Bill Text: NY J02486 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Congratulating Elizabeth Libba Cotten posthumously upon the occasion of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 43-20)

Status: (Passed) 2022-05-10 - ADOPTED [J02486 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-J02486-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 2486

BY: Senator MAY

        CONGRATULATING     Elizabeth     "Libba"    Cotten
        posthumously upon the  occasion  of  being  inducted
        into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

  WHEREAS,  It is the custom of this Legislative Body to honor and pay
just tribute to those musical geniuses  whose  commitment  and  creative
talents  contributed  to  the  entertainment  and cultural enrichment of
their community, the State of New York, and the entire Nation; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to
congratulate Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten posthumously upon the occasion  of
being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to be celebrated at a
Ceremony  on Saturday, November 5, 2022, at the Microsoft Theater in Los
Angeles, California; and

  WHEREAS, In addition to this monumental honor, Elizabeth Cotten will
receive the Early Influence Award; and

  WHEREAS, Elizabeth Cotten was born  to  Louisa  (Price)  and  George
Nevills  on  January  5,  1893,  near  Chapel  Hill, North Carolina; the
youngest of five children, she was known as Li'l  Sis  until  she  named
herself on her first day of school; and

  WHEREAS,  Surrounded  by music, Elizabeth Cotten began playing songs
at the young age of eight; one year later, she left school to  work;  at
the  age  of  12,  she  had a live-in job as a domestic worker in Chapel
Hill, making a dollar a month, which her mother  saved  up  to  buy  her
first guitar from Sears and Roebuck; and

  WHEREAS,  Elizabeth Cotten taught herself how to play her guitar and
became quite proficient, inventing her alternating bass  style,  "Cotten
picking"; a lefty, she played a guitar strung for a right-handed player,
upside  down,  so she could play the bass lines with her fingers and the
melody with her thumb; and

  WHEREAS, Elizabeth Cotten began to write her own songs, and "Freight
Train" was written about a nearby train she could hear  from  her  home;
and

  WHEREAS,   As  a  teenager,  Elizabeth  married  Frank  Cotten,  and
together, they raised  their  daughter,  Lillie,  in  several  locations
before  settling  in Washington, D.C.; during this time, she gave up her
music for her new family and church; and

  WHEREAS, Upon divorcing Frank, Elizabeth Cotten moved  in  with  her
daughter  and  her  family;  in  the 1940s, she was hired to work at the
house of the Seeger family, which  included  folk  singer  Pete  Seeger;
after   playing  "Freight  Train"  for  Peggy  Seeger,  it  was  falsely
copyrighted by two British songwriters and  sung  on  "The  Ed  Sullivan
Show"; and

  WHEREAS, With help from the Seeger family, Elizabeth Cotten sued for
copyright infringement and picked up her guitar again after 25 years and
began to perform publicly for the first time in her 60s; and

  WHEREAS,  In the later 1950s, Elizabeth Cotten's songs were recorded
by Mike Seeger, and later, became the album Folksongs and  Instrumentals
with  Guitar;  many  of  her  songs,  including her most famous "Freight
Train" were covered by many popular artists of the day; and

  WHEREAS, Elizabeth Cotten played her first concert with Mike  Seeger
at  Swarthmore  College  in  1960, and soon performed many concerts with
various folk singers; and

  WHEREAS, Elizabeth Cotten wrote and performed  more  songs,  and  in
1967,  she  released  a  single with her grandchildren, "Shake Sugaree";
after much success, she and her family  moved  to  Syracuse,  New  York,
where she continued to tour and make music; and

  WHEREAS, Elizabeth Cotten received her first Grammy award at the age
of  90,  and was named Syracuse's first Living Treasure in 1983; she was
also recognized by the Smithsonian Institution and was named a  National
Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment for the Arts; and

  WHEREAS,  In  1987,  Elizabeth  Cotten  died  at  the  age of 92; in
recognition of her  many  contributions  to  music,  a  grove  named  in
Elizabeth  Cotten's  honor  was established at the corner of South State
and Castle Streets, and  is  highlighted  by  a  bronze  statue  of  her
likeness playing guitar in her famous upside-down style; and

  WHEREAS,  Elizabeth  Cotten  has  the great honor of being the first
person from Syracuse to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame;
and

  WHEREAS, Throughout her storied music career, Elizabeth  Cotten  has
inspired  and  influenced  generations  of  younger  artists through her
songwriting, and unique playing style; and

  WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to remember the
life and many  accomplishments  of  musical  greats  such  as  Elizabeth
Cotten,  whose  memorable career will forever live in the hearts of many
and continue to inspire generations to come; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
congratulate  Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten posthumously upon the occasion of
being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to the family of Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten.