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Georgia Music Hall of Fame Collection, Series 4: Artists' Business Records

Georgia Music Hall of Fame Collection, Series 4: Artists' Business Records

Descriptive Summary

Title: Georgia Music Hall of Fame Collection, Series 4: Artists' Business Records
Creator: Georgia Music Hall of Fame
Inclusive Dates: 1930s-2000s
Language(s): English
Extent: 3 Linear Feet (6 boxes and 1 oversize folder )
Collection Number: ms3837_4
Repository: Hargrett Library

Collection Description

Historical Note

The Georgia Music Hall of Fame served as the state's official music museum from 1996 to 2011. Located in downtown Macon, the 48,000 square foot building was home to thousands of documents, instruments, sound recordings, and artifacts representing Georgia's vast and diverse music history.

Lieutenant Governor Zell Miller gathered state support for music culture and industry beginning in 1978, creating the Senate Music Recording Industry Study Committee and the Music Recording Industry Advisory Committee. These groups led to the formation of Georgia Music Week, and the first Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards were presented in 1979. These first awards, called "Georgy Awards," were presented to Ray Charles and the music producer Bill Lowery.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s Miller, elected governor in 1990, continued the effort to honor Georgia's music legends by supporting the establishment of a museum. The legislature allocated $6.5 million and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Authority was created to head the project. The building officially opened in Macon on September 21, 1996 with a ceremony attended by Little Richard, Mike Mills and Bill Berry of R.E.M., the Pips, and Travis Tritt, among others.

The core collections of the museum were presented in a 12,000 square foot exhibit space called Tune Town. This area consisted of several "buildings" and sections bearing themes by genre or era in the state's music history. The Hall of Fame was also home to the Zell Miller Center for Georgia Music Studies, a library and archive for researchers.

In the 2000s the museum began to encounter financial difficulties, with decreasing revenue and low attendance. In 2010 the state legislature voted to cease funding for the museum, and bids were accepted from other cities to provide a site for it. When none of the bids were found to be suitable, the decision was made to close the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in June 2011.

Scope and Content

The Artists' Business Records series of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Collection encompasses the correspondence, contracts, office files, and related papers associated with music industry figures in Georgia. A significant portion of the collection pertains the work of Jarvis Felton, producer for Elvis Presley from 1966-1977. Most of Felton's records document recording sessions and tours throughout the 1970s. Another large portion of the collection relates to comedian and singer Elsie Griner, Jr. of Nashville, Georgia, better known as "Miss Peaches."

Organization and Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by artist.


Administrative Information

Custodial History

After the Georgia Music Hall of Fame's closing in June 2011, the bulk of the collections were sent to the University of Georgia Libraries for storage. Ownership of the materials was officially transferred to the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library in December 2013.

Preferred Citation

Georgia Music Hall of Fame Collection, ms3837, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.

Finding Aid Publication

Finding aid prepared on: 2014.


Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

Contracts.
Correspondence
Georgia Music Hall of Fame
Griner, Elsie, Jr., 1924-2011
Jarvis, Felton, 1934-1981
Office files.
Popular music.
Press releases.

Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 
boxfolder
11Abernathy, Lee Roy - Zell Miller sympathy letter after Abernathy's death, 1933
 
12Allman, Gregg - correspondence and files
 
13Allman Brothers Band - press releases
 
14Atlanta Pops - correspondence
 
15B-52s - B-52s Universe advance copy
 
16Bell, William - Stax publicity photo
 
17Boatwright, McHenry - correspondence and files
 
18Bone, Mike - "Ban the Box" papers, 1990
 
19Bone, Mike - correspondence and press releases
 
110Bone, Mike - Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) ratings
 
111Bright, Warren - correspondence
 
111aBuchanan, Lester - Country Music Foundation files
 
112Buie, Buddy - correspondence
 
113Burnside, Ronnie - manuscript for "Music in Eighteenth Century Georgia" book
 
114Capricorn Records - public relations files
 
115Carrier, Joseph "Cotton" - correspondence and WSB materials
 
116Classics IV - BBC press release
 
117Cochran, Wayne - discography
 
118Collective Soul - music video production scripts
 
119Confederate Records - financial statements
 
120Cooley, Alex - Zell Miller letter, 1994 November 30
 
121Cooley, Alex - music venues & acts compiled by Mike Tuohy as printed in The Great Speckled Bird, 1971-1975
 
122Crazy Horse, Kandia - "Taller," Black Crowes mailing list materials
 
123Dixie Dregs - public relations files
 
124Faircloth, Charlie "Peanut" - Letter, 1947 November 13
 
box
2Felton, Jarvis - Elvis Presley recording and concert files, 1970-1977
 
oversized_folder
1Felton, Jarvis - Elvis Presley wall calendar with notes and appointments, 1978
 
boxfolder
125Franks, Randall - correspondence
 
126Gordy, Emory - contracts and correspondence
 
127Gordy, Emory - day calendar , 1973
 
128Gray, "Royce" Fonze - lyrics
 
boxfolder
31-2Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - bound lyrics and explanations, volumes 1-2
 
boxfolder
41Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - correspondence, A-H
 
42Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - correspondence, J-Z
 
box
8Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - assorted correspondence and notes
 
boxfolder
43-4Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - lyrics
 
45Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - Benson, John T. Publishing Co.
 
46Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - Hill and Range Songs, Inc.
 
boxfolder
51-2Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - Chief Jesters
 
53Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - artwork
 
54Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - radio playlists
 
55Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - Miss Peaches' Cafe
 
56Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - photographs
 
57Griner, Elsie (Miss Peaches) - miscellaneous writings
 
boxfolder
71Guttenberger, A. Ferdinand - music business ledger, 1945-1946
 
72Haines, Connie - Script scrapbook
 
boxfolder
129Hodges, Alex - Record World Dialogue
 
130Jarvis, Felton - birth certificate
 
131Jenkins, Johnny - promotional bio
 
132Johnson, George - correspondence, 1930s
 
133Kelly, Emma - letter from Bill Clinton
 
134Lee, Brenda - fan mail and handwritten lyrics for "I'm Sorry" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"
 
135Lee, Brenda - Warner Brothers promo packet
 
136Lewis Family - correspondence
 
137Lowery, Bill/Lowery Group
 
138Lynyrd Skynyrd - 1976 tour and band history
 
139McClinton, Delbert
 
140Paragon Agency
 
141Paul Revere and the Raiders - script for episode of "Where the Action Is", 1966 October 5
 
142R. E. M. - correspondence
 
143Reed, Jerry - Bat 21 script
 
boxfolder
61Reed, Jerry - What Comes Around script
 
62Roe, Tommy - Correspondence, fan club materials, and television script
 
box
8aRoe, Tommy - greeting cards
 
box
9Roe, Tommy - correspondence, photographs, Where the Action Is
 
boxfolder
63Sea Level - press release for "Sea Level Airborn Sets Pace for LP Breakout" by Mark Pucci, 1978 February 9
 
64Scruggs, Earl - Earl Scruggs Revue
 
65South, Joe - contract with Chart Records at Bradley's Studio, Nashville, 1962 August 2
 
66Stardusters - correspondence
 
67Stevens, Ray - AFM Contract between Ray Stevens and Henry County High School for appearance, 1960 November 5
 
68Sweet Soul Music
 
69Thomas, Ida - correspondence and files
 
610Uncle Ned - bio information
 
611Wallace, Sam - files and correspondence, 1955-1971
 
612Weller, Freddy - Freddy talk
 
613Various business records