The Georgia Music Hall of Fame was a hall of fame to recognize music performers and music industry professionals from or connected to the state of Georgia. It began with efforts of the state's lieutenant governor Zell Miller to attract the music industry to Georgia. Following the first Georgia Music Week in 1978, the first Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards were held in 1979, with two inductees. The hall eventually had 163 inductees; the final inductions were made in 2015.
The Georgia Music Hall of Fame Museum was located in downtown Macon, Georgia, United States, from 1996 until it closed in 2011. The Hall of Fame museum preserved and interpreted the state's musical heritage through programs of collection, exhibition, education, and performance; it attempted to foster an appreciation for Georgia music and tried to stimulate economic growth through a variety of dynamic partnerships and initiatives statewide. The museum closed due to low attendance and reduced state funding. Mercer University purchased the former Hall of Fame museum building in June 2012; the university used the building for expanded programs within its School of Medicine.
History
The Georgia Music Hall of Fame's institutional history began in 1978 when the Georgia General Assembly created the Senate Music Recording Industry Committee to study the state's music industry's economic impact and explore ways to promote Georgia music and attract music businesses to the state. In 1979, the Committee developed a Georgia Music Hall of Fame program honoring Georgia musicians who have made significant contributions to the music industry, with Ray Charles and music publisher Bill Lowery named the first inductees on September 26, 1979.
Owing much to the vision of then Lt. Governor Zell Miller, the Committee also endeavored to create a public museum and archive to document the state's music heritage and serve as a cultural heritage destination. In 1990, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Authority was created as an instrumentality of the State of Georgia and a public corporation with the stated corporate purpose and general nature: 1) to construct and maintain a facility to house the Georgia Music Hall of Fame; 2) to operate, advertise and promote the Georgia Music Hall of Fame; and 3) to promote music events at the facility and throughout the state. On September 22, 1996, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame opened as a facility housing the main exhibit hall, a retail store, the Zell Miller Center for Georgia Music Studies, an administrative wing, a classroom, and a reception room. In 1999, the second phase of the museum, The Billy Watson Music Factory, an interactive and interpretive exhibit space for pre-K through elementary students, opened.
The hall was closed on June 12, 2011, due to lack of attendance, and the collection was donated to the University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries. The exhibits are now housed at the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, the University of West Georgia, and in private collections.
Museum
Exhibits The Georgia Music Hall of Fame's permanent exhibit space was designed to resemble a Georgia town where venues such as the Jazz and Swing Club, Vintage Vinyl, and Rhythm & Blues Revue house artifacts, interpretive text, and audio-visual elements. Temporary exhibits included "Keeps Calling Me Home: A Gram Parsons Retrospective", "Let Freedom Sing: Music and the Civil Rights Movement" and '"Otis Redding: I've Got Dreams to Remember", named "Museum Exhibition of the Year" in 2008 by the Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries.
Education Education was at the core of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame museum's mission. The Billy Watson Music Factory served children in grades pre-K through elementary by encouraging the exploration of musical concepts like rhythm, melody, and composition in a hands-on learning environment. MIKE (Music in Kids' Education) provided a series of programs offering live music performances and music instruction opportunities throughout the year.
Georgia Music magazine The Georgia Music Hall of Fame Foundation published the quarterly magazine, Georgia Music, from 2005 to 2013 as both the official museum magazine and an in-depth look at Georgia music. The state's legends, landmarks, and unsung heroes were explored through features, historical articles, news, and reviews.
Inductees
