Georgia Music On My Mind

ATLANTA, November 6, 2008 - Georgia's music scene is unparalleled in its diversity and breadth of history. Southern rock, R&B, soul, hip hop, jazz, blues, country, alternative, folk, pop…it is impossible to find a genre that does not have roots here. The Peach State is full of distinctive musical destinations, venues, concerts, bands, festivals, and memories. Remember the titans of Georgia music, with names such as James Brown, Ray Charles, and Little Richard. They helped establish the state's prolific musical tradition, but it extends far beyond them. American soul legend Otis Redding grew up in Macon, which was later home to the Allman Brothers Band, innovators of Southern rock. The New Wave B-52's formed in Athens in 1976, followed by one of the first mainstream alternative rock bands, R.E.M., four years later. Country music icons Alan Jackson, Trisha Yearwood, and Travis Tritt all grew up in Georgia. Christopher 'Ludacris' Bridges is the highest-selling Southern hip hop solo artist of all time, and has lived in Atlanta since his teenage years. One of the most successful hip hop groups in history with six Grammy Awards and one of only three hip hop albums to be certified Diamond in the U.S. for shipping over 10 million units, OutKast, pumps its rhythm out of East Point, just south of Atlanta. Gertrude Malissa Nix Pridgett Rainey, better known as 'Ma' Rainey, was a blues sensation from Columbus. She was one of the earliest known American professional blues singers and helped establish the genre as a woman in the early twentieth century, a feat that earned her the title 'The Mother of the Blues' and a spot in numerous Halls of Fame around the country. 'The Empress of Soul,' Gladys Knight, is also a Georgia native known for such Grammy-winning songs as 'Midnight Train to Georgia.' With such a wide range of musical traditions, it is no surprise that Georgia offers excellent musical entertainment and attractions. The Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon delivers a peek into the personal and professional lives of the state's greatest talents. See the Otis Redding: I've Got Dreams To Remember exhibit, rated the Best Museum Exhibition in the State for 2008 by the Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries, on display through April 2009, or bring the family to a monthly live musical performance for youngsters. While in Macon, visit the Rose Hill Cemetery, one of the earliest surviving public landscaped cemetery parks in the U.S., and resting place for soldiers, governors, mayors…and rock stars, including members of the Allman Brothers Band. The Big House Museum, scheduled to open in the first half of 2009, has been furiously fundraising, restoring, and building to turn the historic former home of the band into a world-class museum. When Gregg Allman wrote, 'Please Call Home,' this is the home he was talking about. The site that launched the band will soon open to the public, offering a glance into the lives, home and careers of the founders of Southern rock. Want your picture made with James Brown in Augusta? All you have to do is make a phone call and a photo of you with 'The Hardest Working Man in Show Business' is yours. Just go to the statue of James Brown on Broad Street, which is watched over by the James Brown Cam, and follow the directions on the sign; your picture will be posted online in ten minutes. While in the city, stop by the Augusta Museum of History's latest exhibit, 'The Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown.' With everything from costumes to a 1950's 'King of Soul' crown, candid family photos to footage of concerts and interviews, this is the place to delve into the life of one of Georgia music's most colorful figures. In Albany you will find the Ray Charles Plaza on the River Walk, featuring a bronze, life-size statue of Charles playing a baby grand piano on a rotating pedestal with a waterfall, surrounded by piano-key engraved walkways and serenaded with the soft sounds of his music. Guests who pop in to the Georgia Visitor Information Centers (VICs), whether they stop for destination recommendations, hotel booking assistance or fresh directions, will be pleasantly surprised to hear soundtracks that highlight Georgia's own musicians. No discussion of musical destinations in Georgia would be complete without mentioning Athens. The college town has been a musical hub in the Peach State for over a century, but was elevated in prominence during the rock surge of the 1970s that eventually produced R.E.M., the B-52's, Widespread Panic, Love Tractor and more. It is famous for its compelling live performances across genre lines and its countless venues, such as the 40 Watt Club and the Georgia Theatre, hosting everything from thriving local bands to the Athens Symphony Orchestra. The New York Times has called Athens 'Live Music Central,' and Rolling Stone Magazine named Athens the #1 College Music Scene in America. This bustling home to the University of Georgia boasts art galleries, trendy shops, world-famous nightclubs, delicious restaurants, and plenty of accommodations. These, combined with its scores of concerts and performances, make it