E1702 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks October 16, 2012 currently serves as Co-Director of the Massa- HONORING MR. TYRONE DAVIS equally productive stay that lasted into the chusetts Marine Fisheries Institute at the new millennium. Tyrone Davis continued to re- School for Marine Science and Technology at HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON lease new albums every year or two, and the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. OF MISSISSIPPI toured the soul/blues circuit as restlessly as His contributions to the marine fisheries in- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ever. Tyrone Davis suffered a stroke in Octo- dustry extend from studies of population dy- ber of 2004 and remained hospitalized until Tuesday, October 16, 2012 namics and biological oceanography to fish- his death in February of 2005. eries management and natural resources pol- Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speak- Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me icy. This is not the first time his expertise has er, I rise today to honor a remarkable blues in recognizing Mr. Tyrone Davis, a great blues been recognized. In 2004, he received an Out- artist, Mr. Tyrone Davis. legend from Mississippi’s Second Congres- standing Achievement Award from the Amer- Tyrone Davis was born as Tyrone Fettson sional District. ican Institute of Fishery Research Biologists on May 4, 1938, in Greenville, Mississippi. and in 2008 he was recognized by The Stand- Through his blues career, he was first known f ard-Times as the ‘‘South Coast Man of the as Tyrone the Wonder Boy, then later as Ty- rone Davis. HONORING MR. LEONARD JAMES Year.’’ CANTY, JR. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join Tyrone moved with his father to Saginaw, me in congratulating Dr. Rothschild on his re- Michigan, before relocating to Chicago, Illinois ceipt of the 2012 Prince Henry Society Award. in 1959. He then became a valet/chauffeur for HON. BARBARA LEE We thank him for his role in marine sciences blues singer Freddie King. He befriended the OF CALIFORNIA and eagerly anticipate his continued contribu- likes of Bobby ‘‘Blue’’ Bland, Little Milton, and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tions to the field. Otis Clay, among others, and began to pursue Tuesday, October 16, 2012 f his own singing career in the clubs on the city’s West and South Sides. While working for Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise TRIBUTE TO REVEREND MICHAEL King, he started singing in local clubs where today to honor the exceptional life of Mr. SNIFFEN he was discovered by record executive/musi- Leonard James Canty, Jr., community stalwart cian Harold Burrage. This became the start of and entrepreneur, co-founder of the 100 Black HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS his career as a blues singer called ‘‘Tyrone Men of the Bay Area, Inc. and founder of the Black Economic Council, BEC. ‘‘Len,’’ as he OF NEW YORK the Wonder Boy’’. was known, was a trailblazing businessman IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES His records for small labels under ‘‘Tyrone the Wonder Boy’’ did not bring him much suc- committed to supporting and promoting Tuesday, October 16, 2012 cess. In 1968, a successful Chicago record minority- and women-owned businesses. Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to producer Carl Davis signed him to a new Known as a hard-working and talented vision- pay tribute to the Reverend Michael Sniffen, a label, Dakar Records, that he was starting as ary, a passionate advocate and a man of man dedicated to serving God, his family, and part of a distribution deal with Atlantic, and great faith, Mr. Canty has left an indelible the community. suggested that he use the stage name Tyrone mark on Bay Area communities. With his Rev. Michael Sniffen was ordained in 2007 Davis. A Texas DJ flipped his first release passing on September 22, 2012, we look to and went to The Church of St. Luke and St. over and started playing the B-side, ‘‘Can I Len Canty’s legacy and the outstanding quality Matthew in 2010 after serving as Assistant Change My Mind.’’ of his life’s work. Rector of St. John’s, Lattingtown, NY. Since Teamed with producer/arranger Willie Hen- Born on April 26, 1945, to Leonard James arriving at The Church of St. Luke and St. derson, who masterminded ‘‘Can I Change My and Elisabeth Canty, Len was part of a large Matthew, Fr. Michael has created a full time Mind’’, Tyrone Davis capitalized on his break- family growing up in Atlanta, Georgia. A U.S. Artist-in-Residence program, opened the through with a string of orchestrated hits that