[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 26, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H338-H339]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1415
                         HONORING LESTER FLATT

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 583) expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives that Lester Flatt has made an invaluable contribution 
to American art as both a songwriter and a performer, leaving an 
indelible legacy in bluegrass music, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 583

       Whereas Lester Flatt was born on June 19, 1914, and was 
     raised in the region of Sparta, Tennessee;
       Whereas Lester Flatt began playing guitar and singing in 
     local churches at a young age;
       Whereas Lester Flatt began his career with Charlie Monroe 
     and the Kentucky Pardners in North Carolina in the early 
     1940s;
       Whereas in 1945, Lester Flatt was invited by Bill Monroe to 
     play rhythm guitar and sing with Monroe's band on the Grand 
     Ole Opry;
       Whereas Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise, Howard 
     Watts, and Bill Monroe are widely credited with the creation 
     of bluegrass music through their band, Bill Monroe and the 
     Bluegrass Boys;
       Whereas Lester Flatt later joined with Earl Scruggs to 
     create the band Flatt and Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain 
     Boys, which remains one of the most influential bands in 
     bluegrass music;
       Whereas in 1969, Lester Flatt parted with Scruggs to form 
     the band Nashville Grass, with whom he performed until 
     shortly before his death on May 11, 1979;
       Whereas in 1991, Lester Flatt, along with Bill Monroe and 
     Earl Scruggs, became an inaugural member of the International 
     Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame; and
       Whereas Lester Flatt is widely regarded as one of the 
     greatest bluegrass musicians and singers of all time, writing 
     dozens of songs that are considered bluegrass classics: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of 
     Representatives that Lester Flatt has made an invaluable 
     contribution to American art as both a songwriter and a 
     performer, leaving an indelible legacy in bluegrass music.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Woolsey) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 
583 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today to support House Resolution 583, which recognizes Lester 
Flatt's invaluable contributions to American art as both a songwriter 
and a performer. One of nine children, Lester Flatt was born on June 9, 
1914, and raised in Sparta, Tennessee. As a singer and a guitarist, 
Lester Flatt is widely considered one of the founding fathers of 
bluegrass music.
  He learned to sing and to play the guitar in local churches. As a 
member of the legendary Flatt and Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys, 
Flatt not only popularized bluegrass music, he transformed the music 
genre from regional to national. Bluegrass music itself, Madam Speaker, 
originated in the early 1600s as an American art form of immigrants as 
they came to America. Irish, Scottish, English and African American 
cultures have played a major part in developing bluegrass music.
  The music started in rural areas and in small towns describing life 
in the hills or on the farms. Eventually this sound became popularized 
and Lester Flatt emerged from Tennessee as our Nation's premiere 
bluegrass artist.
  With Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys in the mid-1940s, Lester helped 
bring national acclaim to bluegrass music with the Original Bluegrass 
Band. Later in Flatt's career he teamed up with Earl Scruggs to create 
the Foggy Mountain Boys in 1948. This group went on to achieve 
longstanding success and prestige unprecedented in the bluegrass music 
world. Parting with Earl in 1969, Lester continued successfully with 
his own ``Nashville Grass'' until shortly before his death in 1979.
  Though he reached tremendous heights across the Nation, Flatt 
preferred to perform in small towns. He, along with two others, became 
inaugural members of the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
  Madam Speaker, I want to once again congratulate Lester Flatt on his 
artistic accomplishments and honor his extraordinary life. I thank 
Congressman Lincoln Davis from Tennessee for bringing this resolution 
forward today.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 583, expressing the sense 
of the House of Representatives that Lester Flatt has made an 
invaluable contribution to the American art as both a songwriter and a 
performer, and has left an indelible legacy on bluegrass music.
  Born in Overton County, Tennessee, in 1914, by age seven he had 
learned to play the guitar and sang in his church choir. He began 
entertaining locally and began to pursue a music career when rheumatoid 
arthritis forced him to quit his job in a local silk mill. As has been 
stated, he started in 1945 with the Blue Grass Boys, then later with 
the Foggy Mountain Boys and then finally with the Nashville Grass.
  He passed away, but his voice and unique bluegrass style will always 
be remembered. Lester Flatt and the Bluegrass Boys are credited with 
the introduction of bluegrass music to this Nation. Bluegrass music is 
a unique form of American roots music and is considered a sub-genre of 
the country music scene.
  Bluegrass was especially popular in the rural areas of this country, 
and it's often referred to as the Kentucky bluegrass after Bill Monroe, 
who was from Kentucky and a member of the Bluegrass Boys. Bluegrass 
music is a uniquely American art form and Lester Flatt helped to 
introduce this music to the Nation. Lester Flatt left an indelible 
legacy in bluegrass music and in the American art, and I ask my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I'm pleased to recognize the gentleman 
from Tennessee (Mr. Davis), the sponsor of this legislation, for as 
much time as he may consume.
  Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. I thank the gentlelady for yielding time, and 
I will make some very brief comments.
  As we look across America, we look at our rivers, our streams, our 
oceans and our lakes, the scenic mountains of Tennessee, the scenic 
mountains, obviously the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians. Our 
artists that will paint portraits and paintings on canvas, our 
literature, through great authors of our time, our character, as a 
Nation, our heritage, our family traditions, our family values, and, 
yes, our music are part of this great American heritage.
  Our music, music of those like Flatt and Scruggs that, when I was a 
child growing up, listening to a radio operated by a battery on a 
Saturday night was one of the special times when the family got 
together. But certainly for this particular occasion, for that hour-
long session, the ``Grand Ole Opry,'' we would hear such performers as 
Bashful Oswald and Stringbean and, yes, Flatt and Scruggs, that became 
an entity in the mid-forties.
  Lester Flatt was born in Sparta, Tennessee, in a district that I now 
represent in White County. And from that, he basically learned his art 
in church by singing with the choir. He learned his art by self-
teaching and by instructions from others in the community of how to 
play different instruments. And

