MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2020 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Branning, Caughman, Chassaniol, Fillingane, Hill, Hopson, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Jordan, McCaughn, Norwood, Parker, Seymour, Simmons (12th), Sparks, Suber, Tate, Thomas, Simmons (13th)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MULTIPLE GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER-SONGWRITER MARTY STUART AND HIS COMMITMENT TO HIS HOME STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.
WHEREAS, a native of Philadelphia, Mississippi, Marty Stuart is a multiple Grammy Award-Winning, American Country Music Singer-Songwriter, known for both his traditional style, and eclectic merging of rockabilly, honky tonk and traditional country music; and
WHEREAS, Marty received his first guitar not long after he learned to walk. He became such a strong musician that he turned professional at the age of 12, spending the summer touring with the Sullivan Family, a Bluegrass-Gospel Group, as a mandolin player. Before long, Stuart dropped out of school to play mandolin with Lester Flatt and his band "The Nashville Grass." The 13-year-old musician spent years on the road, performing at bluegrass festivals and concerts. During his time with Flatt, Stuart met a diverse group of musical greats, including Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Chick Corea, the Eagles, Emilylou Harris, and Bob Dylan. The year after Lester Flatt's death in 1979, Stuart joined Johnny Cash's back-up band as a guitarist. He also worked on solo projects, releasing his second album, Busy Bee Cafe, in 1982. The bluegrass recording featured performances by Earl Scruggs, Johnny Cash, and Doc Watson, and it earned strong reviews; and
WHEREAS, returning with 1989's Hillbilly Rock, Stuart reached the top 10 of the country music charts with the album's title track. He again won over country music fans with 1991's Tempted, which featured "Burn Me Down" and "Little Things." Partnering with Travis Tritt, Stuart won his first Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Collaboration for "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'" in 1992. The pair toured together and scored another big hit with their This One's Gonna Hurt You (For a Long, Long Time) that same year; and
WHEREAS, busy as ever, Stuart recorded duets with Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, B.B. King and Travis Tritt. He also worked behind the scenes, serving as producer for songs by George Ducas, Pam Tillis, and Jerry and Tammy Sullivan. Stuart worked on film soundtracks for a diverse range of movies from the Steven Seagal action flick Fire Down Below (1997) to the Western drama All The Pretty Horses (2000). For All The Pretty Horses, he received a Golden Globe nomination; and
WHEREAS, in 1999 Stuart released The Pilgrim, a concept album that told the story of a man, brokenhearted and suicidal, who sets off on a journey. Country stars such as Emmylou Harris, Earl Scruggs and Pam Tillis contributed to the project. While it earned some positive reviews, it failed to catch on with music buyers; and
WHEREAS, working again with Scruggs, Stuart earned a Grammy Award in 2001 for Best Country Instrumental Performance for their version of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown." Legendary banjo player Scruggs had recorded the song decades earlier when he teamed up with Lester Flatt. The following year, Stuart formed his own backup band called the "Fabulous Superlatives." He recorded several albums with them, including 2003's Country Music and 2006's Live at the Ryman. The group has also toured with the likes of Merle Haggard and the "Old Crow Medicine Show Band"; and
WHEREAS, in addition to being a performer, Stuart is an avid collector of country music memorabilia, which now includes Jimmie Rodgers' guitar, Johnny Cash's first black performance suit, a handwritten copy of Hank Williams' "I Saw the Light," and the boots Patsy Cline was wearing when she died. Some of these items were featured in the 2007 exhibition "Sparkle & Twang": Marty Stuart's American Musical Odyssey at the Tennessee State Museum. He also served as President of the Country Music Foundation from 1994 to 2001; and
WHEREAS, while Marty's successes are vast, his commitment to his home state of Mississippi is most notable. Marty is in the process of establishing the Marty Stuart Congress of Country Music in his hometown of Philadelphia, Mississippi, which will feature his expansive collection of country music memorabilia. The Marty Stuart Congress of Country Music will serve as a cultural and educational center, and is expected to draw people from all over the world to Mississippi in order to showcase the state's rich cultural heritage of country music through live performance and educational programming; and
WHEREAS, through these efforts, Marty Stuart continues to be an Ambassador for the State of Mississippi, and we now honor both his achievements and his commitment to his home state:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize the achievements of multiple Grammy Award-Winning Country Music Singer-Songwriter Marty Stuart and his commitment to his home State of Mississippi, and commend the establishment of the Marty Stuart Congress of Country Music in Philadelphia, Mississippi, which will celebrate the rich cultural heritage of country music through live musical performance and educational programming.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Marty Stuart, forwarded to the Marty Stuart Congress of Country Music, the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of Philadelphia, Mississippi, and the Mississippi Arts Commission, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.