House Concurrent Resolution 5

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DECLARING THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI AS THE HOME AND BIRTHPLACE OF THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC GENRE KNOWN AS SOUTHERN SOUL.

WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi has a long history of being the birthplace of many American music genres, including the Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Country and Rock and Roll, and artists such as Robert Johnson of Clarksdale, B.B. King of Indianola, Jimmie Rodgers of Meridian, Elvis Presley of Tupelo, and the world renowned Mississippi Mass Choir; and

WHEREAS, however, Mississippi is also the birthplace of the music genre Southern Soul, whose audience has grown throughout the decades, and from the legendary Malaco Records which was founded in 1967, in Jackson, to private recording studios, Mississippi has become fertile ground for Southern Soul artists; and

WHEREAS, singing their "Southern Souls Out" are Mississippi artists such as Vick Allen, Bobby Rush, Willie Clayton, Dorothy Moore, The Williams Brothers, Canton Spirituals and many, many more; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi has produced the oldest and most recognized Southern Soul music awards show for the past 45 years, the Jackson Music Awards, and its mission is to recognize the accomplishments of all outstanding recording artists and performers in Jackson and across the globe; and

WHEREAS, as Southern Soul promoters, Mr. Lee King, of Lee King Entertainment, and Mr. Jesse Thompson, Founding Partner of the Jackson Music Awards, have the combined experience of 95 years endorsing Southern Soul artists, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi also has one of the first and only pure Southern Soul radio stations in the country, WRTM 100.5, located in Jackson, which is dedicated to promoting Southern Soul artists; and

WHEREAS, Jackson is also home to the second oldest festival in Mississippi, and the oldest Southern Soul festival in the world, the Farish Street Heritage Festival, holding that record for 39 years to date; and

WHEREAS, the Farish Street Heritage Festival features several stages of live entertainment, presenting local, regional and national artists and performers, and also provides an extravaganza for the entire family and offers a diverse array of cultural programming in Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi has produced an endless list of Southern Soul artists who have not only created outstanding Southern Soul music, but have also transformed the genre of Southern Soul into what it has become today:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, that we declare the State of Mississippi as the Home and Birthplace of Southern Soul.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.