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Georgia Music Hall of Fame Collection, Series 9: Instruments

Georgia Music Hall of Fame Collection, Series 9: Instruments

Descriptive Summary

Title: Georgia Music Hall of Fame Collection, Series 9: Instruments
Creator: Georgia Music Hall of Fame
Inclusive Dates: 1920s-2000s
Language(s): English
Extent: 350 Linear Feet
Collection Number: ms3837_9
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 instruments series of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame collection consists of musical instruments owned and played by a wide range of Georgia musicians. Guitars, violins, and other stringed instruments dominate the collection, but brass, drums, and keyboard instruments are also included.


Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Access

In order to accommodate off-site retrieval and handling of materials, requests to view instruments in the reading room require a minimum of 24 hours' notice. These should be made using the "Request Material" button. Requests may be denied if they cannot be fulfilled without harm to the materials. For inquiries about access to instruments, please contact the Hargrett Library.

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, ms 3837, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.

Finding Aid Publication

Finding aid prepared on: 2015.


Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

Georgia Music Hall of Fame
Museums -- Georgia.
Musical instruments.
Popular music.
artifacts (object genre)

Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 
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MLS 46Adler, Lee - Lute
 
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MLS 1Atkins, Chet - Gibson electric guitar
 
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1Atlanta Rhythm Section - Electronic Keyboard
 
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MLS 2Bailey, Razzy - Guitar
 
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MLS 3Blake, Norman - Violin
 
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2Browne, Don - Saxophone
 
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MLS 4-6Bryant, Boudleaux & Felice - Violins
 
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MLS 7-8Bryant, Boudleaux & Felice - Ukulele
 
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MLS 9Bryant, Boudleaux & Felice - Dulcimer
 
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MLS 10Bryant, Boudleaux & Felice - Sitar
 
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MLS 11Bryant, Boudleaux & Felice - Autoharp
 
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MLS 12Bryant, Boudleaux & Felice - Mandolin
 
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MLS 13Bryant, Boudleaux & Felice - Harp Guitar
 
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MLS 14ABryant, Boudleaux & Felice - Acoustic guitar
 
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MLS 14BBryant, Boudleaux & Felice - Tenor guitar
 
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MLS 15Carson, "Moonshine" Kate - Banjo
 
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3Collective Soul - Bass drum head
 
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11Corbin, Margaret - Harmonica
 
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MLS 17Daniel, Georgia - 5 string banjo
 
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MLS 18Davis, Mac - Guitar
 
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MLS 49Dee Lee and the Georgia Ramblers - Lion head fiddle
 
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MLS 19Eason, Willie Claude - Lap Steel Guitar
 
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4Epps, Andrew "Bo" - Artley & Son saxophone
 
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5AGordy, Emory - Trombone
 
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MLS 20Gordy, Emory - Guitar
 
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MLS 21Huckeba, D.W. - Flat back mandolin
 
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MLS 22Huckeba, D.W. - Violin
 
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MLS 23Jenkins, Johnny - Guitar
 
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MLS 24Lister, Jake - Handmade guitar
 
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5BLynyrd Skynyrd - Cardboard Case
 
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6Lynyrd Skynyrd - Drum case containing audio equipment, tools, and supplies
 
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MLS 16Mayfield, Curtis - Guitar
 
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7Milsap, Ronnie - Electronic Piano
 
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8Pylon - Drum
 
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9Pylon - Drum
 
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10Pylon - Drum
 
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11Pylon - Drum
 
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12Pylon - Equipment cart containing drum set parts
 
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MLS 25R.E.M. - Electric Guitar
 
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MLS 26Reed, Jerry - Guitar
 
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MLS 27Rodgers, Jimmie - Mandolin
 
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13Roe, Tommy - Drum case
 
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14Roe, Tommy - Drum case
 
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15Roe, Tommy - Equipment case
 
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MLS 28Rouse, Ervin; Frank Fletcher - Violin
 
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MLS 29Royal, Billy Joe - Guitar
 
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1Rubber Band - Trumpet and microphones
 
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16Rubber Band - Bass drum head
 
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MLS 30Schwartzenberg, Robert - Practice Violin
 
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17Smith, Palmer - Accordion
 
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MLS 31South, Joe - Guitar
 
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18Swingin' Medallions - Baritone saxophone
 
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19Swingin' Medallions - Flute
 
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20Swingin' Medallions - Electronic Organ
 
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MLS 32Tucker, Shorty - Fiddle and carrying case
 
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MLS 33Waller, Harold - Violin
 
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MLS 34Waller, Harold - Violin
 
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2Widespread Panic - Tripod stand and drum cover
 
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MLS 35Widespread Panic - Guitar
 
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22Widespread Panic - Conga drum
 
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3Woodall, Boots - Pedal steel accessories
 
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MLS 36Woodall, Boots - Pedal steel
 
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4Various - Autographed drum heads
 
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5Various - Autographed drum heads
 
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10Various - Microphones
 
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11Various - Drumsticks (Butch Trucks, Charles Connor, Jaimoe)
 
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MLS 37Unidentified - Mandolin
 
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23Unidentified - Rhodes Electric Piano
 
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24Unidentified - Trumpet
 
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25Unidentified - Saxophone
 
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MLS 38Unidentified - Electric Guitar
 
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MLS 39Unidentified - Acoustic Guitar
 
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MLS 40Unidentified - Banjo Ukulele
 
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6Unidentified - Ocarinas, made by Gretsch
 
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MLS 41Unidentified - "Art guitar" painted with "W.O.A. Atlanta, GA"
 
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MLS 42Unidentified - "Foundation art guitar for auction" by John Bell
 
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MLS 43Unidentified - Gretsch banjo
 
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MLS 44Unidentified - Classical guitar possibly belonging to J.R. Cobb
 
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MLS 45Unidentified - Violin, possibly associated with D.A. Dougherty
 
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MLS 47Unidentified - Gretsch ukulele
 
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MLS 48Unidentified - Banjolin
 
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MLS 50Unidentified - Banjo, possibly owned and used by Joe Butler's aunt
 
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MLS 51Unidentified - Violin
 
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26Unidentified - Bass drum labeled "Frank Hewitt and His Rhythem Rascals"
 
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7Unidentified - Various drum pieces
 
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8Unidentified - Bugle
 
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9Unidentified - Flute
 
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27Unidentified - Violin bows