[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 22, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E550]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING ROYAL STUDIOS AS THE RECORDING HOME OF THE BILLBOARD HOT 
                        100 #1 HIT, UPTOWN FUNK

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                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 22, 2015

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Royal Studios in 
Memphis, Tennessee for recording Uptown Funk, which has topped the 
Billboard Hot 100 for fourteen weeks and counting, marking the single 
as the longest-leading Billboard Hot 100 of the 2010s. Additionally, 
Uptown Funk's fourteenth week makes it only the Billboard's eighth 
single since the chart began in 1958 to hold the top spot for at least 
as long and places it in a seven-way tie for the second longest #1 hit 
in the history of the Chart. The only single among this elite group of 
eight to surpass Uptown Funk has held the #1 spot for sixteen weeks. 
The single also leads the Hot 100's Digital Songs, Radio Songs and 
Streaming Songs charts. In a raving endorsement of Uptown Funk's 
popularity, First Lady Michelle Obama with cast from the show ``So You 
Think You Can Dance'' performed a choreographed dance to the song as 
part of her ``Let's Move!'' initiative on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and 
at this year's White House Easter Egg Roll. The collaboration between 
Uptown Funk writer Mark Ronson, singer Bruno Mars and Royal Studios has 
swept the music scene in America and abroad, and has given listeners 
around the world a taste of the soulful sound that is unique to 
Memphis.
   Uptown Funk is an example of born-and-bred Memphis musical talent. 
Ronson, a Grammy-winning artist and a noted producer for talents such 
as Adele and the late Amy Winehouse, traveled to Memphis in February 
2014 looking to recruit singers for his music project. It was then that 
he visited Royal Studios and met owner Lawrence ``Boo'' Mitchell, the 
son of Memphis music legend and producer, Willie Mitchell, and decided 
to record at the iconic studio. Ronson enlisted Philip Lawrence and 
notable Royal Studios familiars Steve Jordan, Willie Weeks, Kevin 
Parker, Trombone Shorty, Mystikal and Michael Chabon to work on the 
single. Uptown Funk also features Bruno Mars's band member and 
Memphian, Kameron Whalum, who is the son of Pastor Kenneth Whalum of 
Olivet Baptist Church in Memphis and the nephew of Grammy-winning 
saxophonist Kirk Whalum.
   The success of Uptown Funk is the latest chapter in the long and 
storied history of Royal Studios, one of the oldest music recording 
studios in the world. Housed originally in a movie theater built in 
1915, Royal Studios was founded in 1957 and became the home of Hi 
Records and the Hi Rhythm Section. Since that time, numerous acclaimed 
artists have recorded there, including Willie Mitchell, Al Green, Ann 
Peebles, Bobby Blue Bland, Elton John, Robert Plant, Snoop Dogg and 
many others. The studio has also recorded for Hollywood films including 
Opportunity Knocks, Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, The Book of Eli, 
Love Jones, Six Feet Under and other films and television shows. Uptown 
Funk marks Royal Studios' first #1 hit since Al Green's 1972 Let's Stay 
Together and the first Billboard 100 Hit out of Memphis since the 1976 
hit Disco Duck by Rick Dees.
   Uptown Funk continues Royal Studios' long tradition of musical 
excellence and showing the world what Memphis has to offer. I ask all 
of my colleagues to join me in recognizing Memphis' Royal Studios as 
the recording home for the Billboard-chart topping single, Uptown Funk, 
and the dedicated work of Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars, Kameron Whalum, 
Lawrence ``Boo'' Mitchell and the entire Royal Studios family in 
producing a single with such a soulful Memphis sound that has reached 
listeners worldwide. Many people have noted that Uptown Funk will be 
one of the hottest hits this summer. If you don't believe them, just 
watch.

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