MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2012

By: Senator(s) Watson, Harkins, Tindell, To: Rules Ward, Sojourner, McDaniel, Collins, Burton, Butler (38th), Gandy, Hill, Jackson (32nd), Kirby, Longwitz, Massey, Moran

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 528

1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SALUTING MISSISSIPPI'S "THE BAND 2 PERRY" FOR WINNING THREE CATEGORIES AT THE PRESTIGIOUS 2011 3 ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS (CMA) IN NASHVILLE. 4 WHEREAS, they have only released four singles, but 5 Mississippi's own "The Band Perry" truly arrived as a major force 6 in country music on November 9, 2011, when they won in three 7 categories at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Nashville, 8 Tennessee; and

9 WHEREAS, the trio — Kimberly Perry and brothers, Reid and

10 Neil — took home the New Artist prize, but more significantly 11 picked up Single and Song of the Year honors for their 12 chart-topping "If I Die Young" at the 45th Annual Awards Show; and 13 WHEREAS, although all three members of The Band Perry shared 14 the stage in accepting all three of their awards, technically, the 15 Song of the Year Award went only to Kimberly Perry, the sole 16 writer of "If I Die Young." "I truly believe that 'If I Die 17 Young' would have been written with or without me," she said in

18 accepting the Song of the Year Trophy. "It just always felt like 19 a song that was meant to be here. But I was so excited to have 20 the pen and paper in hand when it was ready to come to earth." 21 The band performed "All Your Life" later at the awards production; 22 and 23 WHEREAS, the group's members - siblings Kimberly, Reid and 24 Neil Perry - were born in Mississippi and spent their early years 25 in Madison; and

26 WHEREAS, "I want to thank the fans of country music again," 27 said Kimberly. "Your stories have changed our lives. Thank you,

S. C. R. No. 528 *SS26/R485* N1/2 12/SS26/R485 PAGE 1 28 country radio, for allowing this song to be heard and giving it a 29 shot. I want to thank my brothers who play it alongside me night 30 after night. They are the backbone of The Band Perry. And, of 31 course, our parents, Marie and Steve Perry. We are their labor of 32 love. They've always encouraged our writing"; and 33 WHEREAS, The Band Perry is, indeed, walking among country

34 music's elite artists. But first things first: the siblings who 35 make up the group - Kimberly, 28; Reid, 23; and Neil, 21 - want to 36 clear up one thing that appears in many of their online bios: 37 Alabama is not their home state; Mobile is not their hometown. 38 "Our hometown is in Mississippi, right there in the Ridgeland and 39 Madison area." Kimberly attended Madison Avenue Elementary School 40 through Fifth Grade, Rosa Scott in Sixth Grade, and St. Andrew's 41 Episcopal School in Seventh Grade before her dad, Pediatrician

42 Steve Perry, moved his practice in 1996 from Ridgeland to Grand 43 Bay, Alabama, which is near his hometown of Moss Point; and 44 WHEREAS, this is not an overnight success story. Kimberly 45 always loved music and studied piano at an early age. But it was 46 the guitar that stirred her most. She formed a group at age 15. 47 Reid and Neil often tagged along to her gigs. Neil followed by 48 learning drums, mandolin and accordion. Their recipe of 49 instruments and vocal harmony proved invaluable as a hobby soon

50 transformed into a career choice. They began performing together 51 14 years ago. Countless performances provided the platform to 52 develop stage presence and an unmistakable tightness musically; 53 and 54 WHEREAS, it was the song "If I Die Young" which went to No. 1 55 in December 2010, the song that earned nominations for Single 56 Record of the Year (a musician's award) and Song of the Year (a 57 songwriter's award). It was the song, Neil says, "that said a big 58 'hello!' to the country music world"; and

59 WHEREAS, Nashville is filled with talented musicians who 60 never make it out of the club scene and never hear their voices on S. C. R. No. 528 *SS26/R485* 12/SS26/R485 PAGE 2 61 the radio; and it is with great pride that we recognize three 62 young Mississippi artists who have brought much joy and honor to 63 their hometown and home state: 64 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 65 MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 66 we do hereby salute Mississippi's "The Band Perry" for winning

67 three award categories at the prestigious Academy of Country Music 68 Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, on November 9, 2011, and extend to 69 the band and their family members our best wishes for future 70 success. 71 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 72 The Band Perry, forwarded to the Mississippi Arts Commission, and 73 made available to the Capitol Press Corps.

S. C. R. No. 528 *SS26/R485* 12/SS26/R485 ST: Salute Mississippi's "The Band Perry" for PAGE 3 winning 3 Academy of Country Music (CMA) Awards.