[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 103 (Friday, July 10, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1720-E1721]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE LEGACY OF JIMMIE CANNON

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 8, 2009

  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, Jimmie Cannon, 80, an Imperial Valley 
legend, passed away on Thursday, May 21, 2009, at El Centro Regional 
Medical Center. Jimmie Cannon had a profound effect on the musical 
culture of the Imperial Valley and his students; he

[[Page E1721]]

brought and nurtured music and jazz in the region for five generations. 
He will be remembered as a truly great and inspirational teacher whose 
lasting effect will be felt for many years to come.
  After fulfilling his military obligation in the Army, Cannon 
graduated from Philander Smith College, in Little Rock, Arkansas. While 
studying music, he was also a member of the football and track teams. 
Following his graduation, he began teaching music at Jones High School 
in North Little Rock, where we met and married his wife of 50 years, 
Maxine Sutton. They moved to Mahaska, Kansas in 1959, where he taught 
general music from kindergarten to 12th grades.
  In 1964, the family moved to El Centro, where he taught elementary 
and junior high music. In 1966, he became the band director of The 
Great Spartan Band at Central Union High School, where he distinguished 
himself as a teacher and band director for 30 years.
  Bands from Central High received many awards and honors from the 
Orange Coast College Jazz Festivals, El Centro Navy Base Jazz Festival, 
Southwestern College Jazz Festival, Imperial Valley College Jazz 
Festival, USC Concert of the Bands, UCLA Band Festival, Holiday Bowl 
Music Festivals, Columbus Day Parade, Mother Goose Parade, and the 
Disneyland Parades and concerts in 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1987.
  The Great Spartan Band traveled extensively beginning in 1972 with a 
trip to Mexico City, where they were honored by the President of 
Mexico. The band traveled four times to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans, 
and twice to Hawaii. The bands last trip before his retirement in 1996, 
was to Disneyworld in Florida (1995), where they participated in the 
Magic Kingdom Easter Parade. Throughout the years, the band performed 
for numerous local events.
  He received the Teacher of the Year Award in 1988, which led to the 
Imperial Valley Arts Council sponsorship of Valley Jazz; a nonprofit 
big band that sponsors scholarships and provides local musicians with 
performance opportunities.
  He is survived by his wife, Maxine; two sons, Derek (Jenee), of La 
Mesa, and Mike of El Centro; one daughter, Janine of El Centro: three 
grandchildren, Breanne, Carley, and Brenna of San Diego; two nephews, 
Hardy Thrower Jr. (Susan), of Sparks, Nevada, and Eric Thrower, 
(Sandra), of San Diego.
  Funeral services were held on Sunday, May 31st, at the Southwest High 
School Center for the Performing Arts where hundreds of friends, former 
students and fellow musicians gathered to honor his life and lasting 
legacy which became synonymous with jazz.

                          ____________________