News anchor Monica Pearson served as co-emcee for the evening and opened the live telecast singing "Sweet Georgia Brown." She even scatted a few bars for the crowd. Photos by Richard L. Eldredge/AJC staff

The 31st annual Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards held Saturday night at the Georgia World Congress Center saluted this year’s inductees from the state’s eclectic music scene.

The two-hour live telecast on Georgia Public Broadcasting saluted inductees, including Collective Soul, Third Day, concert promoter Peter Conlon, songwriter Bryan-Michael Cox and veteran country and western artist John L. Carson. 

While Jimmy Carter and Michael Stipe sent audio and video greetings to Conlon, the biggest shock was the presence of Conlon’s now rarely seen former business partner Alex Cooley, who arrived to induct his old friend.

Explained Conlon with his glass Hall of Fame Award in hand: “The real accomplishment tonight is getting Alex Cooley out on a Saturday night in a tuxedo!”

Upon receiving their award, Third Day lead singer Mac Powell said: “We want to thank our moms for dragging us to church and to our dads for making us listen to the Allman Brothers!”

R&B songwriter Bryan-Michael Cox, who has written numerous hits, including Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You” and Usher’s “You Got It Bad” was inducted by a trio of his Atlanta music mentors Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri  (below) and Johnta Austin.

Cox gave an emotional acceptance speech, thanking his mother Pamela who was in a near-fatal car crash when he was 13.

“Later, I asked her, ‘What was your will to live?’ ” he told the audience, choking up. “She told me, ‘I didn’t want no one else raising you.’ ”

He dedicated the award to his mother who was seated in the audience.

The members of Collective Soul brought the awards crowd to its feet with live renditions of “You,’ the power-ballad from the band’s new album and their 1993 monster hit “Shine.”

While accepting the award, Ed and Dean Roland, bassist Will Turpin and guitarist Joel Kosche reunited with former band member and co-founder of the group Shane Evans who was invited on stage as they exchanged hugs.

Atlanta Grammy chapter executive director Michele Caplinger inducted the Stockbridge-birthed band.The music biz exec has a long history with the act. Caplinger was also Ed Roland’s former bandmate in his pre-Soul group, Marching Two Step in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Off stage Caplinger shared with Buzz: “Ed is exactly the same guy today as when we first met in 1986. Even with all his fame and success, he’s the same humble guy. For me, it was never a question of if Ed would make it, just a question of when. I’m thrilled for him and the band tonight.”