Curator collects Georgia’s musical history 

Music is more than just sound to Ryan Lewis.

It’s a soundtrack that tells a story — a history that is as unique as the chords themselves.

“Any time I can connect music to broader culture, that’s what I enjoy most,” he said.

As University Libraries’ music and pop culture curator, Lewis makes that connection for people visiting the Special Collections Libraries and Akins Ford Arena at the Classic Center.

Lewis knows the music industry from the inside out. Originally from the Northeast, he moved to Athens in 1993 to take classes at the University of Georgia after falling in love with the city — and its cultural scene — during a weekend trip.

“I just knew this was where I needed to be,” he said.

Lewis spent the next 30 years playing in bands and starting a record label (Kindercore) and a record pressing company (Kindercore Vinyl). He also worked at a local newspaper and served as communications director for nonprofit organizations and initiatives.

After Kindercore Vinyl closed, Lewis came across what is now his current role. When he started, it was a temporary position just for the music exhibition at Akins Ford Arena.

“They needed someone who had a lot of knowledge about the music industry, and I thought, ‘This is perfect.’ I think it was meant to be,” he said. “It’s been a wild ride, but I love Athens so much.”

As his role expanded to include pop culture, that meant adding other media like comic books and zines to his exhibition catalog. He also teaches classes tying these music and pop culture elements to historical movements and moments.

“Having this job and connecting all of this stuff to broader, historical things for people really cemented this idea and the importance of maintaining the past and using that as something to teach people,” he said.

Lewis spends time looking for those relevant items — boots worn on stage by James Brown, for example — and adding them to the collection. The contents in the exhibitions at the arena rotate yearly, usually around February, and Lewis gives tours explaining the displays.

There are seven cases, and the themes and contents are planned years in advance. Sometimes the idea comes first, and other times, an item Lewis finds inspires the theme. He already has an idea of what will be displayed two years from now.

Once Lewis sketches out — often literally — how the display will look, he writes the accompanying text to explain the contents and their significance. From there, he gets things ready and installs them in the case, making minor adjustments along the way.

“Having the opportunity to build collections and then use those collections to tell stories that make people realize things they never would have — that is the reason to do all of this,” he said. “We preserve all of these things and collect them because they’re important, but they’re also cultural touchstones that tell the stories of how we got here.”

Lewis developed a love of music early on, thanks to his dad, that never went away. He got his first guitar at the age of 12, and he plays bass and drums, as well. His parents frequently took him to museums and flea markets, so he gained an appreciation for collecting items that might otherwise be thrown out.

“It all comes from a desire to save these things,” he said.

Outside of work, Lewis still enjoys going to hear live music, usually with his family, and playing himself. They also love to travel and visit New York City often.

“There’s no one path,” he said. “You never where you’re going to end up, and you never know how somebody got where they are. Keep yourself open to the possibilities of where life can take you and what experiences other people have had.”