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October 19, 2012 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 158, Pt. 11 15027 IN RECOGNITION OF THE LONG visiting museums to learn more about the sub- Bobby Rush has sold over 259 records on the BRANCH FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY jects that interest her, including spiders, mum- Southern ‘‘Chitlin’ Circuit.’’ CHAMPIONS mies and Egypt. Ashley also enjoys spending Bobby Rush, like all other southern blues time at the beach and the pool, riding her bi- artists, could take a life-time telling stories HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR. cycle, and drawing, among others. She is cur- about the highs and lows of his career. I’m OF NEW JERSEY rently working toward becoming a Brownie sure he can tell you about how he faced racial IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES within the Girl Scouts organization. Ashley issues, menial pay, his efforts to break the hopes to one day be a scientist and President color barriers while out on tour in order to Friday, October 19, 2012 of the United States. make a living so he could provide for his fam- Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Mr. Speaker, once again please join me in ily, and even the disparaging work conditions recognize the five individuals being honored congratulating John Pallone, Jack Kearns, he endured, to say the least. by the Long Branch Free Public Library on the Marsha Cohen, Emmanuel Itzol and Ashley Nevertheless, this veteran of the Blues has occasion of its Champions Dinner. A Library Pape for their contributions to the Long definitely established a name for himself Champion is committed to the success of the Branch Free Public Library. among such great entertainers as BB King, library. They frequent programs held by the li- f Howlin’ Wolf, Solomon Burke, Ike and Tina brary, encourage others to visit and use the li- Turner, Muddy Waters, Bobby Blue Bland, brary, and are concerned about issues that HONORING MR. BOBBY RUSH Etta James, Redd Foxx, Otis Rush, Little Mil- may affect the library. Mr. John Pallone, Mr. ton, Dick Gregory, and Sammy Davis, Jr. And John (Jack) Kearns, Ms. Marsha Cohen, Mr. HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON by the way, many of these he performed with Emmanuel Itzol and Miss Ashley Pape are OF MISSISSIPPI and apprenticed under as well. He has sung truly deserving of the Library’s Champion dis- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES in night clubs, at festivals, at charity events, tinction. and in concert halls all over the world—Chi- Friday, October 19, 2012 Born and raised in Long Branch, New Jer- cago, Cleveland and Clarksdale, Mississippi, sey, John Pallone is an active member of the Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speak- Detroit, the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Long Branch community. In addition to serving er, I rise today to honor a philanthropist and Poland, Japan, China, Arkansas, Louisiana, as a Trustee of the Long Branch Free Public blues musician in his own right, Mr. Bobby and Canada just to name a few places—and Library, John is a member of the Amerigo Rush, born Emmit Ellis, Jr.; however, he pre- he is still traveling the world and performing. Vespucci Society and is involved with the Holy fers to be called ‘‘Bobby Rush’’ in a one syl- In an interview back in the 90s with Stanley Name Society at Christ the King Parish. He is lable pronunciation. The decision to change Booth, he said, ‘‘Until a few years ago, nobody also a Long Branch City Councilman and a his name came simply out of respect for his knew I exist. Not really. I’m probably the only board member of the Long Branch Urban En- father, Pastor Emmit Ellis, Sr.; because Emmit one livin’ who have did as well as I’ve done, terprise Zone. Ellis, Jr. wanted to be a Blues entertainer. and nobody know nothin’ about me.’’ One of Jack Kearns worked in the telecommuni- I could talk only about his career as a Blues the reasons is because Bobby Rush has al- cations industry for over 30 years, serving as artist and leave out the humanitarian side of ways been his own manager, never taking on a Division Manager at AT&T before his retire- Bobby Rush but I would be, as my mother anyone to manage him, answering his own ment. Following his career with AT&T, Mr. used to say ‘‘short changing,’’ him. Blues is phone calls, and booking his own shows and Kearns pursued teaching, working as an ad- his ‘‘love’’, but his compassion is people. then showing up to perform—no imposter junct professor with Boston University, the Bobby Rush started singing at an early age, there! When I asked him about that