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Home , Grandpa Jones, Grand Ole Opry, Keith Bilbrey, Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff

S11778 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 25, 2005 THE The legislative clerk read as follows: and serves as an emissary of American music Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this year A resolution (S. Res. 286) commending the and culture; and Grand Ole Opry on the occasion of its 80th Whereas the Grand Ole Opry will continue the Grand Ole Opry celebrates 80 years to impact American culture and music, and of star-studded country entertainment. anniversary for its important role in the popularization of and for its 8 play an important role in presenting the best This venerated institution stands as decades of musical and broadcast excellence. in country music to new generations of fans one the most important traditions in There being no objection, the Senate throughout the world, touching millions radio broadcasting and country music. proceeded to consider the resolution. with music and comedy: Now, therefore, be it If not for the Grand Ole Opry, my Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent Resolved, That the Senate commends the hometown of would most that the resolution be agreed to, the Grand Ole Opry on the occasion of its 80th likely have never gained that title of preamble be agreed to, and the motion anniversary for its important role in the ‘‘Music City USA.’’ to reconsider be laid upon the table. popularization of country music, and for its The Grand Ole Opry first broadcast The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- 8 decades of musical and broadcast excel- on November 28, 1925. Originally called pore. Without objection, it is so or- lence. the WSM , the weekly radio dered. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- show featured comedy and blue glass, The resolution (S. Res. 286) was gospel and country. Radio host George pore. The Senator from is agreed to. recognized. D. Hay made sure that every broadcast The preamble was agreed to. was kept ‘‘real down to Earth.’’ The resolution, with its preamble, Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I Today, the Opry stands as the longest reads as follows: join the majority leader in the resolu- running continuous weekly radio S. RES. 286 tion that I have cosponsored honoring broadcast, with over 4,000 consecutive Whereas the Grand Ole Opry is a pioneer of the Grand Ole Opry on its 80th birth- Saturday evening shows. Audiences can commercial radio in the , and day. tune into the Grand Ole Opry via radio, is the longest running continuous radio pro- satellite, television or Internet. The gram in the United States, having operated I ask unanimous consent to bring on show is even broadcast by the Armed since November 28, 1925, and having broad- the Senate floor this piece of demon- Forces Radio and Television Services casted over 4,000 consecutive Saturday strative evidence which I hold in my Network to entertain our troops evening shows on WSM Radio, Nashville, hand and to which I will refer in a mo- around the world. Tennessee; ment. Whereas the Grand Ole Opry played an in- Throughout its history, the Opry has The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- embraced and celebrated the best in tegral role in the commercial development of the country , and in estab- pore. Without objection, it is so or- family entertainment, including those lishing Nashville, Tennessee, as ‘‘Music City dered. musical performances and comedy USA’’; Mr. ALEXANDER. Those of us of a sketches that have warmed the hearts Whereas the Grand Ole Opry has consist- of millions throughout the South, all ently promoted the best in live entertain- certain age will recognize this straw over the country and, indeed, through- ment and provided a distinctive forum for hat with a garland of flowers and a out the world. Country great and Opry connecting country music fans to musicians price tag that says $1.98 as the kind of member explains that at so as to promote the popularity of this hat that wore on the the Opry, ‘‘there’s a of friends, uniquely American genre; Grand Ole Opry on Friday and Satur- and a circle of performers and a circle Whereas the Grand Ole Opry serves as a day nights every year for about 40 of love at the old place.’’ unique American icon that enshrines the years. Most of the time, Minnie Pearl Jeanie Seely puts it this way: rich musical history of country music, and preserves the tradition and character of the was the Grand Ole Opry, along with The Grand Ole Opry is not an institution. genre through commemorative performances . She welcomed people with: It’s not a building. It’s the people, the per- Howdy, I’m so proud to be here. I didn’t formers, the people who come. That’s the and events; Grand Ole Opry. That’s what makes it spe- Whereas the Grand Ole Opry is committed say it the way she would always say it. cial. to quality performances, and the member- Thousands and thousands of Americans And for new members, joining the ship of the Grand Ole Opry represents the sat on the uncomfortable wooden pews elite of country music performers, including in the back of the Opry is joining a pantheon of country generations of America’s most talented mu- music greats. Roy Acuff, , sicians, encompassing the music legends of and later at the Opry to watch this , Dolly Parton, Minnie old and the superstars of today that continue radio show. One of those was a young Pearl, , , to define American country music; man from Minnesota named Garrison , and Reba McEntire, all Whereas performers at the Grand Ole Opry Keillor, who, in the 1970s, sat back have been members, and the list goes have included such universally recognized there and imagined the show which we on. Even President Nixon has played on names as Roy Acuff, Chet Atkins, Johnny call today ‘‘The Prairie Home Com- Cash, , , Little that Grand Ole Opry stage. panion.’’ As recently told a Jimmy Dickens, , Earl newspaper: Scruggs, , Grandpa Jones, Lo- A couple weekends ago, I was the retta Lynn, , Dolly If you’ve never played at the Grand Ole guest announcer on the Grand Ole Opry, you haven’t quite made it, yet. Parton, Minnie Pearl, , Hank Wil- Opry. They didn’t trust me with the liams, and many more; Goo Goo candy bar commercial or with The Opry has promoted country Whereas the Grand Ole Opry celebrates the music in a unique way. It has promoted diversity of country music, with membership the 7 p.m. show which is nationally it to the entire world and has invited spanning both generation and genre, rep- televised, so I was on at 8. But I did get new generations to hear the best that resenting the best in folk, country, blue- to do the flour commer- country has to offer. I am honored to grass, gospel, and comedy performances; cial and to introduce Porter Waggoner represent the home State of such a dy- Whereas the Grand Ole Opry continues to three times. utilize technological innovations to develop namic part of American culture and There is nothing quite like the Grand music history. new avenues of connecting country music to Today, I proudly introduce a Senate its fans, and can be seen and heard around Ole Opry. There are 3,400 people out resolution commending the Grand Ole the world via television, radio, satellite there every Friday night, every Satur- Opry for 80 years of music excellence. radio, and the Internet; day night, now sometimes on Tues- Whereas the Grand Ole Opry provides f days. Flashbulbs are popping. Every- heartening support to members of the Armed body is having a good time. COMMENDING THE GRAND OLE Forces by participating in the Department of OPRY Defense’s America Supports You Program, There was Jimmy C. Newman from Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask providing live performances to American Louisiana who next year will be on the unanimous consent that the Senate Forces serving abroad via the American Grand Ole Opry for 50 years. There was Forces Radio and Television Services net- now proceed to the consideration of S. Susan Haynes, the daughter of my law work; school roommate. This is her first year Res. 286, which was submitted earlier Whereas the Grand Ole Opry is recognized today. as the world’s premiere country music show, on the Grand Ole Opry. There was The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- and continues to entertain millions of fans Carol Lee and Nora Lee, the back-up pore. The clerk will report the resolu- throughout the world, including United singers. They have been there a long tion by title. States Presidents and foreign dignitaries, time, too.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:23 Jan 30, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2005SENATE\S25OC5.REC S25OC5 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY October 25, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S11779 At 7 o’clock, there was Vince Gill Mr. President, I yield the floor. doggles, and maybe it is a boondoggle, who ended his hour-long session with a f but the people in Alaska didn’t think piece of jazz music. The Grand Ole so. They have 100 projects. All States Opry is getting more diversified. There RESERVATION OF LEADERSHIP do it differently. But in Alaska, they was backstage inter- TIME list 100 projects that are the projects viewing people. He was explaining what The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. VIT- they want to have someday. That par- Charlie McCoy, the great harmonicist, TER). Under the previous order, the ticular bridge is ranked in the top 4 of once said about the four stages of being leadership time is reserved. those 100. I think also that we have to a country music star which sound a lot recognize that we in Washington do not like being a politician. Stage No. 1 is, f really know what is the best thing for Who is Charlie McCoy? Stage No. 2 is, MORNING BUSINESS them. Get me Charlie McCoy. Stage No. 3 is, The other thing that is very impor- Get me somebody who sounds like The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under tant is that most of the money, had Charlie McCoy. And stage No. 4 is, Who the previous order, there will be a pe- this amendment passed, is in accord- is Charlie McCoy? riod for the transaction of morning ance with the formula. So if we di- The Opry was started so that the Na- business for up to 30 minutes, with the rected them not to build their bridge, tional Life and Accident Insurance first half of the time under the control that money could still be spent in Alas- Company could sell debit insurance. of the majority leader or his designee ka on other projects. We would just be They got a big tower in Nashville. I and the second half of the time under saying that you have to spend the dol- think it is 50,000 watts. So all the peo- the control of the Democratic leader or lars in a way that we in Washington ple who were on little radio stations his designee. say is best for you. came to Nashville so they could be on The Senator from Oklahoma is recog- I will support future amendments the big radio station. nized. that will save taxpayers’ dollars. In the That is when Roy Acuff and Chet At- f meantime, there is something we can kins and Archie Grandpappy Campbell do: support the one-sentence amend- and Dolly Parton all moved from east SAVING OUR TAXPAYERS’ ment that I will introduce. Tennessee to Nashville. If you under- DOLLARS Beginning with fiscal year 2007 and there- stand how important the Alamo is to Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, let me after nondefense, nontrust fund discre- Texas, you will understand how impor- recognize that Minnie Pearl is a tough tionary spending shall not exceed previous tant the Grand Ole Opry is to Ten- act to follow. Nonetheless, we must years without a two-thirds vote. nesseans, not just Tennesseans but move on. Today, I am going to an- That is very simple, very straight- many Americans, the 3,400 who every nounce a one-sentence initiative that I forward, and something that will work. Friday and Saturday night have gone will try to put on the Labor-HHS ap- I recognize that we are only talking in to thousands and thousands of these propriations bill. I won’t be successful this case about 20 percent of the budget radio shows. because there are some procedural rea- because we have so many entitlements No one represented the Opry in its sons. It would take a supermajority. and, of course, the defense spending. spirit better than Minnie Pearl. There But at least we will get a vote down so But those entitlements are being ad- is a photograph of Minnie in dressing we will have an idea about who in this dressed right now in the budget rec- room No. 1 backstage, which was Roy Chamber is really serious about doing onciliation. We need to wait and see Acuff’s dressing room until he died, something about the deficit. how that washes out. which was the dressing room that I had to oppose my dear friend and I had this as kind of a mission for a Vince Gill was using on the night I was junior Senator from Oklahoma last lot of years. I introduced the first there as the guest announcer. There on week because of the unintended con- amendment in 1987, the first year that the wall was a picture of a young Min- sequences of interfering with local self- I was here over in the other body at nie Pearl in the early 1940s with this determination, and I caution any effort that time. But it goes all the way back hat or a hat similar to this one. that would substitute or preempt to 1969 when then Senator Carl Curtis Where did this $1.98 price tag come States’ sovereignty in favor of central- from Nebraska came up with the idea. from? I heard the story that night for ized control in the Federal bureaucracy He was the one who always wanted to the first time. Minnie was performing unless substantial cuts in spending are the pass the amendment as an amend- on the Opry. She pinned a garland of accomplished. ment to the Constitution. So he said, flowers to her hat. And during her per- The Framers of the Constitution Why don’t you out in Oklahoma formance, this price tag wiggled down feared one thing above all else, and preratify a constitutional amendment, and started dangling from her hat. She that was a tyrannical central Govern- so if we get enough States to do it, that left it there for the next 40 years as a ment made up of unaccountable Fed- would give us the power needed to try reminder that anybody can make a eral bureaucrats would someday be to pass a balanced budget amendment mistake and it is all right to make one. able to supersede States’ rights in deci- to the Constitution. Minnie Pearl was a talented woman It never worked. I think the idea was sionmaking by locally elected rep- who wanted to be . right. I think this very simple solution resentatives. There is nothing more As she said, that was already taken. is one we can address today. It will be conservative than this very principle of She set a standard of conduct and style something that will take care of these preserving local control against the for the Grand Ole Opry that lasts and problems in a much simpler way and centralized Government. persists until today, and that style was will maintain the authority out in the As the author of the Transportation simply that she was just a very nice States where I believe it belongs. I reauthorization bill, I was very pleased person. She would sign the last auto- have served as a mayor of a city, I have at the way we drafted the legislation. graph; she would say hello to anyone; served in the State legislature, and I We took a formula so that we could al- she would pay a call on a Grand Ole have served here. It has been my expe- locate funds to the States but then Opry family member who was sick; she rience that the closer you get to home, didn’t tell the States what to do with would see the last fan who had waited the better the decisions, and that is them and said: You determine what for 2 hours after the show. consistent with what I am asking for your priorities should be at the State Minnie Pearl told me one time: I today. have gotten to the point in life where I level. I believe it is a very good proc- I thank the Chair. I yield the floor. have decided if people are not nice, ess. I was proud to be a part of that The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- they are not so hot in my book no mat- process. ator from South Carolina is recognized. ter how big they are. There is a mentality in Washington, Mr. DEMINT. I thank the Chair. So in the spirit of Minnie Pearl and DC, that if a decision isn’t made in f all of the thousands of Americans who Washington, it is not a good decision. have created and enjoyed the Grand The controversial Ketchikan to BUDGET RECONCILIATION Ole Opry, happy 80th birthday, Grand Gravina Island bridge in Alaska has be- Mr. DEMINT. Mr. President, these Ole Opry. come a rallying point about boon- are serious and difficult times for our

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