While many people associate Athens, Georgia’s "Music Town" legacy with the emergence of bands such as the B-52s and R.E.M. in the 1970s and 1980s, between 1915 and 1968, Athens hosted one of the deepest catalogs of touring live music of any town its size in the South which featured icons such as James Brown, Otis Reading, Ray Charles, and many more!

Join us for August's History Hour which explores the live-music venues that made Athens, with a special focus on music venues which have vanished or are presently in peril. Led by local music historian and author Chris Jones, together, we will learn about Athens' diverse music scene from performances in beautiful venues such as the Morton Theater and the Georgian Hotel to the "hidden stages" of fraternity houses, country clubs, and roadhouses. In segregated Athens, "two music towns in one city" would emerge with clear distinctions between Black Athens and White-Campus Athens. In Hot Corner, the Morton Theater, Harlem Theater, and House of Blue Lights would host Blues and Jazz muscians and would become the heart of Black performance in the South. On UGA's campus, fraternity houses and campus buildings would serve as the White music venues, with James Brown's 1962 performance at the KA House marking the beginning of Brown's college circuit career.

Whether you are an Athens music nerd or not, you will certainly learn something new about our city's everlasting music legacy!

History Hour with Historic Athens One Story is a free monthly educational program held at the Lyndon House Arts Center with complimentary lunch from Rashe's Cuisine available on a first come, first serve basis, including vegan options. We’ll see you Tuesday, August 4 at noon!