Georgia Music Hall of Fame
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The Georgia Music Hall of Fame was a
hall of fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
to recognize music performers and music industry professionals from or connected to the state of
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
. It began with efforts of the state's lieutenant governor
Zell Miller Zell Bryan Miller (February 24, 1932 – March 23, 2018) was an American author and politician from the state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as lieutenant governor from 1975 to 1991, 79th Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as U. ...
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 Macon ( ), officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in the U.S. state of Georgia. Situated near the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is located southeast of Atlanta and lies near the geographic center of the state of Geo ...
,
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, 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 Economic growth can be defined as the increase or improvement in the inflation-adjusted market value of the goods and services produced by an economy in a financial year. Statisticians conventionally measure such growth as the percent rate of ...
through a variety of dynamic partnerships and initiatives statewide. The museum closed due to low attendance and reduced state funding.
Mercer University Mercer University is a private research university with its main campus in Macon, Georgia. Founded in 1833 as Mercer Institute and gaining university status in 1837, it is the oldest private university in the state and enrolls more than 9,000 ...
purchased the former Hall of Fame museum building in June 2012; the university used the building for expanded programs within its
School of Medicine A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...
.


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 Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
and music publisher Bill Lowery named the first inductees on September 26, 1979. Owing much to the vision of then Lt. Governor
Zell Miller Zell Bryan Miller (February 24, 1932 – March 23, 2018) was an American author and politician from the state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as lieutenant governor from 1975 to 1991, 79th Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as U. ...
, 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


See also

*
List of music museums This worldwide list of music museums encompasses past and present museums that focus on musicians, musical instruments or other musical subjects. Argentina * – Mina Clavero * Academia Nacional del Tango de la República Argentina – Buenos ...


References


External links


Georgia Music Hall & Education ResourcesGeorgia Music Foundation
{{authority control Music halls of fame Halls of fame in Georgia (U.S. state) State halls of fame in the United States Music museums in Georgia (U.S. state) Museums in Macon, Georgia 1979 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) 2011 disestablishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Defunct museums in Georgia (U.S. state) Museums established in 1979 Museums disestablished in 2011