Music and audio innovator Hartley Peavey participated in “Mississippi Night at The GRAMMY Museum,” a preamble to the 52nd GRAMMY Awards held January 28 in Los Angeles to celebrate the state’s vast contributions to popular music.
Peavey, founder and CEO of Peavey Electronics Corporation, discussed career opportunities in music with Los Angeles-area high school students before delivering an inspiring address during the evening program, which featured performances from some of the state’s brightest musical lights—a reflection of the great diversity of Mississippi music.
“When I started Peavey Electronics 45 years ago, the only way to learn about the music business was to jump in head first,” said Peavey, one of the music-products industry’s leading innovators and largest manufacturers. “It’s an honor for me to join The GRAMMY Museum in helping these aspiring musicians and music-industry professionals reach their goals.”
With a backline of Peavey®, Trace Elliot® and Buddaâ„¢ guitar and bass amplifiers, blues artists spanning generations celebrated the legacy of Mississippi’s contributions to popular music with performances in the museum’s GRAMMY Sound Stage auditorium. The legendary Hubert Sumlin, a past GRAMMY nominee who played alongside Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf; David “Honeyboy” Edwards, a 2010 Recording Academy® Lifetime Achievement Award winner; four-time GRAMMY nominee Dorothy Moore; four-time nominated The Williams Brothers; and young bluesman Eddie Cotton all shared the stage.
Jon Hornyak, Senior Executive Director of The Recording Academy® Memphis Chapter that encompasses members residing in Mississippi, commented, “With more than forty GRAMMY Award winners in a wide variety of genres, the state’s incredible influence is undeniable. Mississippi’s program at The GRAMMY Museum confirms this fact in a very real way.”
Added Peavey, “Mississippi has been our home base for our entire 45-year history. It’s also the state that gave the world blues and rock & roll, and has produced more GRAMMY winners and nominees per capita than any other. It’s an honor for Peavey Electronics to be part of that rich musical legacy.”
For the past three years, Peavey Electronics and the Mississippi Development Authority have sponsored “Mississippi Celebrates Its GRAMMY Legacy,” a performance gala hosted by Governor Haley Barbour. The event also includes The Peavey Awards, which honor individuals who have played a significant role in developing and furthering Mississippi’s musical heritage. The Peavey Awards have honored the accomplishments of Jerry Lee Lewis, Marty Stuart, Charlie Pride, Brandy, Paul Overstreet, Mavis Staples, The Williams Brothers, The North Mississippi Allstars, James Burton and more.
Founded in 1965, Peavey® is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of musical instruments and professional sound equipment. Peavey has earned more than 180 patents and produces more than 2,000 products, which are distributed throughout the United States and to 136 other countries. Peavey and its MediaMatrix®, Architectural Acoustics®, Crest Audio® and Trace Elliot® brands and affiliates can be found on concert stages and in more than 5,000 airports, stadiums, theme parks and other venues around the world. To find out more, visit www.peavey.com.
