Bill Text: TX HR634 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Honoring country music legend Merle Haggard.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-03-14 - Reported enrolled [HR634 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-HR634-Introduced.html

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83R11893 JWI-D
By: Miller of Comal H.R. No. 634

R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, For nearly half a century, the music of Merle
Haggard has championed those familiar with the hardships of life,
and the evocative songs of this country music legend have made a
lasting mark on American music and earned him recognition as the
poet of the common man; and
WHEREAS, Merle Haggard was born in Oildale, California, in
1937, the son of Dust Bowl migrants from Oklahoma; the loss he felt
at the death of his father set him on a troubled path during his
youth, and he spent time in a number of juvenile detention centers
before ultimately being sentenced to a term in San Quentin State
Prison in 1957; there, he resolved to turn his life around and was
inspired to join the prison band after seeing Johnny Cash perform
for the inmates; and
WHEREAS, Following his release in 1960, he began performing
in California clubs with his band, the Strangers, helping to
popularize the rousing, guitar-driven "Bakersfield sound"; in
1966, he had his first number one hit with "I'm a Lonesome
Fugitive," and in the years that followed, he began using his
songwriting skills to acknowledge his turbulent past and to reflect
on the experiences of those close to him; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Haggard went on to record nearly 40
chart-topping songs, including the self-penned classics "Hungry
Eyes," about the despair of Great Depression labor camps, "Mama
Tried," describing a son's guilt for being sent to prison, and "Okie
from Muskogee," channeling his father's Oklahoma roots for what
would become a patriotic anthem; and
WHEREAS, Whether he's singing of the thrill of love, the
bitterness of loss, or the day-to-day grind of the "Workin' Man
Blues," Mr. Haggard has enjoyed critical acclaim in addition to
great popular success; he has won three Grammys and numerous
Academy of Country Music awards, and he was inducted into the
Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994; moreover, his lifetime
achievements were lauded in 2010 with his selection as a Kennedy
Center Honoree; and
WHEREAS, Merle Haggard gives voice to the struggles, demons,
and dreams of everyday people, and his extraordinary gifts as a
writer and performer have earned him the respect of his peers and
the admiration of countless fans across the United States and
beyond; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to country music legend Merle
Haggard and extend to him sincere best wishes for good health,
continued success, and happiness; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Haggard as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.