[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10275-H10276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE CITIES OF BRISTOL, TENNESSEE, AND 
         BRISTOL, VIRGINIA, TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF COUNTRY MUSIC

  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 214) recognizing the 
contributions of the cities of Bristol, Tennessee, and Bristol, 
Virginia, and their people to the origins and development of Country 
Music, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 214

       Whereas the cities of Bristol, Tennessee, and Bristol, 
     Virginia, have long been a gathering place for musicians from 
     the nearby mountainous countryside;
       Whereas phonographic recordings made in Bristol in August 
     of 1927 launched the careers of the Carter Family and Jimmie 
     Rodgers, who are recognized as the first commercially 
     successful modern Country Music artists;
       Whereas these recordings have been called the ``Big Bang of 
     Country Music'' by the Country Music Foundation in its 
     publication ``Country, the Music and the Musicians'';
       Whereas Jimmie Rodgers has been named the Father of Country 
     Music and was the first artist to be inducted into the 
     Country Music Hall of Fame;
       Whereas the original members of the Carter Family have been 
     recognized as Country Music's First Family in part because 
     their works have had an unparalleled influence on succeeding 
     generations of Country Music artists;
       Whereas ``The Roots of Country Music'', a three-part 
     television series which aired nationally on the Turner 
     Broadcasting System in June of 1996, recognized the 
     significant contribution of the cities of Bristol to the 
     development and commercial acceptance of Country Music;
       Whereas in 1984 the Tennessee Senate recognized Bristol as 
     the ``Birthplace of Country Music''; and
       Whereas in 1995, the Virginia General Assembly recognized 
     Bristol as the ``Birthplace of Country Music'': Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) recognizes the critical contributions of the cities of 
     Bristol, Tennessee, and Bristol, Virginia, and their 
     residents to the origins and development of Country Music;
       (2) congratulates the cities of Bristol, Tennessee, and 
     Bristol, Virginia, for launching with the Bristol recordings 
     of 1927 the careers of the Nation's first widely known 
     Country Music artists; and
       (3) acknowledges and commends the cities of Bristol, 
     Tennessee, and Bristol, Virginia, as the birthplace of 
     Country Music, a style of music which has enjoyed broad 
     commercial success in the United States and throughout much 
     of the world.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Martinez) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H. Con. Res. 214.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds.
  Today I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 214, which designates the 
cities of Bristol, Tennessee, and Bristol, Virginia, as the birthplace 
of country music. General Assembly of Virginia and Tennessee State 
Senate have previously made this designation. The gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Jenkins) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucher) 
take their cue from their respective State legislative bodies and 
introduced an identical concurrent resolution in the House.
  I must admit my age. My two country music stars just died: Gene Autry 
and Roy Rogers.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Tennessee (Mr. Jenkins).
  Mr. JENKINS. Mr. Speaker, let me say thanks to the committee for 
their consideration of this resolution and for allowing us to consider 
it here today.
  Mr. Speaker, the city of Bristol is two cities: Bristol, Tennessee, 
and Bristol, Virginia; Bristol, Tennessee, being in the First 
Congressional District of Tennessee, and Bristol, Virginia, being in 
the Ninth Congressional District of Virginia, and represented very ably 
by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucher).

