Bill Text: TX HR148 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Honoring Willie Nelson for his career in music and his contributions to the Lone Star State.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Passed) 2011-01-20 - Reported enrolled [HR148 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HR148-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 148 | ||
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| WHEREAS, An American icon and renowned Texas troubadour, | ||
| Willie Nelson has brought joy to people around the world for half a | ||
| century and more; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The son of Myrle and Ira Nelson, Willie Hugh Nelson | ||
| was born in Abbott on April 30, 1933; he and his older sister, | ||
| Bobbie, were raised by their paternal grandparents, who encouraged | ||
| their musical talents; while still just a child, he began playing | ||
| guitar in a polka band, and he and his sister later played on the | ||
| local club circuit with Bud Fletcher and the Texans; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Nelson found work in the 1950s as a DJ in Fort | ||
| Worth and performed in local honky-tonks; he wrote his famous | ||
| gospel song "Family Bible," and his songs soon became smash hits for | ||
| Ray Price, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison, and many other stars; today, | ||
| such early compositions as "Night Life," "Crazy," "Hello Walls," | ||
| and "Funny How Time Slips Away" remain treasured classics; and | ||
| WHEREAS, After living in Nashville, he came to Austin in 1970 | ||
| and found his own audience as a leading proponent of "outlaw | ||
| country," incorporating rock 'n' roll, folk, and other influences; | ||
| he started a new Texas tradition with his freewheeling Fourth of | ||
| July picnics, and in 1975 he made a commercial breakthrough with Red | ||
| Headed Stranger; duets with Waylon Jennings on "Good Hearted Woman" | ||
| and "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" brought even | ||
| greater success, and his album of standards, Stardust, spent nearly | ||
| a decade on the country charts and sold more than four million | ||
| copies; and | ||
| WHEREAS, His film career took off with roles in The Electric | ||
| Horseman and Honeysuckle Rose, and the latter yielded a signature | ||
| song, "On the Road Again"; Mr. Nelson and Julio Iglesias ruled the | ||
| airwaves with their crossover duet "To All the Girls I've Loved | ||
| Before," and Mr. Nelson united with Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, | ||
| and Kris Kristofferson in the supergroup the Highwaymen for a host | ||
| of hits; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In the 1990s, Mr. Nelson continued his streak on the | ||
| country charts with such albums as Across the Borderline, and the | ||
| present decade has found the prolific Texan mining a variety of | ||
| musical veins, even topping the jazz charts with Two Men with the | ||
| Blues, his collaboration with Wynton Marsalis; Mr. Nelson joined | ||
| with Asleep at the Wheel to celebrate western swing on the 2009 | ||
| release Willie and the Wheel, and he received three Grammy | ||
| nominations that year; his latest album, Country Music, is up for a | ||
| Grammy in the Americana category, and "On the Road Again" is being | ||
| inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; and | ||
| WHEREAS, While maintaining a heavy touring and recording | ||
| schedule through the years, Mr. Nelson has made time for numerous | ||
| charitable endeavors; he helped launch Farm Aid in 1985 and serves | ||
| as president of the organization, which has raised more than $30 | ||
| million to support family farms; when his hometown struggled, Mr. | ||
| Nelson came to the rescue, and he continues to support its church | ||
| and grocery store; his concern for the environment has led him to | ||
| not only promote the use of alternative fuels but also invest in | ||
| biodiesel, marketing his own BioWillie brand; moreover, he has | ||
| established the Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute, advocated | ||
| for the humane treatment of horses, and headlined countless | ||
| benefits for those in need; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The myriad professional accolades bestowed on Mr. | ||
| Nelson include seven Grammys, nine Country Music Association | ||
| Awards, and Kennedy Center honors, and he was inducted into the | ||
| Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993; widely applauded for his good | ||
| works as well, he is an honorary trustee of the Dayton Peace Museum | ||
| and has received the B. B. King Blues Hero Award for community | ||
| service and the Bridging Divides Award from The University of Texas | ||
| Project on Conflict Resolution and Humanitarians Engaged in | ||
| Respectful Dialogue; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Through his incomparable music and his tireless | ||
| philanthropy, Willie Nelson has made an enormous positive | ||
| difference in the world around him, and it is indeed a pleasure to | ||
| recognize him for his accomplishments; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby honor Willie Nelson for his outstanding music | ||
| career and for his myriad contributions to the Lone Star State and | ||
| extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it | ||
| further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for Mr. Nelson as an expression of high regard by the Texas | ||
| House of Representatives. | ||
| Davis of Dallas | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 148 was adopted by the House on | ||
| January 20, 2011, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
