The Freebird Foundation, Inc. was on the road once again for the weekend of September 20th. This time our destination was Macon, Georgia -- the Capitol of Southern Music -- for the grand opening of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. After seeing the Lynyrd Skynyrd exhibit at the Premiere Celebration for Freebird... The Movie in Atlanta, the officials of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame requested that it be a part of their grand opening celebration.
Our (Judy VanZant Jenness, Jim Jenness and William Jordan) first night in Macon was highlighted by Alan Walden's wedding. Alan was Skynyrd's first manager and has been a strong supporter of the Freebird Foundation, Inc. Alan married his long-time girlfriend Tosha in a private ceremony in a small Georgia country church followed by a reception at the new couple's beautiful lakeside home.
After the reception Alan and Tosha hosted a private wedding party at the historic Walden building next to the legendary Capricorn Studios in Macon. Many of the musicians Alan is currently working with offered their talents for the party, including Chris Hicks from the Outlaws. We were given a private tour of Capricorn Studios by Dr. Greg Jones. Dr. Jones bought the Capricorn building a little over a year ago and has revived the historic studio where so much incredible music was born. Walking into the studio's master vault was an unforgettable experience -- legends lined the walls.
All week Macon had been celebrating Georgia's rich musical heritage leading up to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame's grand opening on Saturday, September 21, 1996. Fans started lining up behind police barricades to catch a glimpse of their favorite Georgia musicians hours before the stars were scheduled to arrive. Not even a steady cold rain could drive them away and with good reason. This star-studded night included legends from across the music spectrum -- ranging from Little Richard and the Pips to Travis Tritt, R.E.M. and the B-52s. Southern Rock was well represented with members from Wet Willie, the Outlaws, the Atlanta Rhythm Section and, of course, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Leon Wilkeson and Rickey Medlocke were there representing Skynyrd and both spent a lot of time meeting with the fans and signing autographs.
The next day was the official ribbon cutting and public grand opening of the new Hall of Fame. The land the building sits on is sacred ground to the Cherokee nation and Eddie Bushyhead, a tribe elder and nationally known flutist, consecrated the building in his native language. Two local singing groups performed and then Georgia Governor Zell Miller addressed the crowd. The Georgia Music Hall of Fame has been Governor Miller's personal goal for over a decade and he described the moment as "a dream come true." With a huge pair of wooden scissors the ribbon was cut away and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame was open for business.
The Lynyrd Skynyrd History Website Is Owned By Judy VanZant Jenness
