Vineville Baptist Church

Before he became the King of Soul, Otis Redding was a boy singing in the choir at Vineville Baptist Church. It was here that he learned guitar and piano, and where his powerful voice first filled a room. The church, established in 1902, was the first Baptist church in Georgia to integrate — a fitting backdrop for an artist who would go on to unite audiences across racial lines with his music.

Vineville Baptist Church still stands on Vineville Avenue in Macon. It remains an active congregation and an important piece of both the city's religious and musical history. For Otis Redding fans exploring Macon, it is an essential stop that helps tell the story of where it all began.