|
Year of birth: 1940 City of birth: Greenville, SC  Phil Walden, the visionary founder of Capricorn Records, was born in Greenville, S.C., but grew up in Macon, Georgia. When Walden was a student at Macon’s Lanier High School, he became infatuated with his older brother’s “race” record collection, listening to groups like Hank Ballard and the Five Royales over and over.
As an undergraduate at Mercer University, he began his music industry career by booking bands for local high school and college events. By his sophomore year, Walden had opened Phil Walden Artists & Promotions in downtown Macon and his first client was a young Macon soul singer named Otis Redding. As he expanded his booking activities to other Southeastern states, Walden invited his younger brother, Alan, to join then company. They added artists including Sam and Dave, Percy Sledge, Johnny Taylor, Clarence Carter, Arthur Conley and Joe Simon to the roster and Phil Walden Artists & Promotions quickly became the foremost management firm representing soul performers.
During this period, Redding shot to international stardom with numerous hits, including “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and “Try a Little Tenderness.” On Dec. 10, 1967, however, Redding was tragically killed in a plane crash at only 26 years old. Devastated, Walden shifted gears and under the guidance of his mentor, Jerry Wexler of Atlanta Records, he formed Capricorn Records in 1969 in Macon. Within three years of its launch, Capricorn was enjoying multi-platinum success with its flagship artists, The Allman Brothers Band and the Marshall Tucker Band, and building careers for its other artists including Elvin Bishop, Wet Willie, the Dixie Dregs and Delbert McClinton.
Walden also became very active in civic affairs, historic preservation, the arts, politics and philanthropy. He played a pivotal role in the fund raising efforts of Jimmy Carter’s successful 1976 campaign for President. In 1979, economic woes forced Walden to shut down Capricorn and beset by personal and financial difficulties, he moved to Nashville. In the late 80s, he returned to artist management by taking on Jim “Ernest P. Worrell” Varney as a client and guiding him to an Emmy-winning television career and box office hits.
In 1991, in a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records, he revived Capricorn Records and signed artists including Widespread Panic, 311, Vigilantes of Love and Cake. Later, he also established a new label, Velocette Records, in Atlanta with his children, Phillip Jr. and Amantha. Walden died April 23, 2006, at 66 years old, after a bout with cancer. Following his death, former president Jimmy Carter said, “Phil was one of the preeminent producers of great music in America,” and that his work with Redding, the Allman Brothers and Capricorn, “helped put Macon and Georgia on the musical map of the world.”
:: View more Georgia rhythm & blues artists.
|
|
|
© 2006 All Music Guide, LLC