the perfect place for a weekend getaway. Athens does not have a monopoly on live music, despite its impressive pedigree. The Savannah Music Festival is Georgia's largest musical arts festival, and is internationally known for featuring an extremely diverse range of musical styles and artists over 17-plus days of live performances in lovely, historic Savannah. Blind Willie McTell, an influential blues artist from Thomson, shaped the future of the blues through the nearly 150 songs he recorded, including titles such as 'Statesboro Blues,' made famous by the Allman Brothers Band cover. In his honor, the Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival was founded in his hometown, and has since grown to be a fantastic event for blues lovers across the country. For those who delight in jazz, try the Evenings of Intimate Jazz at the Smithgall Arts Center in Gainesville. Now in their 12th season, Evenings of Intimate Jazz features a new artist every month through May. Also, the world-famous Swiss Montreux Jazz Festival has partnered with the city of Atlanta for over a decade to host the Montreux Jazz Festival Atlanta. As the only city in North America to host the venerable jazz institution, Atlanta will come alive this Labor Day to the sounds of this free celebration. Want something different? Keep your ears open for news about the A3C Independent Hip Hop Festival, usually in the late winter or early spring, which has grown and flourished over the past few years. TheMarietta Fall Bluegrass Festival is this weekend, November 7 – 8, while the New Year's Bluegrass Festival is the first three days of January on Jekyll Island. For a more refined experience, explore the multitude of holiday concerts and performances at Atlanta Symphony Hall, home of the Grammy award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Some of the most unique features of Georgia's musical legacy are the restaurants opened or frequented by its stars. In the early 1970s, 'Mama Louise' took a group of hungry musicians under her wing with her hearty 'home cookin'' at H & H Restaurant in Macon. Those musicians were the Allman Brothers band, and years later, the band took her on the road as their special guest for being so good to them when they were just starting out. Watershed Restaurant in Decatur is a collaboration among partners, including the Indigo Girls' Emily Saliers and award-winning chef Scott Peacock. Specializing in seasonal Southern cooking, Chef Peacock was named 'Best Chef in the Southeast' by the James Beard Foundation in 2007. Georgia native Gladys Knight also jumped into the hospitality scene, partnering to form Gladys Knight and Ron Winans' Chicken & Waffles. With locations in Atlanta, Lithonia, and Washington, D.C., this is the perfect dining spot for those who might decide they want breakfast for supper. In a partnership with hip restaurateur Chris Yeo, Atlanta rapper Christopher 'Ludacris' Bridges opened Straits Restaurant in Midtown Atlanta in mid-2008. With an enchanting menu that mixes Singaporean style food with local Georgia ingredients such as okra and peanuts, Straits has benefited from great reviews and strong popularity. Lastly, Atlanta's Hard Rock Café serves up scrumptious dishes to guests who find themselves surrounded by memorabilia from rock legends from south of the Mason-Dixon Line. This southern location is billed as the perfect home for the B-52's song 'Love Shack' due to its hospitality and commitment to the 'Love All Serve All' motto. Unlike any other state, Georgia's musical heritage encompasses the range, passion and power of American music. Whether it is reminiscing on past greats in their hometown, learning something new about an artist at a world-class exhibit, or discovering tomorrow's top talent today at a live show, Georgia's sounds are enjoyed by everyone. Visit www.ExploreGeorgia.org for more. The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. Event details are subject to change. 40 Watt Club: www.40watt.com A3C Independent Hip Hop Festival: www.a3cfestival.com Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau: www.visitathensga.com Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau: www.atlanta.net Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: www.atlantasymphony.org Augusta Museum of History: www.augustamuseum.org Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival: www.blindwillie.com Evenings of Intimate Jazz: www.theartscouncil.net/IntimateJazz/intimate_jazz.htm Georgia Music Hall of Fame: www.georgiamusic.org Georgia Theatre: www.georgiatheatre.com Gladys Knight and Ron Winans' Chicken & Waffles: www.gladysandron.com H & H Restaurant: http://mamalouise.com James Brown Cam: www.augustaarts.com/jamesbrowncam.htm Macon Convention & Visitors Bureau: www.visitmacon.org Marietta Fall Bluegrass Festival: www.jackgrass.com/fall.htm Montreux Jazz Festival Atlanta: www.atlantafestivals.com New Year's Bluegrass Festival: www.aandabluegrass.com/Festivals/NewYearsBluegrassFestival.html Savannah Music Festival: www.savannahmusicfestival.org Straits Restaurant: www.straitsrestaurants.com The Big House Museum: www.thebighousemuseum.org Watershed Restaurant: www.watershedrestaurant.com