Column: Swamp Dogg returns to his roots, to perform at the The Capitol Theatre in Macon

Swamp Dogg is back in town, appearing in concert tonight for one show at The Capitol Theatre.

Swamp Dogg — the original D-O Double G way before Snoop was a Dogg — is known to many here and revered by many for his early days working at Capricorn Studios during its inception. It was here he produced, wrote and recorded in his late 20s after establishing himself in R&B and soul music under his real name, Jerry Williams Jr., Little Jerry and Little Jerry Williams. His career began while he was just a pre-teen kid in Portsmouth, Virginia.

But it was here Swamp Dogg came to be.

“Macon is where Swamp Dogg was birthed and I consider that time my evergreen years,” Swamp Dogg said in a phone interview from his Los Angeles home. “I still love Macon from the way it used to be. We had a lot of fun down there and there was a ton of talent nobody knew about along with all the talent they did.

“Yeah, I did a lot of my better stuff there and that’s where I began writing real songs. Songs that made more sense to me than a lot of others I’d done. That’s where I really developed, back then around 1969, 1970.”

It was here Swamp Dogg realized his career needed a shift from copy-cat Soul and R&B. He said he was frustrated, had been ripped off of royalties at times and felt pressure to change. Psychedelics reportedly came into play and he started writing in a more creative – some might say bizarre at times – yet more down-to-earth, true-to-life and socially aware way.

He said he didn’t want to be pigeonholed but wanted to write whatever he wanted.

The result — his first album as Swamp Dogg was “Total Destruction to Your Mind” and it gave him a cult status. Hearing it, though, the horns and Soul flavors are still up front but added are new musical elements, new and expanded instrumentation reflecting the times and the musicians he was surrounded by both here and in studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

And definitely a new lyricism.

But still, take away all the backstory and it’s clear the man at any stage is poetic, knows how to turn a clever but not trite phrase and put words and music together that range from wild and funny to some of the most tender, heartfelt love songs you’d ever want to hear.

That’s whether he’s working alone or with others like buddies Gary U.S. Bonds or Charlie Whitehead to write. He and Bond wrote Johnny Paycheck’s huge 1972 hit “Don’t Take Her (She’s All I Got)” which was nominated for the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year.” That’s right, a country song but one that also did well for soul artist Freddie North.

With Charlie Foxx, he co-wrote Gene Pitney’s hit, “She’s a Heartbreaker.”

There are many more hits Swamp Dogg wrote, produced or served as label A&R man for, too many to mention in a short piece like this.

Rob Evans — director at what’s now Mercer University’s Capricorn Studios, producer, engineer and co-owner of 100.9 FM The Creek — said he’d heard “Don’t Take Her (She’s All I Got)” all his life then discovered Swamp Dogg co-wrote it. He also listed some of Swamp Dogg’s work in the early Capricorn studio including signing and producing Gospel and Soul’s Doris Duke’s best-known album, “I’m a Loser.”

“He certainly created all kinds of hits in all kinds of genres,” Evans said. “We’ve had him back a couple of times in the past few years and it’s always a pleasure. He’s somebody you want to see and has so much history and so many stories.”

If that country connection with Paycheck and others is surprising – it shouldn’t be. Personally, though I was around back in Capricorn’s early days — just a kid, of course — I wasn’t aware of Swamp Dogg until he came for some of the studio re-opening celebrations. Listening to his work, my thought was, “This guy’s writing great country songs but in an urban, R&B context.”

Little did I know that Swamp Dogg holds tight to his father and grandfather’s serious love of country music or that his very first performance at 6 was when singing Red Foley’s version of “Peace in the Valley” in a talent show.

Don’t pigeonhole Swamp Dogg.

He told me his next album is full-on country and he’ll be performing some of the tunes from it tonight. But don’t expect ordinary.

“I love story songs and, though they don’t do it as much as they used to, that’s what country writers were all about,” he said. “I love that they could summarize the whole story in a title and then elaborate it in the song. I guess I’m the only guy in LA walking around with a Hank Williams T-shirt on. Man, could he write.”

You can still wish Swamp Dogg a belated happy birthday when you see him, he turned 81 last week.

So how’s life for Swamp Dogg these days?

“Great!” he said. “First thing is, I kept my own publishing rights and that’s a good thing. Some of it’s one-third or a half as co-writer and some is 100%, so that’s kept me in the game. That’s why people still reach out for me. I’ve got music in movies, I just got a check a few months ago for samples of my music people have used in songs and I’m working. I’d love to do a longer tour and do something in Europe. I’m still at it. And I’m happy to get back to Macon. I’ve got a lot to say about Macon — all good.”

The Friday evening show starts at 8 p.m. opening with special guest Tami Nielson. Ticketing and information are at capitoltheatremacon.com. Other information is at thecreekfm.com, theswampdogg.com and tamineilson.com.

And don’t forget, if your sweet tooth is itching to get out and about, next week is the time.

The Great Macon Baking Week kicks off Sunday continuing through July 30 and highlights some of Macon’s best bakers and their goodies. Sixteen bakeries and restaurants will offer show-stopping items in hopes of being named Macon’s Star Baker. Participate by picking up a passport at any of the participating businesses or the Downtown Visitor Center or Macon Arts Alliance.

It will guide you through the week. If you get five or more stamps you can claim a free Great Macon Baking Week T-shirt while supplies last; get all 16 stamps and receive a prize package. Go to visitmacon.org or search for the baking week in Facebook events for locations and more.

Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.