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Georgia Music Hall of Fame

The Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon is the state's official music museum. The 43,000-square-foot building is home to thousands of documents and artifacts,

Georgia Music Hall of Fame

including sound recordings, costumes, instruments, sheet music, photographs, recording equipment, and memorabilia from hundreds of the state's musical legends. All eras of Georgia's musical history are covered, from the earliest Native American instruments to the latest pop beats.

The museum's mission is "to operate and maintain a music museum for the general public, Georgia music lovers, music scholars, and musical artists that celebrates [the] state's musical genius by: preserving Georgia's musical heritage; providing innovative museum exhibits and educational programs; becoming a public-private partnership for cultural preservation; and promoting a heritage tourism destination with growing economic benefits." The museum educates visitors on the rich history of Georgia music through exhibitions, educational programs, concerts, and special events.

In 1978 Lieutenant Governor Zell Miller named a Senate Music Recording Industry Study Committee to explore ways to attract the music industry to Georgia. According to early committee records, this group, in conjunction with the Music Recording Industry Advisory Committee,

Georgia Music Hall of Fame

developed the first Georgia Music Week in 1978, which was designed to promote Georgia's contribution to the world of music. The festivities, held in Atlanta, featured a reception and dance with three bands and food. In 1979 the first Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards were presented in two categories. Ray Charles received the award for the Performer category, but he could not attend. Singer Isaac Hayes accepted the award on his behalf and performed "Georgia on My Mind." The award in the Nonperformer category that year went to music industry pioneer Bill Lowery.

The Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards have evolved in the years since they were first presented. In 1980 a Posthumous category was added, followed by the Mary Tallent Pioneer Award in 1983 and a Group category in 1992. Instead of a small reception for a few invited guests, the annual awards ceremony is now open to the public and has been broadcast on Georgia Public Television since 1983. By 2003 more than ninety-five performers, nonperformers, groups, and pioneers had been inducted and presented with a Tiffany crystal "Georgy" award.

In the late 1980s a movement took shape to honor Georgia's musical legends. Under Zell Miller's leadership the legislature allocated $6.5 million for the project. The city of Macon offered to donate property for the new building, and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Authority was created in 1991 to begin the project. Groundbreaking for the site was held in May 1994, and the building was officially opened on September 21, 1996. Celebrities in attendance included Little Richard, Mike Mills and Bill Berry of R.E.M., the Pips, Travis Tritt, and MTV vee-jay Martha Quinn, among others.

Among the museum's permanent exhibits is Tune Town, a 12,000-square-foot area devoted to all types of Georgia music. Each style of music is represented in one of Tune Town's buildings, which include a rhythm and blues club, a chapel, a café, and "Backstage Alley," an area featuring people behind the scenes in the music industry (such as songwriters, producers, and attorneys). There are two interactive theater venues, the Gospel Chapel and the Gretsch Theater. Artifacts on display include unusual instruments, performance costumes, obsolete recording technology, instrument makers' tools, awards, photographs, and personal memorabilia of the artists themselves.

Tune Town also contains a gallery that hosts traveling and temporary displays. Previous exhibitions have included Wade in the Water: African American Sacred Music Traditions (from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service), Party Out of Bounds: Twenty-five Years of Athens Music, and Shootin' Stars: Music Photography of Kirk West, among others.

In September 1999 the Hall of Fame expanded its exhibit space with the addition of the Billy Watson Music Factory. This area was designed specifically for children from prekindergarten through the fourth grade. The Music Factory encourages children to explore the world of music, including the sounds and instruments of other countries, careers in music, families of instruments, and musical styles. The area is highly interactive and provides a fun learning environment. In 2003 more than 48,000 schoolchildren visited the Georgia Music Hall of Fame with school groups, clubs, scout troops, and other organizations.

On the second floor of the museum is the Zell Miller Center for Georgia Music Studies, a library and archive for students, scholars, and researchers. This area features more than 1,000 books on general music, Georgia history, and Georgia musicians, as well as files on the artists who are featured in the exhibitions.

Laura M. Botts, Georgia State University

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