day in Wilmington, N.C., in 1936. He grew up listening to Pentecostal gospel, local bluegrass bands and country music from Nashville and became skilled playing the guitar, banjo, fiddle and mandolin, soon forming a rock band. Daniels would make his way to Nashville, Tennessee, where he worked as a session musician and co-wrote "It Hurts Me," which Elvis Presley would record. But his biggest hit hearkens back to ...his time in the Peach State, with the searing fiddle and fury of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." The Charlie Daniels Band recorded at Capricorn Sound Studios in the early 1970s, including several of his earlier hits, "The South's Gonna Do It Again" (1973), which he composed and wrote at the studio, and "Fire on the Mountain" (1974). Both were produced by Paul Hornsby. Daniels was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.

Singer-songwriter Adam Hood spent the last week of August recording his new album at Capricorn Sound Studios. He, along with producer Brent Cobb and Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr, took some time out from recording to grab #ABeerWith us and talk about the album, recording at Capricorn, guitars, COVID-19 and making music with a message. Watch the full video at: http://capricorn.mercer.edu/a-beer-with-adam-hood-brent-cob

Be on the lookout Tuesday for the premiere of our new video series, "A Beer With." In our inaugural episode, we talk to Adam Hood, Brent Cobb and Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke about Adam's new album, recording at Capricorn, guitars, COVID-19 and making music with a message.

Phil Walden Memorial Studio B was designed as a live room. Museum Director Bob Konrad explains what that means and shows off some cool memorabilia (hello, Otis Redding's piano!) as he takes you #InsideCapricorn.

New Allgood Music Company record coming in 2021!

Happy birthday, Elvin Bishop! This blues guitar impresario is still making music today, recently releasing with Charlie Musselwhite "100 Years of Blues," which rose to No. 1 on the Billboard blues album chart.

Happy birthday to the late Tom Dowd! This photo is from the "Eat A Peach" sessions with the Allman Brothers Band. Dowd produced the album, which was on the Capricorn Records label but recorded at Criteria Recording Studios in Miami.

We're not rewriting our history. We're reviving it.

Phil Walden Memorial Studio B provides the perfect backdrop for one Mercer University class.

#TBT to Hydra, a Southern rock band that recorded two albums on the Capricorn Records label: its self-titled debut and "Land of Money."