Sugarland’s Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles, shown in Atlanta in 2011, will receive the “Performer” award. Photo credit: Robb Cohen/www.robbsphotos.com 

 

2:50 pm July 27, 2012, by Melissa Ruggieri

Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Music Director Robert Spano and Southern rockers .38 Special are among the upcoming inductees to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

The 34^th annual awards show will take place at 5 p.m. Oct.14 at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre and broadcast live on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

In addition to the aforementioned newbies, who will receive, respectively, the “Performer,” “Chairman Award” and  “Group” distinction, the other inductees are:

• Alex Hodges (“Non-Performer), CEO of Nederlander concerts.

• Gary Rossington (“Songwriter”), founding member/guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

• Riley Biederer (“Horizon Award”), 15-year-old singer-songwriter from Atlanta.

Posthumous awards will also be bestowed upon blues guitarist Johnny Jenkins, Fox Theatre organist and WSB personality Bob Van Camp and DJ Skinny Bobby Harper.

Performances are expected from former “American Idol” runner-up Diana DeGarmo (a Snellville, Ga., native) and her fiancée Ace Young, also an “Idol” vet, as well as showings from many of the inductees.

Just-retired TV icon Monica Pearson will serve as mistress of ceremonies.

Tickets for the show start at $60 ($20 for students) and go on sale Aug. 4 through Ticketmaster outlets. Visit www.cobbenergycentre.com for more details.