February 9, 2016 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 162, Pt. 2 1571 songwriter, producer and founder of the world- earned a list of other awards and recognitions RECOGNIZING DOMINION HIGH renowned band Earth, Wind & Fire, Maurice and will receive the 2016 Grammy Lifetime SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR THEIR White. Maurice White was born in Memphis, Achievement Award. DISTRACTED DRIVING CAMPAIGN Tennessee on December 19, 1941, and at- Maurice White’s music was written and pro- tended Booker T. Washington High School duced to inspire and bring all people together. HON. BARBARA COMSTOCK where he was in the drum corps. After grad- Maurice once said, ‘‘Being joyful and positive OF VIRGINIA uating, he and his family moved to Chicago, Il- was the whole objective of our group. Our IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES linois and Maurice White enrolled at the Chi- goal was to reach all the people and to keep Tuesday, February 9, 2016 cago Conservatory of Music. Having devel- a universal atmosphere—to create positive en- oped a love for drums while singing in his Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today ergy. All of our songs had that positive energy. to recognize three students from Dominion church choir in Memphis and watching march- To create uplifting music was the objective.’’ ing bands, Maurice found work as a drummer High School who recently led a Distracted Maurice’s goal was easily recognized by all Driving Campaign at Dominion High School in in nightclubs and in 1963, he became a ses- who heard and loved his work. President sion drummer for Chess Records. Sterling, Virginia. Kirsten Chun, Bryce Griffin, Barack Obama stated, ‘‘Only Maurice could and Joseph Pavich took on this campaign as While at Chess Records, Maurice recorded make such sophisticated songs so catchy. with music legends Etta James, Fontella Bass, part of their Creative Marketing Project, which Only he could inspire generations of such di- focused on Distracted Driving and Joshua’s Muddy Waters, The Impressions, Betty Everett verse artists. And only he could get every- and many more. In 1966, he joined the Hands. Joshua’s Hands is a non-profit organi- one—old and young, black and white—to let zation based in the 10th District whose mis- Ramsey Lewis Trio during a time when the the groove move them on the dance floor.’’ group was one of only a few jazz groups to sion focuses on community service and teen Maurice’s universal sound was remembered safe driving, founded in memory of Joshua rise to the upper levels of the pop charts. by Flea, bassist for Red Hot Chili Peppers, Maurice White left the group to form the Salty Guthrie who died in a car accident. Their mis- who said, ‘‘In my junior high school, the white sion is to keep roads safe and to educate Peppers in 1969 alongside his two friends, kids loved Zeppelin, the black kids loved p Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead. After little teens about the consequences of distracted funk [Parliament Funkadelic], the freaky kids driving. To create a visualization to meet this success, he moved to Los Angeles, California, loved Bowie, but everyone loved Earth, Wind recruited new band members including his awareness goal, these students removed 15 & Fire. They were just undeniable. Old people students from classes throughout the day and brother Verdine White and, drawing inspiration loved ’em, kids loved ’em, every race and eco- from the astrological chart, changed the instructed them to dress in black and not inter- nomic class loved ’em. They just crossed act with their classmates. This exercise served group’s name to Earth, Wind & Fire. every line with the power of incredible music Earth, Wind & Fire signed with Warner Bros. to represent the 15 people that are killed each and amazing performances.’’ Tributes from in 1971 but did not gain renowned fame until day due to distracted driving. Ms. Chun, Mr. artists from all genres include mentions of Maurice, again, brought on new band mem- Griffin, and Mr. Pavich utilized the school an- Maurice as a genius, a king, a masterful artist, bers, with the exception of Verdine, and nouncement system to convey their message, a leader and a teacher. signed the band with Columbia. It was then in addition to selling t-shirts which said ‘‘Take that Earth, Wind & Fire infused its sound with Maurice White passed away on February 3, Action STOP the Distraction.’’ Students at Do- jazz, funk, soul and pop, and recorded the 2016 in Los Angeles at 74 years of age. He minion also took a distracted driving survey in album Head to the Sky in 1973, which sold was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in order to gain a better understanding of their over 500,000 copies and included hit songs 1992. The music community has lost one of peers’ views of distracted driving. These stu- Evil and Keep Your Head to the Sky. In 1974, the greatest musical minds of our time. Mau- dents partnered with Chantilly Autobody in ad- Earth, Wind & Fire released the album Open rice White’s influence cannot be denied and dition to Joshua’s Hands for their project. Our Eyes and reached the pop Top 40 for the his contributions are lasting. Maurice White Driving while distracted seems to plague first time with the song Mighty Mighty. Their was a true ‘‘shining star’’ and his legacy will many of our drivers today, and young people next album released just a year later, That’s shine on for generations to come. are particularly susceptible to this. I am hon- the Way of the World, included the group’s ored to recognize these students today for first and only No. 1 pop hit, Shining Star. f their mission to educate their peers about the grave consequences of texting while driving. It Earth, Wind & Fire also recorded hit songs HONORING LORI FLORES Reasons (1975), That’s the Way of the World is my sincere hope that their project will facili- (1975), Fantasy (1977), September (1978), tate more awareness in the future about the Boogie Wonderland (1979), and Let’s Groove HON. FILEMON VELA growing problem of distracted driving so that our community will remain safe. (1981), including many more hits and popular OF TEXAS songs. Maurice White helped produce seven f IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES double platinum albums, two platinum albums, DR. AJANWACHUKU TO RECEIVE two gold albums and two gold singles. Tuesday, February 9, 2016 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD In addition to writing or co-writing many of the songs for Earth, Wind & Fire, Maurice Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to rec- White produced music for the Emotions, ognize Dr. Lori Flores, a South Texas native HON. PAUL COOK OF CALIFORNIA Ramsey Lewis and Deniece Williams, and in and a leading researcher in the fields of Latino IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1985, he released a solo, eponymous album and labor history. and earned a hit with his cover of Ben E. Lori attended Yale University, and she was Tuesday, February 9, 2016 King’s Stand by Me. the first woman in her family to earn a college Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to rec- In all, Earth, Wind & Fire had 16 Top 40 sin- degree. At Yale, she realized her passion to ognize Dr. Vincent Ajanwachuku, who will be gles and sold an estimated 90 million albums study Mexican American history, ultimately honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award worldwide. The group has won six Grammy leading her to earn a PhD from Stanford Uni- from the Dreamers, Visionaries, and Leaders Awards from seventeen nominations, four versity. Lori’s dissertation explored the political Project on February 6, 2016. Currently, Dr. American Music Awards from twelve nomina- development of Mexican Americans and immi- Ajanwachuku serves as the chief of surgery at tions, the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, grants in California’s Salinas Valley during the St. Mary Hospital in Apple Valley, California, a the NAACP Hall of Fame Award, Soul Train’s mid-1900s. Her research on the Latino civil position he’s held since 2004. Legend Award, and has been inducted into rights movement culminated in the publication Dr. Ajanwachuku’s journey is a remarkable the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal of a book which will be released this year. one. Born and raised in Nigeria, he arrived in Group Hall of Fame as well as earned a star Lori now teaches at the State University of the United States in 1973 to pursue his under- on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2010, New York at Stony Brook, where she nurtures graduate education at New York University. Maurice White was inducted into the Song- the thinkers and dreamers of tomorrow. Dr. Eventually, he earned his medical degree from writer’s Hall of Fame along with band mem- Flores has received numerous awards, and the Howard University School of Medicine and bers Verdine White, Philip Bailey, Al McKay she continues to be a role model for young was selected to teach medical students in the and Larry Dunn. Earth, Wind & Fire has people in her community. discipline of surgery. VerDate Sep 11 2014 09:29 Apr 08, 2020 Jkt 059102 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0689 Sfmt 9920 E:\BR16\E09FE6.000 E09FE6 rmajette on DSKBCKNHB2PROD with BOUND RECORD 1572 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 162, Pt. 2 February 9, 2016 During his career in medicine, Dr. tles. He moved to Tuscarora High School to every session. After a year and three months Ajanwachuku has received a number of acco- start their football program. Michael has taken of the hour and a half routine, he articulated lades, including ‘‘Humanitarian of the Year’’ the opportunity as a high school football coach a simple and profound truth representative of from St.