07 FEB 2019: Georgia’s Lisa Love loves music. We’ve written about her enthusiasm before and were pleased to be able to discuss with her again, not just her love for music and musicians, but for all things Georgia. Love’s passion and commitment to what she does is so overwhelming, that listening to her truly makes you want to just throw some stuff into a bag and head south – or north (whichever works for you) to Georgia.
Georgia has decided to focus on a new and different viewpoint when it comes to content marketing and storytelling.
To do that they have identified ‘five pillars’ as, “African-American heritage and culture; outdoor recreation and sports; food, drink, and Georgia Grown, (and of course Georgia Grown is our agricultural program); film and music tourism; and then iconic Georgia, which are all the attraction spots, and national parks that are so uniquely ours.”
Explore Georgia’s tourism website is categorizing all the information, content and experiences.
“If you look at film and music alone it’s awesome,” says Love.
“There’s so much going on, and it is all growing so rapidly. Back in December, the Walking Dead studio tour opened in Senoia. That’s where River Woods Studios is – a little town below Atlanta, where the Walking Dead had filmed for the last eight seasons. It sort of grew organically and now AMC and River Woods Studios have opened this actual 150 acre space for fans. There are guided tours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That’s going be huge, because Walking Dead fans are fanatics.”
Love admits that she isn’t really into zombies herself, but recognizes that whether it’s Harry Potter or the Walking Dead or whatever topic, “when people become fans, their loyalty can never be questioned and that is terrific.”
She says, the tour has really taken off and contributed to the town’s growth. “It’s already been crazy. the shops and the restaurants downtown are all pretty much are related to Walking Dead. People literally come from around the world. It’s a globally successfully television show. That’s exciting.”
And, she says, just to reiterate the loyalty of fans, different ones this time, June 2019 will be the 40th anniversary of the Dukes of Hazard. “They’re doing a big weekend in Covington, where they did a Dukes of Hazard weekend a couple years ago, and thousands and thousands of people came.
“People remember and they follow their favourites, and they go to these events.”
Georgia is full of art festivals, museum festivals and of course music festivals. It’s a very diverse State says Love, “from mountains to coast to the rural areas and the piney woods. You have to figure out how to categorize such diverse geography and culture.”
Among the celebrations this year is The Savannah Music Festival – celebrating its 30th anniversary, March 28 through April 13th.
Music is Love’s passion and she knows all the details, “A 17-day celebration of the musical arts. It’s a bit like Spoleto (a major performing Arts festival in Charleston, South Carolina,) but with more of a Georgia spin. There’s lots of classical, jazz, world and folk music. I’ve been going for, regularly every year – this will be my 13th year.
“I just go and immerse myself in Savannah in the Spring, which is so beautiful. “It begins with chamber music concerts in the morning, and lunchtime and the beautiful church spaces. I’ve seen more music there and had more exposure to musical styles, both those that I know (such as) American music … but it was the first time I ever saw Portuguese Fado, or Flamenco. It’s just an amazing, amazing festival that draws a strong international audience.
“And Savannah is such an incredible city,” says Love, who in this instance is preaching to the converted, I’ve visited Savannah numerous times over the years, have always found it fascinating and am happy to join in the praise of culture and cuisine.
“And the new Prohibition Museum is so much fun and I’ve learned so much there.” Says Love, noting that her first visit occurred not too long after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. At the time Love did not know who Marjory Stoneman Douglas was and while at the museum learned that her father owned the Miami Herald and she was a journalist, author and conservationist.
“It’s always interesting to go to a museum – you end up learning so much. That’s why I love museums. You walk out kind of much more enriched and knowledgeable than you were when you walk in.
On an entirely different note, she reminds me that Savannah’s famous Leopold’s Ice Cream is celebrating its hundredth anniversary this year. If you’re in Savannah – Leopold’s is most definitely worth a visit.
“Have you ever spent any time in Thomasville, Georgia?” she asks. I haven’t, and Love confides that it is another little Georgia secret. Located on the Georgia/Florida line, right above Tallahassee.
It is sophisticated and charming says Love. Lots of retail shopping and The Sweet Grass Dairy, which supplies cheese and dairy products all over the country and even has international clients, “…and it’s all right there in Thomasville. It is just a secret delight.
“Very, very, cultured, with a wonderful cultural arts center there, music, dance … it’s this lovely, lovely city.”
Georgia has 11 sites designated as part of the US Civil Rights Trail. Most are in Atlanta, and a couple in Albany, Georgia, and on the coast in Midway. The State was also named by Travel + as one of the 50 best places to visit in 2019.
“You must have been pleased about that?” I asked.
“Oh, we were. That was a great one to come back off the holidays. That thrilled us.” Said Love, “And we believe it. We believe we’re worthy.”
Then there’s sports. Soccer is the new huge thing in Georgia.
“Of course, Atlanta United, our branded soccer team just won the MSL cup and are the champions,” says Love proudly.
Our interview took place before Atlanta hosted the Super Bowl at the Mercedes Benz Stadium, but obviously that was a huge opportunity to bring visitors to Georgia.
“It’s all been very exciting for us,” said Love.
“We’ve got tons of new hotel properties in Savannah, Atlanta, Athens. Georgia’s just really a vibrant state. We’re very southern but I think very forward thinking and visionary and Atlanta is an engine that keeps that urban cultural scene strong.
“It is a wonderful southern city, and right now our culinary and brewery scene is just fantastic. Very outdoors oriented. The Beltline project, which is a walking trail, where they re-did the rail revitalization effort – it’s just become a cultural neighborhood gathering magnet.
“Of course, there’s been retail and neighborhood development around it. The Atlanta Beltline has been a model for a lot of other cities.
I note that her passion for Georgia and how she promotes it is clearly evident.
“I do love it,” she says, “I’ve been almost 20 years in music and museums and preservation. I’ve always told the stories of Georgia through the lens of music, so to move over and work more in tourism has been terrific for me because I’ve learned so much about telling it through the lens of place.
“To spend time focusing and visiting places in my own state that I didn’t know, or didn’t know well, is so exciting. I love it.”
Love invites me to visit Georgia, “Come. Eat Georgia food, have Georgia cocktails, hear Georgia music, enjoy Georgia indoors and out. I love my state and I love to show it off.”
With Lisa Love as tour guide – this is an impossible invitation to decline.