The multifaceted Mercer Music at Capricorn will soon be able to offer even more to students and the community when the legendary studio becomes a University Affiliate of the Recording Academy GRAMMY Museum. The partnership was announced during this past December as part of the Capricorn Revival Concert and while there is more to be determined, Mercer University’s Senior Vice President of Marketing Communication, Larry Brumley, shares that plans have been in the works for some time.
“The genesis for this was in September of 2018. I went out to Los Angeles as part of my work on the Mercer Music at Capricorn project to meet with some music industry people, Amantha Walden, Phil Walden’s daughter who lives in Los Angeles, and some other Capricorn alumni who live out on the West Coast. Basically, working on fundraising– but also just gathering more information,” says Brumley.
While exploring some personal histories involved with the studio and engaging with memorabilia collectors, Brumley was introduced to representatives of the Recording Academy.
“We met with some folks at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles and shared with them what our plans were for Music at Capricorn,” remembers Brumley. “They said, ‘We really encourage you to apply for an affiliation given what you’re doing with Mercer Music at Capricorn and how it aligns with our affiliates program.’ And so we did that, and they approved our application and gave us the green light to become an affiliate of the GRAMMY Museum.”
University Affiliates of the Grammy Museum have access to internship and research opportunities for students but also resources for the musicians Capricorn attracts through the incubator and studios. Local and visiting artists will benefit from professional development programming that will help them better understand both the creative and business aspects of the music industry.
And for the faithful fans of Capricorn?
“It also opens up the opportunity for us to have some traveling exhibits here in Macon that are part of the GRAMMY Museum collection,” reveals Brumley.
Some of the museum’s recent Traveling Exhibits include the interactive Motown: The Sound of Young America, Take Me Out To The Ball Game: Popular Music And The National Pastime, and Stronger Together: The Women of Country Music.
Mercer Music at Capricorn officially opened its doors to the public on January 2nd, and the real revival has only just begun. Studio B has already hosted live performances and sessions have started in the classic Studio A. The museum is ready and waiting with state of the art interactive exhibits, and the incubator and rehearsal space is being finalized for Macon’s community of artists. Details are still forthcoming on the full spectrum of benefits afforded by the Recording Academy relationship, but Larry Brumley wants everyone to know that all will be revealed soon.
“It’s a great benefit for Macon to have this affiliation with the GRAMMY Museum.”