ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
The Georgia Music Foundation supports programs of music education, preservation and outreach while fostering an appreciation for our state’s rich music heritage.
OUR VISION
We imagine a future where all students in Georgia have access to instruments and music instruction, where musicians thrive living, working and creating here and where our Georgia music heritage is valued, documented and shared.
OUR PROGRAMS
Established in 1994, the Georgia Music Foundation has spent more than three decades working with valued partners statewide to provide opportunities for students to participate in music, support programs that preserve the state’s music history, and celebrate our musicians.
GEORGIA MUSIC GRANT
The Georgia Music Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in annual Georgia Music Grants since 2015. The grants of $5,000 or less support music education, preservation and outreach programs at Georgia K-12 schools and non-profit organizations. Grants fund the purchase of instruments, instrument repair, instructional, programming and technology resources, and more. Maximum grant amounts each year depend on the funding available.
MACON MUSIC REVUE
Macon Music Revue explores and brings new life to the expansive and influential songbook of its hometown. The. band was developed in 2023 by Georgia Music Foundation in partnership with Visit Macon to create a dynamic live music, preservation and place-making experience to cultivate local audiences, serve as ambassadors to out-of-market audiences and continue the legacy of creative expression and songwriting associated with Macon. Learn more and listen here.
MUSIC EDUCATION IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
The Georgia Music Foundation champions the capacity of music education programs to instill critical employability skills. Habits developed and instilled through the study of music include critical thinking and problem solving, creative and innovative thinking, teamwork, communication and discipline, all of which will help support a highly trained and reliable workforce for Georgia’s future.
GEORGIA ON MY MIND
Georgia On My Mind brings together Peach State natives, ex-pats and even a few neighbors to raise money for the Foundation’s Georgia Music Grants program. The benefit concerts, which have been held in multiple locations, feature Georgia-born or associated artists and songwriters who generously contribute their talent to raise money to support music education and bring awareness to the influence of Georgia music.
At left, Dexter Redding and the late Otis Redding III
JOSEPH R. JOHNSON FELLOWSHIP AT UWG
The Joseph R. Johnson Fellowship at the University of West Georgia’s Center for Public History supports research and documentation of regional music projects in Georgia. Past student projects have focused on Sacred Harp, Georgia blues and Macon’s Southern Rock roots. The fellowship was endowed in 2016 by the Georgia Music Foundation, along with Fred & Dinah Gretsch. At left, Joseph Johnson fellow Brian Crews with the late musician, artist and folklorist Art Rosenbaum.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS & STAFF
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Ledja Cobb
Co-Owner, Georgia Mae’s
Savannah, Georgia -
Dinah Gretsch
Executive VP & CFO
The Gretsch Company
Savannah, Georgia -
Russell Bennett
Chair, Board of Directors
President/CEO
Dogwood Hill Realty
Monroe, Georgia -
Karla Redding-Andrews
VP/Executive Director
Otis Redding Foundation
Macon, Georgia -
George Fontaine Jr.
Manager, New West Records & Normaltown Records
Athens, Georgia -
Bo Henry
Musician, Co-Owner of Stewbos Restaurant Group
Albany, Georgia -
Lisa Love
Executive Director
Georgia Music Foundation
Macon, Georgia