YearArtistAwardReference2015Gregg AllmanSongwriter AwardJohn and Jane BarbePioneer AwardDrivin' N' Cryin'Group AwardJohn HuieNon-Performer AwardSam MoorePerformer AwardMonica PearsonChairman's AwardSonny LimbaughPosthumous AwardPhilip Walden Jr.Posthumous AwardTim WilsonPosthumous Award2014Danny BeardNon-Performer AwardBobby ByrdPosthumous AwardSean CostelloPosthumous AwardFrank FenterPosthumous AwardWally FowlerPosthumous AwardJeff FoxworthySpoken Word AwardEddie HorstPosthumous AwardLady AntebellumPerformer AwardFrancine ReedPioneer AwardEd RolandSongwriter AwardWet WillieGroup Award2013Pat AlgerSongwriter AwardThe Forester SistersPioneer AwardGoodie MobPerformer AwardCeeLo GreenPerformer AwardKansasGroup AwardJames "Alley Pat" PatrickNon-Performer AwardWhitney HoustonPosthumous Awardvon GreyHorizon Award2012Riley BiedererHorizon AwardSkinny Bobby HarperPosthumous Award Alex HodgesNon-Performer Award Johnny JenkinsPosthumous AwardGary RossingtonSongwriter AwardRobert SpanoChairman's AwardSugarland (Jennifer Nettles and Kristen Bush)Performer Award38 SpecialGroup AwardBob Van CampPosthumous Award2011Judy ArgoPosthumous AwardToni BraxtonPerformer AwardPaul CochranPioneer AwardHall JohnsonPosthumous Award Kenny LeonNon-Performer Award Mother's FinestGroup AwardJan "Mama Jan" SmithChairman's AwardSonny TerryPosthumous Award2010India.ArieThe Black CrowesGroup AwardRev. Pearly BrownPosthumous Award Charlie BruscoNon-Performer Award Paul DavisPosthumous AwardPete DrakePosthumous AwardJohn JaredPosthumous AwardJennifer LarmoreCharles Wadsworth2009Chris "Ludacris" BridgesDinah & Fred Gretsch (Gretsch Guitars)Posthumous AwardDottie RamboHamp SwainKeith SweatWidespread PanicGroup Award 2008 Johnny L. CarsonCollective SoulPeter ConlonBryan-Michael CoxRoy HamiltonBerry OakleyShakir StewartThird Day 2007 Bobbie BaileyFreddy ColeMylon LeFevreLynyrd SkynyrdBabs RichardsonUsher 2006 Gregg AllmanPerformer Award Dallas AustinNon-Performer AwardFelice BryantPosthumous AwardJermaine DupriSongwriter AwardR.E.M.Group Award 2005 Doug JohnsonPatty LovelessNewSongThe Sunshine Boys Mary Tallent "Pioneer" Award 2004 Mattiwilda DobbsMary Tallent AwardHugh JarrettNon-Performer AwardChuck LeavellPerformer AwardMary Lou WilliamsPosthumous Award 2003 Mike CurbNon-Performer AwardIndigo GirlsGroup AwardKenny RogersPerformer AwardAlan WaldenMary Tallent Award 2002 Clarence CarterPerformer AwardThe HarmoneersMary Tallent AwardTLCGroup AwardTom WrightNon-Performer Award 2001 Roy DruskyMary Tallent AwardAlan JacksonPerformer AwardRalph PeerPosthumous AwardL.A. ReidNon-Performer Award2000The B-52'sGroup AwardLittle Jimmy DempseyPosthumous Award Michael GreeneNon-Performer Award Trisha YearwoodPerformer Award 1999 Mike ClarkeNon-Performer AwardJessye NormanMary Tallent AwardGram ParsonsPosthumous AwardTravis TrittPerformer Award 1998 Allman Brothers BandGroup AwardPeabo BrysonPerformer AwardJ. Lee FriedmanNon-Performer AwardEmma KellyMary Tallent Award 1997 Atlanta Symphony OrchestraGroup AwardWilliam BellPerformer AwardDave PraterMary TallentBoots WoodallPosthumous Award 1996 Atlanta Rhythm SectionGroup AwardMac DavisPerformer AwardJoe GalkinMary Tallent AwardRodney MillsNon-Performer Award 1995 Chet AtkinsPerformer AwardRay EberlePosthumous AwardElmo EllisMary Tallent AwardJoel KatzNon-Performer Award 1994 Isaac HayesPerformer AwardGwen KeslerNon-Performer AwardChuck WillisPosthumous Award 1993 J. R. CobbNon-Performer AwardCurtis MayfieldPerformer AwardSam WallacePosthumous AwardDennis Yost & the Classics IVGroup Award 1992 Emory Gordy Jr.Non-Performer AwardConnie HainesPerformer AwardThe Lewis FamilyGroup AwardMa RaineyPosthumous AwardThe TamsMary Tallent Award 1991 Joseph "Cotton" CarrierMary Tallent AwardRoland HayesPosthumous AwardLena HornePerformer AwardRay WhitleyNon-Performer Award 1990 Wendy BagwellMary Tallent AwardBlind Willie McTellPosthumous AwardRonnie MilsapPerformer AwardChips MomanNon-Performer Award 1989 Lee Roy AbernathyMary Tallent AwardFletcher HendersonPosthumous AwardGladys KnightPerformer AwardHarold SheddNon-Performer Award 1988 Gid Tanner & the Skillet LickersPosthumous AwardBilly Joe RoyalPerformer AwardRobert ShawNon-Performer AwardJoe WilliamsMary Tallent Award 1987 Alex CooleyNon-Performer AwardFelton JarvisPosthumous AwardJerry ReedPerformer AwardBob RichardsonMary Tallent Award 1986 Hovie ListerMary Tallent AwardGeorge Riley PuckettPosthumous AwardTommy RoePerformer AwardPhil WaldenNon-Performer Award 1985 Bill AndersonPerformer AwardGraham JacksonPosthumous AwardEva Mae LeFevreMary Tallent AwardZell MillerNon-Performer Award 1984 Buddy BuieNon-Performer AwardFiddlin' John CarsonMary Tallent AwardJames MeltonPosthumous AwardLittle Richard PennimanPerformer Award 1983 James BrownPerformer AwardAlbert ColemanNon-Performer AwardHarry JamesPosthumous AwardPiano Red PerrymanMary Tallent Award 1982 Duane AllmanPosthumous AwardBoudleaux BryantNon-Performer AwardBrenda LeePerformer Award 1981 Dr. Thomas A. DorseyNon-Performer AwardOtis ReddingPosthumous AwardJoe SouthPerformer Award 1980 Johnny MercerPosthumous AwardZenas "Daddy" SearsNon-Performer AwardRay StevensPerformer Award 1979 Ray CharlesPerformer AwardBill LoweryNon-Performer Award
See also List of music museums
References
External links Georgia Music Hall & Education Resources Georgia Music Foundation