[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 7 (Thursday, January 21, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E62]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING BUD HUDDLESTON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. TRAVIS W. CHILDERS

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 21, 2010

  Mr. CHILDERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of 
Bud Huddleston as a music legend from North Mississippi. Mr. Huddleston 
has been a working musician in Tippah County and across North 
Mississippi for over 50 years.
  Mr. Huddleston, a lifelong resident of Tippah County, has spent the 
last half century making music and thrilling local crowds with his 
beloved wife, Hazel, now sadly deceased. The two met in the mid-1940s 
when Bud encountered Hazel playing at a dance in a band with her father 
and brothers. He remembers liking both her looks and her guitar 
playing. Despite the fact that Hazel's father accompanied them on their 
first date, they continued to see one another and play together, 
eventually getting married in 1949.
  Both Bud and Hazel Huddleston played music from childhood and learned 
from family members. The Huddlestons attributes a 1979 encounter with 
bluegrass musician Clarence Goodrum as having a significant impact upon 
their career. Although the two played country music, Mr. Huddleston's 
great love was bluegrass. Having the opportunity to spend time and play 
with Goodrum convinced Mr. Huddleston to make the change and they have 
played mountain music ever since.
  Despite an excellent reputation as live performers, the couple may be 
best known for their radio work. Since 1982, the Huddlestons were a 
fixture on the airwaves on Kudzu 102, a station that covers a large 
portion of North Mississippi, North West Alabama and South West 
Tennessee. They performed a bluegrass show on KUDZU 104.9 Saturday 
mornings and a bluegrass gospel program on Sundays. Mr. Huddleston is 
the voice of the program and chooses the music. Mrs. Huddleston lost 
her long battle with cancer on March 29, 2008.
  Mr. Huddleston still lives in Ripley, Mississippi where the 
Huddlestons have sponsored the Tippah Lake bluegrass festival for over 
20 years, now with crowds of more than 700. I ask my colleagues to join 
me today in thanking Mr. Bud Huddleston for the joy his years of 
performances and broadcasts have brought to his audience. We recognize 
him today for a life of love and musicianship.

                          ____________________