[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E997-E998]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING HERSCHEL SIZEMORE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. H. MORGAN GRIFFITH

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 29, 2022

  Mr. GRIFFITH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Herschel 
Sizemore of Roanoke County, Virginia, who passed away on September 9, 
2022, at the age of 87. Mr. Sizemore was a significant figure in the 
field of bluegrass music.

[[Page E998]]

  Western Virginia is the possessor of a rich musical heritage. It is 
the home to legendary talents such as the Carter family and Ralph 
Stanley. Annual festivals and competitions offer musicians a chance to 
perform and thrive in their own distinct genres.
  To this vibrant musical scene came Herschel Sizemore in 1969. He was 
already an accomplished musician by that time. He had grown up in 
Alabama in a home that encouraged musical interests. His mother, 
Rebecca, was a self-taught guitarist with a style compared to Mother 
Maybelle Carter, according to Mr. Sizemore's obituary in Bluegrass 
Today. He was drawn toward the mandolin after hearing Bill Monroe 
perform in the Grand Ole Opry both on the radio and in person. When his 
brother Ross sent home a mandolin while away from home during a 
military deployment, Mr. Sizemore began playing the instrument with 
old-time fiddler Hugh McCormick.
  At 14 years old, Mr. Sizemore started playing at local events as a 
paid performer with Ned Campbell & the Sunnyside Playboys. He became 
part of a professional group three years later, variously named the 
Tennessee Valley Playboys, the Country Gentlemen, and the Dixie 
Gentlemen, that toured, performed on air, and recorded.
  When Mr. Sizemore moved to Roanoke in 1969, he continued playing by 
touring and recording with the Shenandoah Cut-Ups. He formed a group of 
his own, the Country Grass, and then joined the Dixie Pals. Mr. 
Sizemore's own album, Bounce Away, showcased his unique style of 
mandolin playing. One of its songs, Rebecca, named after his mother, 
became a popular tune in the bluegrass community and his most 
recognizable.
  Work kept Mr. Sizemore from regularly performing for a period. After 
retiring, he joined the Bluegrass Cardinals, released more albums of 
his own, and worked with others. As a frequent teacher and mentor of 
younger players, he was known in the bluegrass community for his 
generosity with his considerable skill.
  Mr. Sizemore is survived by his wife, Joyce Sizemore; children, 
Charlotte (Mike) Bishop, Tamba (Ralph) Agee, and Lee (Vickie) Sizemore; 
grandchildren, Dusty Davis, Sara Davis (Kyle) Duncan, Jenni Bishop 
(Jordan) Ramey, Matt Walrond, Steven Walrond, Jacob Agee, Cheyenna 
Agee, Drew (Savannah) Sizemore, Michael (Bri) Sizemore, and Garrett 
Carter; ten great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. I 
offer them my condolences on their loss. He leaves behind a unique 
legacy that burnishes Virginia's reputation as a home for great music.

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