Podcast: The fight to save country music history

Kyle Kessler discusses the steps being taken to halt demolition of 152 Nassau Street

Photo credit: Courtesy Save 152 Nassau Street.

WHERE IT BEGAN: The site of the South's first recording studio at 152 Nassau Street.

By Chad Radford Thursday August 1, 2019 12:20 PM EDT

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The battle wages on to save the South’s first recording studio, and the hallowed ground where country music’s first commercial recordings were made. Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville is slated to swing the wrecking ball on 152 Nassau Street, clearing the way for a deluxe new outpost for its chain restaurant and hotel.

In June of 1923, however, New York-based Okeh Records executive Ralph Peer set up a pop-up studio in the building which facilitated recordings by various regional jazz, blues, and country music artists including Fiddlin’ John Carson, Warner’s Seven Aces, Charlie Fulcher, the Morehouse College Quartet, Lucille Bogan, Fannie Mae Goosby, Eddie Heywood, and more.

Steps are being taken to prevent the demolition from moving forward, but light demo has already begun on parts of the building. It won’t take a Herculean effort to save this historic location, if Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms — whose father Major Lance recorded for OKeh — and Atlanta City Council step up, but time is of the essence.

Press play above for an update on the potential fate of 152 Nassau Street. and to learn more, read Kyle Kessler’s feature story, “The little old brick building on Nassau Street: Proposed Margaritaville construction could erase music history.”

Also, click here to for Kessler’s CL podcast interview, “Save 152 Nassau Street.”

To learn more, check out Nassau Street Sessions.