[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 583 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 583

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Lester Flatt 
     has made an invaluable contribution to American art as both a 
 songwriter and a performer, leaving an indelible legacy in bluegrass 
                                 music.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 2009

  Mr. Davis of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. Delahunt, Mr. Shuler, Mr. 
 Childers, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Moore of Kansas, Mr. Coble, Mr. Tanner, Mr. 
  Neal of Massachusetts, Mr. Duncan, and Mr. McGovern) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
                               and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Lester Flatt 
     has made an invaluable contribution to American art as both a 
 songwriter and a performer, leaving an indelible legacy in bluegrass 
                                 music.

Whereas Lester Flatt was born on June 19, 1914, in the region of Sparta, 
        Tennessee;
Whereas Lester Flatt began playing guitar and singing in local churches at a 
        young age;
Whereas Lester Flatt got his first break playing with Charlie Monroe and the 
        Kentucky Pardners in North Carolina in the early 1940s;
Whereas in 1945, Lester Flatt was invited by Bill Monroe to play rhythm guitar 
        and sing with Monroe's band on the Grand Ole Opry;
Whereas Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise, Howard Watts, and Bill Monroe 
        are widely credited with the creation of bluegrass music through their 
        band, Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys;
Whereas Lester Flatt later joined with Earl Scruggs to create the band Flatt and 
        Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys, which remains one of the most 
        influential bands in bluegrass music;
Whereas in 1969, Lester Flatt parted with Scruggs to form the band Nashville 
        Grass, with whom he performed until shortly before his death on May 11, 
        1979;
Whereas in 1991, Lester Flatt, along with Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs, became 
        an inaugural member of the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame; 
        and
Whereas Lester Flatt is widely regarded as one of the greatest bluegrass 
        musicians and singers of all time, writing dozens of songs that are 
        considered bluegrass classics: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
Lester Flatt has made an invaluable contribution to American art as 
both a songwriter and a performer, leaving an indelible legacy in 
bluegrass music.
                                 <all>