MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2019 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Branning, Barnett, Blackwell, Burton, Dearing, Jackson (32nd), McMahan, Watson, Witherspoon, Browning
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE OUTSTANDING CAREER OF MISSISSIPPI COUNTRY STAR DEREK GEORGE.
WHEREAS, Derek George grew up in the small southern Town of Philadelphia, Mississippi, the birthplace of Country Music Super Star Marty Stuart; and
WHEREAS, Derek started playing guitar when he was 13 years old and in high school was voted "Most Likely to Succeed." He signed his first record deal during his senior year. He graduated with honors and climbed on a tour bus in 1992 with his band Pearl River. They recorded two albums for Capitol Records and toured with many country artists in the early 1990s; and
WHEREAS, after his run with Pearl River, he hooked up with one of country music's greatest talents, Asylum Records' Bryan White. Derek was Bryan's bandleader and songwriting collaborator all through Bryan's career. He wrote some of Bryan's biggest hits, "So Much for Pretending", "Look At Me Now" and "Bad Day To Let You Go." He later went on to produce two of Bryan's albums; and
WHEREAS, Derek served as a Staff Writer for Glen Campbell Music for eight years and played and sang on some of country's biggest records in the 1990s. Derek also had songs recorded by other country music artists during this period; and
WHEREAS, in 1999, he took a break from touring and signed on to write for Windswept Pacific Music. Derek wrote for eight years among a cast of world-renowned writers such as Jeffery Steele and Al Anderson; and
WHEREAS, during January 2009, Derek started Wide Open Music Group, his first venture as a Music Publisher. As President of Wide Open, he managed the day-to-day operations and signed and worked closely with writers such as Lonnie Wilson, Chuck Jones, and Tim Owens. While at Wide Open, Derek had songs recorded by Jake Owen, Laura Benn Bundy, The Farm, Randy Houser, and Love and Theft; and
WHEREAS, in 2013-2016, things really began to take off for Derek as a Writer and Producer. He signed to Warner/Chappel Music, Inc., went on a run producing Randy Houser's "How Country Feels" album, which yielded four Top Five singles; and
WHEREAS, Derek is a Grammy-nominated Musician with over 25 years' experience in the music business with hits spanning across three decades as a Producer/Songwriter and Publisher. In the last six years, he has produced eight Top Ten hits, five topping out at Number One; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we commend the stellar success of a Mississippi Artist who has become an unofficial Music Ambassador for the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend Derek George on his journey as a Musician, Songwriter and Entrepreneur on his success, and extend to him the best wishes of the Mississippi Senate.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Derek George and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.