comment, University of Colorado at Denver and Georgia around six, when he made his first instrument, he said, ‘‘I’m just a Blues singer, I am just, I Institute of Technology. Mr. Kearns also taught a guitar, out of a broom. He started enter- am the people’s Blues singer. I never wanted project management programs to manager- taining around ten years old, and formed his to get too high where they couldn’t reach me level individuals in government and the private first band around age thirteen. Here are three but I wanted to be high enough to be able to sector. Most recently, Mr. Kearns is working eyebrow raising interesting facts about Bobby help them.’’ as a local news journalist. He is also active in Rush. One, with his father being the pastor of After a lifetime of achievement, in April his community, serving as a member of the perhaps at least two churches, he never sang 2000, the Mississippi Senate passed Resolu- Long Branch Rotary Club and President of the in the choir but he certainly sang from his tion 43 honoring Bobby Rush for his musical Board of Trustees of the Long Branch Con- seat. Second, although his parents were de- career. Then in 2003, he started his own cordance. vout church goers and gospel listeners, they record label, Deep Rush, on which he cut his Marsha Cohen and her family have been never discouraged Bobby Rush from singing CD ‘‘Undercover Lover’’ while performing live residents of Elberon, New Jersey for 15 years. and performing the Blues. And, they never at club Ground Zero in Clarksdale, Mississippi. In addition to raising her family and working in saw him perform but he said, ‘‘Every time I He is also the owner of Rush Productions, Inc. sales, Ms. Cohen is devoted to the arts. She went home they had all my music already so Also in 2003, he was featured in Richard recently exhibited her paintings at the Elberon I’m sure they kept up with me.’’ And third, in Pearce’s documentary film ‘‘The Road to Branch of the Long Branch Free Public Library getting started he often would role play himself Memphis,’’ which was part of Martin and also offered art classes at the library. In performing and entertaining. Trying to mimic Scorsese’s film series ‘‘The Blues.’’ His addition to sharing her work with the library after other entertainers, he would ask his awards and recognitions include but are not patrons, Ms. Cohen frequents the library uncle about who was old enough to visit the limited to: Best Live Performer of the Year, weekly with her 6 children and 3 grand- clubs and watch them perform. He said he Best Blues Entertainer of the Year, Best Soul/ children, passing along her passion for read- would add his own personal touch, of course. Blues Album of the Year, and the James ing. Many people may not be aware of this but Brown Heritage Award. A lifelong resident of Long Branch, New Jer- in 1951 he recorded his first song with Chess Mr. Bobby Rush is still breaking barriers in sey and a 2009 graduate of Long Branch High Records. Not only was he making history at the last decade because he has finally School, Emmanual Itzol currently attends Chess Records with other artists like Bo crossed over to white audiences; race is not Brookdale Community College. His love for Diddly, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Rogers, Lowell the face of entertaining any longer but rath- education is evident in the volunteer opportu- Fulson, Memphis Slim, and others but he ac- er—whether or not the artist is good at what nities he undertakes with the Long Branch tually broke the color barrier around 1951 or he does, and that he is. Public Schools and he has carried this pas- 1952 when he became the first black enter- Like he said back in the 90s, nobody knew sion into college, majoring in Elementary Edu- tainer to play on Bourbon Street on Chicago’s he existed a few years earlier. But, I want to cation. Not only does Mr. Itzol like helping the Southside. help make sure people know there is more to community through volunteer projects, he also As a teenager, in 1953, he moved to Chi- Bobby Rush than a Blues song. I stated ear- enjoys entertaining them and performs as a cago with his family and began performing on lier, ‘‘Blues is his ‘love’, but his compassion is DJ at events. the local blues scene. He also formed his own people.’’ The youngest of the Champions, Ashley band. But it was in the 1970s when his career Throughout his career, he has met people Pape is a 7 year old 2nd grader with a love really started to take off with his first hit with circumstances that have reminded him of of stories. She is an avid reader and enjoys ‘‘Chicken Heads’’ on the Galaxy Record label.

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