Atlanta, GA . . . . . An illustrious line-up of celebrated music VIPs and luminaries will be honored in to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 11, 2014 in the Georgia Ballroom at the Georgia World Congress Center, downtown Atlanta.

The awards telecast will be televised live by GPB (Georgia Public Broadcasting) and will showcase Georgia’s broad spectrum of talent all in one magical evening. The evening will begin with a VIP Red Carpet and Governor’s Reception, a seated Gala Dinner, followed by the main event filled with tributes, salutes and exclusive performances, and the highly anticipated GEORGY™ Awards Show. Posthumous inductees honored this year include: Sean Costello, Wally Fowler, Eddie Horst, Bobby Byrd and Frank Fenter.

Dr. Bobbie Bailey, President of Friends of Georgia Music Festival, Inc. went on record to say “This year’s show promises to be a great success. Multi GRAMMY® Award Winning” Lady Antebellum will be presented the Performer Award along with multi-platinum Collective Soul’s Ed Roland (Songwriter Award recipient), legendary blues songstress Francine Reed (Pioneer Award recipient), southern rock chart toppers Wet Willie (Group Award recipient) along with other inductees including multi-talented celebrity funny man Jeff Foxworthy (Spoken Word Award recipient) and important music industry game-changer Danny Beard (non-performer). We are excited to continue recognizing Georgia’s outstanding contributions to the music industry as we have done for 36 years”.

Performers, Presenters, Honorees, and Entertainment VIPs will walk the Red Carpet beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 11. For early arrivals, a cash bar will open at 6:00 p.m. The Dinner will begin at 6:45 p.m. followed by the live Georgy Awards Telecast at 8:00 p.m. The event is ON SALE NOW! For ticket/table sales, advertising and/or sponsorship information call 770-491-9494 Ext 15 or gamusicawards@ers.us.com.

Non-Performer Award – Danny Beard Founder of Atlanta, GA based independent music record label DB Recs, has been a major player in the music scene in Georgia. In 1978, he took it upon himself to help out his friends from Athens, GA. He recorded their single “Rock Lobster”, and thus the B-52s were born on record, one could also say that DB Recs was born because of the B-52s. Other groups appearing on his label included Pylon, the Jody Grind, Fetchin’ Bones, Swimming Pool Q’s and Guadalcanal Diary. Through the ‘80s, DB Recs became known as a source of great southern regional music. DB Recs headquarters still reside in the Wax N Facts record store in Little Five Points.

Spoken Word Award – Jeff Foxworthy One of the most respected and successful comedians in the country. He is the largest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple GRAMMY Award nominee, and the bestselling author of more than 26 books. Jeff has starred in numerous television shows, most recently hosting The American Bible Challenge. He was the creator of the wildly successful Blue Collar Comedy Tour and the three concert films and a television show of the same name. Widely known for his redneck jokes, his act goes well beyond that to explore the humor in everyday family interactions and human nature, a style that has been compared to Mark Twain’s.

Performer Award – Lady Antebellum Seven-time GRAMMY award-winning group Lady Antebellum is currently out on the road as part of their headlining 2014 TAKE ME DOWNTOWN TOUR, which will hit almost 80 cities in the US and Canada across the course of the year. The trio recently dropped their sultry new single “Bartender” that is climbing the charts, off their upcoming album, 747, out Sept. 30. The new album follows over 11 million albums worldwide, eight trips to No. one on the country radio charts, five Platinum singles and Lady A has won the “Vocal Group of the Year” honor from both the CMA and from the ACM’s three years in a row. In 2011, the city of Augusta opened the Lady Antebellum Pavilion in honor of the trio and its Georgia natives Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley. For more information, visit www.ladyantebellum.com.

Pioneer Award – Francine Reed Known to most of the world as Lyle Lovett’s duet and back-up vocalist, Reed, has been singing professionally since she was a child. Reed’s two albums for Atlanta-based label, Ichiban, include I Want You to Love Me (1995) and Can’t Make It on My Own (1996). In 1999, on the Intersound label, she released Shades of Blue. In 2001, Reed recorded some of her best material live in the studio and released as I Got a Right!…To Some of My Best. Reed has appeared on recordings with Delbert McClinton, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, and others. Still residing in Atlanta, she frequently performs at Blind Willie’s in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood.

Songwriter Award – Ed Roland For the past two decades, Atlanta native Ed Roland has been the front man and heart of the platinum-selling rock band Collective Soul. He has written seven #1 radio hits and sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. Ed’s newest musical endeavor, Ed Roland and the Sweet Tea Project released their debut album, Devils n’ Darlins in 2013. In 2014 Collective Soul is performing around the globe on an extensive world tour celebrating the band’s 20th anniversary and forthcoming 9th studio album, See What You Started by Continuing, due to release in spring of 2015. Roland studied guitar and songwriting at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He is the recipient of several good will accolades including Usher’s 2013 New Look Foundation Youth Catalyst Award. He currently lives in Sandy Springs, GA with his wife and youngest of two sons and enjoys golf and contributing to local charitable organizations.

Group Award – Wet Willie Formed in Mobile, Alabama in 1969, but relocated to Macon, Georgia and signed with Capricorn Records in 1970. Their self-titled debut LP introduced listeners to vocalist Jimmy Hall’s brand of R&B-infused rock and roll swagger, and became a regional hit. The group’s national breakthrough came with 1974’s “Keep On Smilin’,” which reached the Top 10 on the Billboard singles chart. After five albums with Capricorn, they moved to Epic Records in 1977, carrying the singles “Street Corner Serenade” and “Weekend” to the Top 40. After a hiatus in the 1980s, Wet Willie regrouped, and continues to perform today.

Posthumous Inductees: Sean Costello, Wally Fowler, Eddie Horst, Bobby Byrd and Frank Fenter.

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About Friends of Georgia Music Festival, Inc.
Friends of Georgia Music Festival, Inc. has been keeping the arts alive in Georgia communities by recognizing and promoting artists and the music industry for the past 36 years. Friends of Georgia Music Festival, Inc. is a non-profit organization that honors the many achievements of Georgia musicians, songwriters, composers, conductors, publishers and agents. Each year, Friends of Georgia Music nominates elects and inducts honorees into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, celebrating individuals who have made a significant contribution to Georgia’s musical traditions.