[[Page H339]]

he became someone that those of us who loved mountain music, who loved 
the mountain music, loved to hear him. The songs that he sang, the 
songs that he composed--most he sang himself, and some were sung by 
others. But he gave us, all of us who live in America and all of those 
of us who love bluegrass music on a Saturday night, or Monday, Tuesday, 
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and gospel music on Sunday night that's 
bluegrass style, kind of have a great deal of respect and reverence for 
Lester Flatt.
  It is my honor as a Member of Congress and it is my honor as the 
Congressman who represents the area where he was born and later moved 
to North Carolina and Kentucky to perform to audiences that were 
blessed with his voice, which was unique and his music, which was 
unique and the three-finger roll that was brought by the banjo to make 
that music even better. So it's my honor today to recognize this giant 
who was one of the first three that became a member of the Hall of Fame 
in 1991, and it's fitting that he did. So it's fitting that we here 
today honor this giant of bluegrass music.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. After hearing the eloquence of the gentleman from 
Tennessee, I'm embarrassed to admit that the only thing I think of, 
when I hear Lester Flatt's name, I have to think of ``The Beverly 
Hillbillies.''
  But with that, I'd like to yield as much time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble).
  Mr. COBLE. I thank the gentleman from Utah for yielding. I appreciate 
that. And you're on the money: ``The Beverly Hillbillies,'' indeed, 
were a very significant role that they played: Lester Flatt, Earl 
Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys brought to you by Martha White. 
Those introductory words were disseminated, Madam Speaker, across the 
airwaves throughout Tennessee, southeastern United States and beyond, 
introducing what, in my opinion, was the world's premiere bluegrass 
aggregation during that era, specifically the fifties and the sixties.
  I realize that the distinguished gentleman from Tennessee can claim, 
and rightly so, that Lester Flatt was his constituent, but I would be 
remiss if I didn't remind him again that Earl Scruggs, the world's 
premiere 5-string banjoist is a native Carolinian, although not a 
resident in the district I represent.
  In addition to Lester and Earl, Paul, Josh and Jake completed the 
starting five. But when Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy 
Mountain Boys performed, whether on radio, television or in live 
concert, Americana was on parade because bluegrass music, after all, is 
America's music. These men, all superb musicians, were celebrities in 
their own right, but they did not conduct themselves as celebrities. 
They were not unlike our next-door neighbor or the guy down the street.
  Finally, I think it's fitting and appropriate that this House of 
Representatives recognizes today that Lester Flatt has made an 
invaluable contribution to American art as both a songwriter and a 
performer, leaving an indelible legacy in bluegrass music.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. We have no more speakers, so I urge my colleagues 
to vote favorably on this particular resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I fully support recognizing legendary 
bluegrass singer and songwriter Lester Flatt for his many contributions 
to American music.
  Music is a tradition that most of us in West Virginia have enjoyed 
our entire lives. Lester Flatt is a great example of the amazing 
collection of musical talent in Appalachia. This resolution supports 
the history and traditions of our region and brings awareness to the 
talents of Bluegrass Musicians.
  Lester Flatt was an acclaimed guitarist, lead singer and a leader in 
making Blue Grass music what it is today. Most famous for his long 
career with Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs and the Blue Grass Boys; Lester 
Flatt and his legendary sounds and strong rhythm and guitar playing 
helped to create the unique and memorable sound of modern Bluegrass.
  A southern West Virginia Bluegrass legend Everett Lilly, originally 
from Clear Creek near Beckley, had the opportunity to tour with Lester 
Flatt in the early 1950s, and participated in classic duet recordings 
with Lester Flatt.
  In southern West Virginia we celebrate not only famous Bluegrass 
Musicians like Lester Flatt and Everett Lilly, but all of our talented 
musicians through efforts led by the West Virginia Humanities Council 
and the Music Hall of Fame exhibit at Tamarack. The permanent exhibit 
at Tamarack in Beckley, WV houses memorabilia and recorded works of 
Mountain State musicians of the last 50 years and is accompanied by a 
concert series and a variety of educational programs.
  Another exciting initiative is The WV Music Hall of Fame's Traveling 
Museum which is a collaborated effort between the Humanities Council 
and the WV Department of Education. The exhibits showcase the variety 
of music that has come from the Mountain State, from opera and jazz to 
gospel, traditional, country, bluegrass, blues and rock 'n' roll. While 
visiting the Traveling Museum, you can view an interactive county by 
county map of West Virginia's musical history, listen to a variety of 
music and even make your own CD.
  I fully encouraged this partnership and commend The Hall of Fame on a 
remarkable job in its first few years.
  Music was the missing link to West Virginia's premiere arts venue, 
Tamarack. The Hall of Fame and Tamarack are natural partners. I 
encourage my fellow West Virginians to support our State and our 
regions' great musicians and organizations--all working to keep our 
arts and humanities heritage alive and well in our communities, 
schools, and lives.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 
583, which recognizes Lester Flatt's invaluable contributions to 
American art as both a songwriter and a performer, and I yield back the 
remainder of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 583, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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