MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2010 By
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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2010 By: Senator(s) Horhn, Baria, Browning, To: Rules Butler, Chassaniol, Dawkins, Fillingane, Frazier, Jackson (11th), Jackson (15th), Jackson (32nd), Jones, Kirby, Montgomery, Powell, Stone SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 530 1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND SALUTING JACKSON JAZZ 2 ARTIST CASSANDRA WILSON UPON THE OCCASION OF THE MISSISSIPPI BLUES 3 TRAIL MARKER IN HER HONOR WHICH IS MISSISSIPPI'S 100TH MARKER. 4 WHEREAS, on January 7, 2010, the 100th Mississippi Blues 5 Trail Marker will be dedicated to honor national jazz artist 6 Cassandra Wilson at the Sam M. Brinkley Middle School located at 7 Ridgeway Street and Albemarle Road in Jackson, Mississippi; and 8 WHEREAS, "There's no question that the 100th marker on the 9 Mississippi Blues Trail is a fitting tribute to one of the 10 greatest voices in American arts," Governor Haley Barbour said. 11 "Cassandra Wilson's collection of blues, jazz standards and 12 musical style sets her apart from other artists. She is truly one 13 of Mississippi's musical treasures"; and 14 WHEREAS, Mississippi, the Birthplace of America's Music, is a 15 destination for music lovers. The Mississippi Blues Trail program 16 was created to recognize the talents of the state's countless 17 musicians. When completed, the trail will include more than 100 18 sites that together will offer an unforgettable journey into Blues 19 history; and 20 WHEREAS, the Mississippi Blues Trail markers are funded in 21 part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and 22 by support from the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau, the 23 Mississippi Department of Transportation, Delta State University 24 and the Mississippi Development Authority; and 25 WHEREAS, although often categorized as a jazz artist, 26 Wilson's music spans many genres, including the blues. Since the 27 early 1990s, her seven CDs on the Blues Note label have included S. C. R. No. 530 *SS01/R859* N1/2 10/SS01/R859 PAGE 1 28 covers of songs by Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Son House and 29 Mississippi Fred McDowell as well as her own blues-influenced 30 compositions. Her CD Belly of the Sun, which was recorded largely 31 in Mississippi, featured other Mississippi musicians, whose music 32 straddles blues and jazz, including Jesse Robinson, Olu Dara, Abie 33 "Boogaloo" Ames and Rhonda Richmond. She has received Grammy 34 awards for her CDs New Moon Daughter and Loverly; and 35 WHEREAS, as a child in Jackson, Wilson studied both clarinet 36 and piano and later learned to play the guitar. Her father, 37 Herman Fowlkes, Jr., was an active jazz musician in the Jackson 38 area, and in the 1950s he appeared on recordings by Sonny Boy 39 Williamson II for the Trumpet label. A native of the Chicago 40 area, Fowlkes came to Mississippi as trumpeter in an Army band. 41 He later graduated from Jackson State University and worked as a 42 music instructor; and 43 WHEREAS, during her high school years, Wilson performed in 44 local funk, pop and R&B bands. She began performing jazz after 45 being encouraged by drummer Alvin Fielder, a member of the local 46 Black Arts Music Society. In 1982, Wilson moved to New York City, 47 where she worked with the experimental jazz collective M-Base and 48 began her recording career in the mid-80s; and 49 WHEREAS, the Mississippi Blues Trail program promotes tourism 50 and helps communities improve their quality of place, all with the 51 goal of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of 52 Mississippians, and it is with great pride that we join the 53 citizens of Jackson in recognizing this Mississippi jazz artist 54 who has brought honor to her community and to the State of 55 Mississippi: 56 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 57 MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 58 we do hereby recognize and salute Jackson Jazz Artist Cassandra 59 Wilson upon the occasion of the Mississippi Blues Trail Marker in 60 her honor which is Mississippi's 100th Blues Trail Marker, and we S. C. R. No. 530 *SS01/R859* 10/SS01/R859 PAGE 2 61 extend our best wishes to all participants at this auspicious 62 event. 63 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 64 Cassandra Wilson, forwarded to sponsors of the Mississippi Blues 65 Trail program, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps. S. C. R. No. 530 *SS01/R859* 10/SS01/R859 ST: Recognize Jackson Jazz Artist Cassandra PAGE 3 Wilson upon the dedication of Mississippi's 100th Blues Trail Marker. .