Bill Text: MS SC689 | 2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognize career of Bolivar County R&B-soul-gospel singer Otis Clay.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-3)
Status: (Passed) 2010-04-22 - Enrolled Bill Signed [SC689 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2010-SC689-Enrolled.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2010 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Simmons, Burton, Butler, Clarke, Dearing, Frazier, Jordan, Watson
Senate Concurrent Resolution 689
(As Adopted by Senate and House)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND SALUTING THE CAREER OF BOLIVAR COUNTY RHYTHM AND BLUES, SOUL AND GOSPEL SINGER OTIS CLAY.
WHEREAS, Otis Clay is one of the premier deep soul and gospel singers working today. His raw, fiery vocals drive an energetic and danceable blend of soul, R&B and blues in the tradition of such deep soul singers as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and Solomon Burke; and
WHEREAS, Otis Clay was born February 11, 1942, in Waxhaw, Bolivar County, Mississippi, to a musical family, who moved in 1953 to Muncie, Indiana. After singing with local gospel group, the Voices of Hope, he returned to Mississippi to sing with the Christian Travelers, before settling in Chicago in 1957. There, he joined a series of gospel vocal groups including the Golden Jubilaires, the Famous Blue Jay Singers, the Holy Wonders, and the Pilgrim Harmonizers, before making his first solo secular recordings in 1962. They were unissued, and Clay joined the Gospel Songbirds, who recorded in Nashville in 1964 and who also included Maurice Dollison who sang R&B under the name Cash McCall, and then the Sensational Nightingales; and
WHEREAS, in 1965 Otis Clay signed with One-derful! Records in Chicago, to make secular recordings. After releasing a series of gospel-tinged soul records, his first hit came in 1967 with "That's How It is (When You're in Love)," which reached #34 on the R&B chart, followed by "A Lasting Love" (#48 R&B). In 1968 the record company folded and his contract was bought by Atlantic Records, who launched their subsidiary Cotillion Label with Clay's version of the Sir Douglas Quintet hit, "She's About A Mover" produced at the FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The record became Clay's biggest pop hit, reaching #97 on the Hot 100 and #47 on the R&B chart; and
WHEREAS, Clay moved to Mitchell's Hi Records in 1971, and made many of his best known soul blues records for the label. His biggest hit came with "Trying To Live My Life Without You," a #24 R&B hit in late 1972, which was later covered by Bob Seger, whose version made #5 on the Billboard pop chart in 1981. After several more Hi singles and the album I Can't Take It, Clay moved to Kayvette Records, where he had his last national hit single in 1977, "All Because of Your Love" (#44 R&B). He later recorded for the Elka and Rounder labels, as well as his own Echo Records; and
WHEREAS, a master showman, Otis Clay stays in demand for festival and concert appearance in the U.S., Europe and Japan. Noteworthy recent appearances include headlining the 2006 Japan Blues and Soul Festival Tour, heading the opening night and being Honorary President of the 2006 Blues Passions Festival in Cognac, France, a special guest appearance at the Chicago Emmy Awards in November 2006 and the 2007 Chicago Gospel Music Festival. He has been a nominee for a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance; and
WHEREAS, as a longtime resident of Chicago's West Side, he is actively involved in community-based economic and cultural initiatives, including the development of the Harold Washington Cultural Center, which has served as the cornerstone for the revitalization and redevelopment of the historic Bronzeville neighborhood. The Cultural Center, which includes the state-of-the-art 1,000 seat Com-Ed Performing Arts Theatre, is built on the former site of The Regal Theatre, the legendary venue for national and Chicago-based R&B/soul, blues, jazz and comedy stars; and
WHEREAS, whether bringing audiences around the globe to their feet with his fiery brand of soul and gospel or working tirelessly with community and church leaders to provide better economic and cultural opportunities for West and South Side Chicago residents, Otis Clay has proven himself to be a national treasure, and it is with great pride that we note the accolades of this son of the Mississippi Delta who has brought honor to his family, his community and who has become an unofficial ambassador for the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize and salute the career of Bolivar County Rhythm and Blues, Soul and Gospel star singer Otis Clay and extend to him and his family our best wishes in his future successes.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Otis Clay and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
