She rose to fame feeding the Allman Brothers; now ‘Mama Louise’ gets her just deserts

As Tuesday’s lunch crowd feasted on fried chicken and vegetables, “Mama Louise” Hudson sat in her chair at the edge of the dining room.

The surviving matriarch of H&H Restaurant in Macon greeted guests with a big smile as they came for a hug on the eve of her big 88th birthday celebration.

“They’re doing something,” Hudson said, craning her neck to look at a placard announcing the red carpet event at the Tubman Museum.

Wednesday night, Hudson will receive the Harriet Tubman Act of Courage Award for her lifetime of caring for others.

Her pastor at Macedonia Baptist, Eddie Lee Smith Sr., has known her for at least 50 years.

“One thing that makes her so special is her true love for people, and she has an expressive way of demonstrating love,” Smith said.

She endears most everyone as “baby” or “darlin’.”

Hudson first opened H&H at Third and Hazel streets in 1959 with her older cousin, Inez Hill. A few years later, they needed more space, finally settling at 807 Forsyth St.

It was the height of segregation, yet blacks and whites dined together.

Hudson truly knows no strangers.

One day, two members of the struggling Allman Brothers Band showed up at her door with just enough money for one plate. She gave them two plates and fed a friendship that has endured through the decades and spread to other performers.

Smith said the famous story demonstrates why Hudson is being honored.

“She fed them for free. She was in business and no normal business person would give that away,” Smith said.

Although H&H struggled after Hill’s death in 2007 and closed briefly, the Moonhanger Group reopened the restaurant in 2014.

Manager Drew Jennings, who grew up near H&H, has seen people from all over the world stop to visit Mama Louise.

“She’s had open arms for everybody,” Jennings said.

Tuesday, one woman brought her an early birthday present as Hudson sat next to the Coca-Cola cooler.

Her pastor described Hudson as having the “gift of helps.”

“She has a heart of kindness that is so far-reaching,” said Smith, who will give the opening prayer at Wednesday’s celebration.

The public is invited to the free, “red carpet” event that begins at 4:30 p.m. at the museum at the corner of Cherry and Fifth streets.

The museum is co-sponsoring the celebration along with Moonhanger Group, The Big House Foundation, Gallery West and Springer Mountain Farms.

Light refreshments will be served after special music, a presentation on H&H’s history and remarks by Mayor Robert Reichert.

In 2006, then Mayor C. Jack Ellis declared July 26 as “Mama Louise Hudson Day” for her work “breaking down racial barriers so prevalent in those early days.”

Hudson didn’t want to spend time Tuesday talking about her life, her contributions to Macon and the affinity the music industry has for her.

Two years ago, the Blind Boys of Alabama serenaded her on her birthday.

“She’s really shy,” Smith said. “Her nature is a shy nature, but she cares.”

This story was originally published July 26, 2017 at 7:02 AM with the headline "She rose to fame feeding the Allman Brothers; now ‘Mama Louise’ gets her just deserts."