Man, the first time I played a show in Macon, Georgia—it was maybe two years ago now, round about October if I remember right. I’d just come off the King Biscuit Festival in Arkansas, still ridin’ that high, and rolled into Macon for this gig.
Now, I ain’t never been to Macon before then. First time touchin’ down in that town. Played my show, crowd was good, energy felt right—and after the set, here comes this golf cart swingin’ back around to pick me up. Same cat that drove me to the stage earlier. Name was Ray.
Ray tells me he’s a drummer. Said it like a badge of honor—“Have drums, will travel.” Man, I loved that line. That stuck with me. You hear it once, you don’t forget it. He was cool, easy to talk to. After that night, we exchanged numbers, just vibin’ off the music and the moment.
Now Ray? He’s from Chicago. But he’s down in Macon, makin’ noise and makin’ moves. And over time, we stayed in touch. Every few months, he’d call me up, check in, tell me what’s cookin’ in Macon. Always sayin’ the same thing—“Man, come back down here. I’ll play drums for you. I’ll help you get gigs. Let’s get busy.”
I told him, “One day, brother.” And sure enough, that day came.
🎶 The Macon Connection
Soon as I got to town, I found Ray, handed him the keys, and said, “Show me the town, man. Let’s ride.”
And boy, did we ride. He showed me everything. Took me to venues all over—places he played, places I could play, spots just full of soul. Brought me by Grant’s Lounge—historic and still buzzin’. Introduced me to a bunch of cats, real musicians, OG players, folks who been grindin’ just like me.
We even wound up at church together. Yeah, church. And that felt right, too. From the stage to the pew, music still flowin’. Even better? Ray cooked breakfast one morning. Brother can play drums and throw down in the kitchen—double threat.
We laughed, we played, we planned. Just two old heads talkin’ music, life, and what’s next.
👊🏽 Much Love, Ray
So this post right here? This is me shoutin’ out Brother Ray—my Macon connection. A real one. Thank you for showin’ me around, for believing in the music, for keepin’ the blues alive in your own way.
Told him a little about y’all—my audience on livestream—and he felt the love. So maybe, just maybe, you’ll see us on stage together sometime soon. Drums, strings, and soul. That’s how we move.
Big hello, much love to Macon, Georgia. I see y’all. I feel y’all. And I’m comin’ back.