Giraffe piano. Built in 1837. Giraffe pianos first appeared in Vienna around 1805
From Ella Fitzgerald and Patsy Cline to Vegas entertainer Wayne Newton, Virginia is the birthplace of many famous musicians. Visitors are welcome to experience the contributions of more than 30 artists who have made an impact not only in Virginia but across the globe.
Buddy Parker and his wife, Peggy, founded the museum in 2013. The Parkers began collecting musical memorabilia in their home in the early 60s, after falling in love with an oversized music box. The couple stored various instruments and other items in their living room and in warehouses at their piano stores before deciding to share them with the public with the creation of the Virginia Musical Museum. The museum expanded with the addition of the Virginia Music Hall of Fame a few years later. It is the only Hall of Fame of its kinds located in the commonwealth and features personal collections and displays of many Virginia-born artists.
“Virginia has been home to quite a few very successful musicians,” Parker says. “Our purpose is to educate the world on the influence Virginians have had on all the different genres of music.”
The Virginia Musical Museum spans nine rooms on two levels and boasts hundreds of musical instruments, photographs, and other artifacts. Among them are a large collection of original Thomas Edison phonographs and recordings, historical carnival musical pieces, and several rare pieces that are among the few that still exist in the world. One room is dedicated to a selection of music boxes and nickelodeons that Parker says were “the jukeboxes of their day.” This room features a nickelodeon that plays eight different instruments, as well as a rare music box that was built into a desk. One of only a dozen left in the world, the music box once belonged to a descendant of U.S. President James Madison. “It is one of my favorite pieces,” Parker says.
Other rooms include exhibits on organs and keyboard instruments, as well as the evolution of the grand piano, with a display of a giraffe piano and a Joshua Shudi harpsichord, one of only two known to still exist today. Parker also furnished pianos for two Hollywood films, 2001’s Hannibal and 2003’s Gods and Generals, which was partially shot in Richmond. Guests can view keepsakes from those movies as well. Roughly 70 percent of what is showcased at the museum is from Parker’s personal collection, which he rounded up through estate sales and auctions. “There are quite a few items I’ve also found on eBay,” he says.
Bruce Hornsby’s records awards
Fans of national musical acts will particularly enjoy the Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Those a part of the Virginia Music Hall of Fame all must have been born in Virginia. Parker has worked tirelessly to acquire many of the pieces, which include outfits and accessories, signed instruments, photos and other personal items from these artists.
Wayne Newton’s Clenet. Built for Marvin Gaye in 1978.
Currently, there are 34 musicians in the Virginia Music Hall of Fame, with three new inductees joining the ranks at the end of 2024: Grammy award winning recording artist Jason Mraz, Piedmont blues artist John Jackson, and Blue Ridge Mountain artist Ernest “Pop” Stoneman. Mraz, who hails from the Richmond area, donated the outfit he wore in his first music video for his 2003 hit song The Remedy to the museum.
“All of these musicians have been really supportive of our museum,” Parker says.
Williamsburg’s own Bruce Hornsby, a three-time Grammy award winner, donated his gold and platinum records to the museum. Other featured artifacts include performance dresses worn by jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald of Newport News and country and pop superstar Patsy Cline of Winchester, as well as a scarf Cline made herself.
Entertainer Wayne Newton (aka “Mr. Las Vegas”), who was born in Norfolk, has his own room at the museum, which houses some of his outfits, photographs, and other memorabilia, including Newton’s original Clenet car. The vehicle, number 69 out of 250, also once belonged to crooner Marvin Gaye. “People love to come in and see it,” Parker says.
20-year collection of harmonicas signed by blues artists
Earlier this spring, a new room was added to the Virginia Musical Museum, along with an elevator to accommodate those with disabilities. Among the highlights of the new space is a traveling exhibit that pays tribute to blues music with more than 100 signed harmonicas from some of the most famous blues and contemporary artists, such as Janis Joplin, Eric Clapton, and B.B. King. Parker said, “We’ll have it for the next few years and received it from the Musical Instrument Museum in Arizona. They had it on display for three years. We are very honored to get it.”
Self-guided museum tours are available, as well as guided group tours on select days focusing on the history of all the artifacts. Most people who visit come by through word of mouth. “We had one man from Hawaii and another from Texas who flew to Williamsburg just to see the museum,” Parker says. “It’s been amazing.”
Though he should be slowing down, Parker still has grand plans for the Virginia Musical Museum and Virginia Music Hall of Fame. He is working to acquire personal items to complement exhibits on Pharrell Williams, a native of Virginia Beach, and Missy Elliott, a rapper from Portsmouth, as well as the guitar David Williams used for three decades alongside pop icon Michael Jackson.
Ella Fitzgerald’s scarf, handmade by Pearl Bailey
“I’m also researching 15 more musicians for the Hall of Fame, though we are quickly running out of room,” Parker says. “I have always enjoyed music and want to share it with people. People love coming here to see the displays and enjoy the history, which makes me very happy.”
The Virginia Musical Museum and Virginia Music Hall of Fame is located at 6316 Richmond Road in Williamsburg. Tour buses are welcome. For ticket information and hours of operation, visit www.virginiamusicalmuseum.com/.