Senate Concurrent Resolution 574

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE YEAR BEGINNING FEBRUARY 1, 2003, AS THE "YEAR OF THE BLUES" IN MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, the first American art form, the blues, the most influential form of American roots music, with its impact heard around the world in rock and roll, jazz, rhythm and blues, country, and even classical music, was born in the State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, the blues is both a state and national historic treasure, which needs to be preserved, studied and documented for future generations; and

WHEREAS, the blues is an important documentation of African-American culture in the 20th Century; and

WHEREAS, the various forms of the blues document 20th Century Mississippi history in the areas of race relations, pop culture, and the migration of Mississippi from a rural, agricultural society to an urban, industrialized state; and

WHEREAS, the blues is the most celebrated form of American roots music, with hundreds of festivals held and millions of new or reissued blues albums sold each year in the United States; and

WHEREAS, it is important to educate the young people of Mississippi to understand that the music that they listen to today has its roots and traditions in the blues; and

WHEREAS, there are many living legends of the blues in Mississippi who need to be recognized and to have their story captured and preserved for future generations; and

WHEREAS, the year 2003 is the Centennial Anniversary of when W.C. Handy, a classically-trained musician, heard the blues for the first time in a train station in Mississippi, thus enabling him to compose the first blues music to distribute throughout the United States, which led to him being named "Father of the Blues"; and

WHEREAS, the blues and blues musicians from Mississippi, whether old or new, male or female, are recognized and revered worldwide as unique and important ambassadors of the United States and its music:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby designate the year beginning February 1, 2003, as the "Year of the Blues," and call on all Mississippians to observe the "Year of the Blues" with appropriate ceremonies, activities and educational programs.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be forwarded to the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Division of Tourism of the Mississippi Development Authority, the State Board of Education, and be made available to members of the Capitol Press Corps.