Book: Something in the Water: A History of Music in Macon, Georgia, 1823-1980
Author: Ben Wynne
Reviewed by: Jonathan Addleton, President, Forman Christian College, former U.S. ambassador to Mongolia
Macon and Middle Georgia more broadly has had an out-size influence on popular music, not only in Georgia but across the United States and indeed around the world.
The list of musicians associated with the city includes James Brown, Otis Redding, Little Richard, Chuck Leavell, Jason Aldean and the Allman Brothers Band.
Yet these “headliners” only scratch the surface in terms of impact and familiarity. Indeed, there is a long list of other singers, songwriters and performers, some known and others unknown, who were born in Macon, raised in Macon or spent at least part of their careers in Macon. Undoubtedly, Macon’s churches, clubs and dance halls helped shape their music, even as they in turn influenced the music of those around them.
Ben Wynne’s Something in the Water: A History of Music in Macon, Georgia, 1823-1980 provides a wonderful introduction to Macon’s musical heritage and its enduring contributions in a remarkably wide range of genres including jazz, country, gospel, rock, and rhythm and blues. Very possibly, the fact that such diverse types of music developed alongside each other and interacted with each other added to the creative mix that ensured that Macon’s music pioneers pushed envelopes in every direction.
A strong case can be made that music “leads the way” when it comes to globalization, with successful local artists in some cases eventually reaching a global audience.
Drawing on personal examples, I recall listening to “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” (Otis Redding’s timeless classic) years ago on the radio in a restaurant on New Zealand’s South Island; much more recently, I heard a heavily accented version of “Mary, Did you Know?” (co-written by Buddy Greene who grew up in Macon), as movingly rendered by a group of Christmas carolers in Lahore, Pakistan.
A professor of history at the University of North Georgia, Wynne has written on a variety of themes related to Southern history and culture. His most recent book on Macon’s music history provides yet another contribution, one that should be welcomed by both long-time residents of Georgia and newcomers interested in learning more about the surprising ways in which the experiences of seemingly insulated towns and supposedly isolated communities can resonate, speak to the human heart and have a positive impact all around the world.
Jonathan Addleton was born and raised in the mountains of northern Pakistan, the child of Baptist missionaries from Macon, Georgia. A career diplomat, he served as US Ambassador to Mongolia and USAID Mission Director in India, Pakistan, Cambodia and Central Asia, among other assignments. He now serves as Rector/President of Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) in Lahore, Pakistan
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