MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Horhn, Simmons (13th), Butler (38th), Dawkins, Fillingane, Gollott, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Jones, Moran
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING MISSISSIPPI BLUESMAN BOBBY RUSH, "THE CHICKEN HEAD MAN," UPON HIS RECEIPT OF THE 2013 GOVERNOR'S ARTS AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT.
WHEREAS, the Mississippi Arts Commission has announced that renowned Mississippi Bluesman Bobby Rush, "the Chicken Head Man," has been named as recipient of the prestigious 2013 Governor's Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement, with the ceremony to be held on February 21, 2013, in the Concert Hall of Belhaven University for the Arts; and
WHEREAS, Rush was only six years old when he fashioned his first guitar out of old broom wire and began listening to the artists who would have the greatest influence on him, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and B.B. King, to name a few; and
WHEREAS, Rush spent over 20 years on the music scene in Chicago before moving to Jackson, Mississippi, in the late 1970s. He was named by Living Blues Magazine as "Best Live Performer of the Year" in 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. He has crafted a unique musical style that incorporates blues, funk, soul and folk, which prompts fans to proclaim, "there is only one Bobby Rush!"; and
WHEREAS, at a time when most of his contemporaries are resting on their laurels, Bobby Rush, a 50-year veteran of the stage, remains one of the most exciting and creative artists in the R&B/Blues arena. Rush's live shows are without parallel, replete with costume changes and comedic sketches acted out with the assistance of his lovely female dancers. In addressing a broad range of matters of the heart, Bobby Rush adopts various onstage persons - the adoring lover, the cuckold, the boastful stud - delivering all with a knowing wink that assures the audience that he's in on the joke; and
WHEREAS, in the early 1980s, Bobby Rush moved to his current home of Jackson, Mississippi, where he recorded a series of albums for the LeJam, Ichiban and Malaco Labels, and gained the title of "King of the Chitlin' Circuit" in the wake of hits including "Sue," "Wearin' It Out," "Ain't Studdin' You" and "Hoochie Man"; and
WHEREAS, in recent years he has reestablished himself as an outstanding soloist and acoustic performer. He has played an important role in Mississippi's music scene for years, initially as a performer on the Southern-based Chitlin' Circuit and then as recording artist for the LaJam Label. Over the last decades, many of his peers on the circuit, such as Little Milton, Johnnie Taylor and Tyrone Davis, have passed away, and his role as the elder statesman has risen accordingly; and
WHEREAS, the Governor's Arts Awards are presented annually to outstanding writers, artist, performers, craftsmen and educators who have made significant and lasting contributions through their work, as well as to corporations or orgranizations on the basis of their dedication to arts advancement; and
WHEREAS, success in the music business often entails leaving behind the people who sustained you during your early years, but that's not a price Bobby Rush is willing to pay. As his career takes off in new directions, he's determined to keep it real, presenting the same show as he thrills audiences from Tokyo, Japan, to Pelahatchie, Mississippi, acting as a Goodwill Ambassador for our state; and it is with great pride that we pay tribute to this respected musician whose body of work has brought great entertainment to fans nationally and internationally and brought honor to Bobby's blues community and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize Mississippi Bluesman Bobby Rush upon his receipt of the 2013 Governor's Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement, and extend our best wishes to Bobby and his family on the occasion of the Awards Ceremony on February 1, 2013.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Bobby Rush, forwarded to the Governor and the Mississippi Arts Commission, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.