[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 45 (Thursday, March 9, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE LIFE, LEGACY AND MEMORY OF MR. RONALD McFADDEN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 9, 2023

  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr Speaker, today I rise saddened to share the news of 
the premature demise of one of Kansas City's greatest treasures and a 
dear friend of mine. Mr. Ronald McFadden. Ronald and his brother Lonnie 
formed the iconic duo known throughout the world as the McFadden 
Brothers. The McFadden Brothers graduated from Lincoln High School and 
after countless hours of musical and tap lessons, performed their first 
official McFadden Brothers act on July 30, 1983, at the Music Hall with 
Oleta Adams. Since then, this team performed before thousands of 
audiences around the world, beginning in Japan in 1976 and later 
performances with Wayne Newton in Las Vegas during the 1990s. But what 
some people don't know is that they started performing at the old 
Muehlebach Hotel in downtown Kansas City, Missouri at the tender ages 
of 6 and 7 years old where they were led by their father, an 
extraordinary musician in his own right.
  These two were more than just musicians, they were the consummate 
entertainers. They could sing with the best vocalist, their harmony 
allowed their audiences to float on clouds, their tap dancing style and 
choreography evoked memories of the famous Nicholas Brothers, their 
coordination, timing and precision awed each audience member from every 
end of the world. Their energy was so electrifying that it captured 
each audience from the time they stepped upon the stage until their 
final bow, after what was certainly a memorable experience. Their 
dynamic brand of multi-discipline performance demonstrated talents that 
were honed after countless hours of practice and dedication to their 
craft. In 2016, the McFadden Brothers received the Lifetime Achievement 
Award from the American Jazz Museum, and they received the Living 
Legends Awards from Tapology in October of 2017. In 2022, the McFadden 
Brothers received the distinction of being enshrined into the Jazz Walk 
of Fame in the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, where I personally 
congratulated them. During a recent interview after Ronnie's death, 
Lonnie was asked how significant it was to lose his brother, and Lonnie 
explained that everyone who knew Ronnie feels as if they lost their 
closest friend. Lonnie's words reflect my own feelings at the moment, 
but I have no doubt that Ronnie's presence will continue to be felt for 
generations to come thanks to his music and the lives he touched.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me and all of Missouri's Fifth Congressional 
District in celebrating the life and legacy of world renowned jazz 
legend and Kansas City's own, Mr. Ronald McFadden. May his memory be a 
blessing.

                          ____________________