                              {time}  1215

  Mr. Speaker, in the 1920s, when country music was in its infancy, 
artists from throughout Tennessee and Virginia and the entire region 
gathered in Bristol to perform. Some of the most important developments 
in country music took place there.
  In 1927, the Carter family, which later became the First Family of 
Country Music, and Jimmie Rogers, who became the Father of Country 
Music, had recording sessions there, very significant recording 
sessions there.
  These recordings became known in time by the country music foundation 
as the ``Big Bang of Country Music.'' They are credited with propelling 
the Carter family and Jimmie Rogers and country music itself to a 
commercially successful venture.
  Today, country music is enjoyed throughout this country and 
throughout the world. As the Chairman pointed out, in 1984, the 
Tennessee Senate recognized Bristol as the birthplace of country music. 
In 1995, the General Assembly of Virginia recognized Bristol as the 
birthplace of country music.
  Today we have this resolution which recognizes the contributions of 
Bristol and its people to the origins and the development of country 
music. This, I think, significantly is cosponsored by the entire 
delegations from the States of Tennessee and Virginia. I ask support 
for this well-deserved recognition.
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution. My 
colleagues may wonder why a city boy from Los Angeles would be so 
supportive of country music. But years ago when I worked in a factory, 
the gentleman next to me was from the south. In fact, he was from 
Tennessee, and he had a little recorder in there, and that is all he 
played was country music.
  I remember one of the first songs that I was ever attracted to was a 
song by Johnny Cash, ``I Walked The Line.'' It was very apropos of the 
way I felt at that time.
  I could understand the words. A lot of the other music I could not 
understand the words. It seemed to me like every piece of country music 
tells a story, a story of some kind. Sometimes they are too sad. But, 
regardless, they do tell a story, and they are very interesting to 
listen to. I like the rhythms in a lot of them.
  Of course I remember Jimmie Rogers and I remember Gene Autry and all 
the people that the Chairman mentioned. But I am more into the kind of 
modern day country music stars like George Strait, Vince Gill, and a 
lot of the people that have really brought country music to the front.
  But this legislation, as the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Goodling) has said, honors the cities of Bristol, Virginia, and 
Bristol, Tennessee, giving it much credit for the origin and the 
development of the county music. I commend the gentleman from Tennessee 
(Mr. Jenkins) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucher) for 
bringing this measure before the House.
  As I said, I am a fan of country music, and I am pleased to speak in 
favor of this resolution. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of 
this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucher).

[[Page H10276]]

  (Mr. BOUCHER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BOUCHER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
California for his kind words and for yielding me this time.
  I also want to express appreciation to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) for his very fine efforts and the efforts 
of his staff in bringing this measure to the floor. We very much 
appreciate his assistance.
  I want to pay a special tribute to my friend and colleague from 
Tennessee (Mr. Jenkins), with whom I was pleased to draft this measure, 
offer it to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and with whom 
I am pleased to present the matter to the House today.
  I am pleased to rise in strong support of the passage of House 
Concurrent Resolution 214 which recognizes the contributions of the 
cities of Bristol, Virginia and Tennessee as the birthplace of country 
music.
  This measure is an effort to recognize the many contributions of the 
two cities of Bristol to the origin of country music. From its 
beginnings in the mountains of the Southern Appalachians, country music 
has steadily grown to become the most popular form of music in our 
Nation today. The two cities of Bristol served as the early foundation 
for that growth.
  Portable recording equipment developed in the late 1920s allowed 
talent scouts to travel the countryside to capture the performances of 
country musicians in their natural habitats. Bristol had long been a 
gathering place for musicians from the nearby mountains.
  In August of 1997, a talent scout named Ralph Peer and two engineers 
from the Victor Records Corporation came to Bristol with the intent of 
capturing the musical sounds of the area. The phonographic recordings 
that were made during those historic Bristol sessions launched the 
careers of the Carter family and also of Jimmie Rogers, who are widely 
recognized as the first commercially successful country music artists.
  The original members of the Carter family have been recognized as 
country music's first family in part because their works have had an 
unparalleled influence on succeeding generations of country music 
artists. Their vocal harmonies served as the basis for almost every 
vocal group that followed in the ensuing years.
  Jimmie Rogers has been named the Father of Country Music. The first 
artist to be inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame was Jimmie 
Rogers.
  The recordings made in Bristol in August of 1927 have been called the 
Big Bang of Country Music by the Country Music Foundation in its 
publication ``Country, the Music and the Musicians.'' These recordings 
in Bristol transported country music from the mountains of our region 
into the national commercial marketplace.
  In recent years, the States of Virginia and Tennessee, through their 
General Assemblies, have both adopted resolutions declaring the two 
cities of Bristol to be the birthplace of country music. Based upon 
that historical record today, I am pleased to urge our colleagues in 
the House of Representatives to append that well-earned designation to 
these two cities.
  I thank my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. 
Jenkins), for his co-authorship of this measure. I thank the entire 
delegations of Tennessee and Virginia who have co-authored this measure 
with us. I am very pleased to urge the passage of this resolution by 
the House.
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 214.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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