[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 118 (Thursday, August 5, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S6873]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO JIM WEATHERLY

   Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend Jim 
Weatherly of Pontotoc, MS, for his contribution to American music 
through prolific song writing and the attention that he has brought to 
the many talented artists in my home State of Mississippi.
  This weekend, Pontotoc County will celebrate Jim Weatherly's 
accomplishments at its annual Bodock Festival. Governor Haley Barbour 
has designated a ``Jim Weatherly Day'' as part of the festival. I 
believe this is a fitting tribute to a man who is a source of pride for 
many in Mississippi.
  Jim Weatherly has not only excelled in the arts; he has also excelled 
both academically and athletically. While I was a law school student at 
the University of Mississippi, Weatherly was a member of the Ole Miss 
football team. As quarterback, Weatherly led the Ole Miss Rebels to an 
unbeaten and untied season, resulting in a national championship in 
1962 and Southeastern Conference Championships in 1962 and 1963. As a 
star quarterback at my alma mater, Weatherly earned three letters and 
was honored as a member of the All Southeastern Conference team in 
1964.
  Jim Weatherly first started writing songs around the age of 12. He 
moved to Los Angeles, CA, in 1966 to pursue a career in the music 
industry. Weatherly has written pop, R&B, country, gospel and jazz 
songs, some of which have become classics. Weatherly has authored 
numerous hits for artists such as Gladys Knight and the Pips, Dean 
Martin, Kenny Rogers, Reba McIntire, Kenny Chesney, Hall & Oates and 
The Temptations. Some of his well-known hits include ``Midnight Train 
to Georgia,'' ``Love Finds Its Own Way'' and ``Where Peaceful Waters 
Flow.'' He was nominated for a Grammy in the R&B Songwriter of the Year 
category and helped win numerous Grammys and awards for other artists. 
He has released seven albums, including a Christmas album that he wrote 
and recorded.
  The American Society of Publishers, Authors, and Composers named 
Weatherly Country Songwriter of the Year in 1974. Weatherly is also a 
member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Mississippi 
Musicians Hall of Fame.
  Weatherly's ``Midnight Train to Georgia'' was inducted into the 
Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2001, The National Endowment for the 
Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America ranked this song 
28th among 365 Songs of the Century.
  Since moving back to the Southeast, Weatherly has continued to write, 
publish and record songs. Weatherly recently cowrote an album with 
Vince Gill that sold over 5 million copies, and he continues to have 
No. 1 country hits on the charts.
  I congratulate Mr. Weatherly on being honored by his hometown of 
Pontotoc, MS, and on his long, illustrious career. I wish him the best 
in his future endeavours.

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