Air Force veteran during the Vietnam War, Mr. church to the community more than ever, ex- emphasized his new, smoother style, and Canty moved to Oakland, CA, upon his honor- panded programs for children, built relation- helped point the way for Chicago soul into a able discharge in 1968. There he met his lov- ships with youth in detention and attracted a new decade. ‘‘Is It Something You’ve Got’’ ing wife and lifelong partner of 42 years, Kyra. growing and diverse congregation. reached the R&B Top Five in 1969, and it was Mr. Canty worked for United Airlines and in As part of linking the church and the neigh- followed in 1970 by the sublime ‘‘Turn Back real estate, until launching his own mortgage borhood, Fr. Michael won a grant of $287,000 the Hands of Time.’’ It was his second R&B brokerage firm, Canty & Associates, in 1984. from the New York City Department of Envi- number one, and also his biggest hit on the Throughout his entrepreneurial success, Mr. ronmental Protection to undertake a major pop charts with a peak at number three. Canty never lost sight of the needs of his green infrastructure project in the churchyard Tyrone Davis hit the R&B Top 40 with community. Among his many career mile- that will help the environment as well as cre- steady regularity over the next few years, in- stones, he was a founding member in 1988 ate a new public greenspace on the block. In cluding the Top Tens . ‘‘Could I Forget You,’’ and an eventual President of the 100 Black 2011 NYC chose The Church of St. Luke and ‘‘I Had It All the Time,’’ ‘‘Without You in My Men of the Bay Area, Inc. A tireless champion St. Matthew to launch ChangeByUs—a pro- Life,’’ and ‘‘There It Is.’’ In 1975, he scored his for African American equality and opportunity, gram linking neighbors together to build a bet- third number one R&B hit with ‘‘Turning he was Chairman of the 1993 African Amer- ter city. Point,’’ but left Dakar for Columbia the fol- ican Economic Empowerment Conference and Fr. Michael holds a B.A. from W.V. Wes- lowing year. a lecturer in the African American Entrepre- leyan College and a Master of Divinity degree Tyrone Davis’ ballad mastery was a main neurship program at California State Univer- from Drew University. He is a candidate for a selling point for Columbia, which made his sity, East Bay. In the early 1990s, he founded Ph.D. in Homiletics and Liturgical Studies. A backing orchestrations even lusher than be- a private equity venture capital fund for small, member of the American Academy of Religion, fore, but he also made the occasional conces- minority- and women-owned businesses. And, a visiting member of the Academy of Homi- sion to contemporary dance trends, which in- in 2005, after a decade of investment banking, letics and the North American Academy of Lit- formed his debut Columbia hit ‘‘Give It Up’’ a he founded the Black Economic Council, a na- urgy, Fr. Michael has won awards in Pulpit number two R&B single from 1976. Further tional 501(c)(3) headquartered in Northern Oratory and Manner, as well as pastoral lead- successes followed in ‘‘This I Swear’’ (1977), California. ership and innovative ministry. For the 2011/ ‘‘Get On Up’’ (1978), and the slinky ballad ‘‘In Today, the BEC celebrates its Second An- 12 academic year he was a Luce Fellow of the Mood’’ (1979). Tyrone Davis recorded his nual Game Changers and Bridge Builders the Center for Christianity in Global Contexts. final album for Columbia in 1981, then Awards in tribute to its founder, Len Canty, He is currently Secretary of the board of Epis- switched to Highrise, where he promptly land- who epitomized the qualities of positive copal Response to AIDS. ed a Top Five R&B hit—his last, as it turned change and collaboration. As an organization Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the out—with ‘‘Are You Serious’’ in 1982. Short facilitating local business development, eco- Reverend Michael Sniffen for his commitment stints with Ocean-Front and Prelude followed nomic sustainability and job creation to ad- to economic and social justice in Brooklyn and before Tyrone Davis settled in with Future for vance the economic platform of Black Ameri- beyond. the latter half of the 1980s. He spent the first cans and underserved communities, BEC is a Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join half of the 1990s on retro-soul label Ichiban, leading advocate in promoting the equity and me in recognizing the Reverend Michael recording several albums, and then moved to self-sufficiency of Black communities through Sniffen. Southern soul imprint Malaco in 1996 for an stronger economic infrastructure.

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