[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 140 (Thursday, October 9, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1993]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING BENNY MARTIN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. VAN HILLEARY

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 9, 1997

  Mr. HILLEARY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the man 
whom Country Music Magazine has called the ``World's Greatest Fiddle 
Player,'' Mr. Benny Martin.
  Benny recently added another honor to his very long list of 
impressive accomplishments when his hometown of Sparta, TN, dedicated 
new city limit signs which designate the town as the ``Home of Benny 
Martin.'' When you look at everything Benny Martin has done over the 
course of his distinguished musical career, it's easy to see why Sparta 
is so eager to call him a native son.
  Benny began his musical career in his childhood more than 50 years 
ago, and he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1946. Since then, 
he has performed in person on at least three continents on some of the 
world's most prestigious stages, including Buckingham Palace in London, 
Carnegie Hall in New York, and of course, the Grand Ole Opry House in 
Nashville. Benny has also performed on many television shows, including 
``The Steve Lawrence Show'' and Dick Clark's ``American Bandstand.''
  But perhaps the most important impact Benny Martin has had is on the 
musical heritage of the great State of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I think 
my home State of Tennessee has the richest musical heritage of any 
State in our Union. From old-time mountain bluegrass in east Tennessee 
to the soulful blues of west Tennessee, from the Grand Ole Opry in 
Music City to Elvis Presley in Memphis, Tennessee's musical roots run 
deep.
  Mr. Speaker, Benny Martin and his fiddle have a very prominent place 
in that rich history, and I'm proud to call him a Tennessean, a 
constituent, and like the residents of Sparta, I'm also proud to call 
him a native son.

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