New Savannah Museum Displays that Great Gretsch Sound!

A new Georgia Southern museum helps to tell the story of one of the music industry’s most influential and innovative family-owned instrument manufacturers. The spectacular new museum displays musical instruments and memorabilia highlighting more than 135 years of world-famous Gretsch instruments at the District Live lobby and performance space, Savannah’s newest music venue.

That Great Gretsch Sound! museum came to life at a public ribbon-cutting event Nov. 18, as part of the grand opening of Plant Riverside District – Savannah’s Entertainment District on the Savannah River.

The celebration included the Southern Pride Marching Band, live performances by ensembles from the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music at Georgia Southern and an appearance by Freedom, the University’s live bald eagle mascot. Guests also included Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, former Guns ‘n Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke and former RATT guitarist Warren DeMartini.

Georgia Southern has catalogued and displayed many of Gretsch’s storied instruments — a collection estimated to be valued in the millions — that tell a compelling story of musical history from American jazz to English-born rock to popular modern worship bands in Australia.

The exhibit space highlights some of the most popular and unique pieces of Gretsch’s historic catalog. The museum lobby features some of the most iconic instruments the company has produced, including the White Falcon™, the Chet Atkins® Country Gentleman®, a Brian Setzer Signature G6120 and a vintage 1963 Jet™ Firebird popularized by AC/DC’s Malcolm Young.

In addition the museum displays original videos that highlight Gretsch history, instrument production, the worldwide community of past and present Gretsch artists from Chet Atkins and George Harrison to Phil Collins, and the Gretsch family’s storied commitment to music education.

This new museum is a fitting honor to the Gretsch family’s enduring musical legacy. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu/gretsch-museum for more information.