[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 24, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H3760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL BAND

  (Ms. RICHARDSON asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the daughter of a 
musician to honor the Long Beach Municipal Band on their 100-year 
anniversary. On March 14, 1909, under the direction of E. Harry Willey, 
the Long Beach Municipal Band gave its first performance at the Bath 
House Band Shell on the Pine Avenue Pier.
  In particular, what I want to say about the band is, following a 6.25 
magnitude earthquake in March of 1933 that almost destroyed an entire 
city, it was the band that remained and played to encourage the 
families who were left in shelters and in nearby parks.
  Since that time, the Long Beach Municipal Band has gone on to perform 
57,000 concerts, over 1 million pieces of music. Also, it's known as 
the longest running, municipally supported band in our country.
  Please applaud our great city that has made an investment--the 
second-largest city in the largest county in this Nation--to remember 
that art is a part of music, and it's a part of this country.

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