FOLIO
Words by Kaili Cochran
Beaches, museums, restaurants, St. Johns Town Center and the Jaguars. These are all things that come to mind when you think of Jacksonville. But beyond its attractions, Jacksonville is known for a deeper connotation as “the birthplace of southern rock.”
Jacksonville got this name because it was where many of the well-known and local southern rock artists called home at the time. The peak of its identity was in the 1960s and 1970s. During this decade, Jacksonville had music venues and bands on practically every corner.
According to media scholar Michael Ray Fitzgerald, the biggest factor that led to Jacksonville being one of the hottest music cities at the time was baby boomers.
“Teenage boomers developed into a huge, new market for entertainment,” Fitzgerald wrote.
This began the rise of radio, dances, concerts and other music-related events. Multiple forms of listening to music both live and pre-recorded were becoming popular, and the teenage boomers were embracing it whenever they could.
“To [their] parents, it must have looked as if they were taking over the world — and they were,” Fitzgerald wrote.
The first southern rock band to form in Jacksonville was The Allman Brothers Band, formed in 1969. Though they moved to Georgia the same year,, they already had a lasting impact on other rising artists in Jacksonville. Lynyrd Skynyrd was next in line.
By 1970, Lynyrd Skynyrd had become a top band in Jacksonville, headlining at some local concerts, and opening for several national acts. Throughout the 70s, they went on to create what is recognized as the “southern sound” through a mix of country, blues, and British rock influence. By 1973, they were known around the world.
Not long after, other local bands such as Cowboy, Blackfoot, Molly Hatchet, and 38 Special followed in their footsteps and began making their own southern rock sound — and putting Jacksonville on the music map in the process.
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