A Never-Ending Groove: Johnny Sandlin’s Musical Odyssey

Referred to by the late Jerry Wexler as one of the men most responsible for the Southern Rock sound that came out of Macon, Georgia, in the ‘70s, Johnny Sandlin’s music career began in the early '60s playing with other musicians who went on to leave their mark in music history including Dan Penn, David Briggs, Norbert Putnam, Jerry Carrigan, Roger Hawkins, David Hood, Eddie Hinton and fellow HourGlass band members, Paul Hornsby, Pete Carr and Gregg and Duane Allman. When the HourGlass broke up, he became staff drummer for Tone Studio in Miami but soon moved to Macon where he again joined the Allmans, first as the drummer in the Capricorn studio rhythm section and then as recording engineer, producer and vice-president of Capricorn Records and head of A&R. Sandlin also produced, mixed, and mastered albums for the Allman Brothers Band, Gregg Allman, Gregg and Cher, Richard Betts, Johnny Jenkins, Elvin Bishop, Wet Willie, Bonnie Bramlett, Alex Taylor, Cowboy, Delbert McClinton, Widespread Panic and many others. Since leaving Capricorn, Johnny works as an independent engineer and producer, is co-owner of Rockin’ Camel Records, and continues to record in his own studio, Duck Tape Music, in Decatur, Alabama. His work has earned him five platinum and ten gold albums.