[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14102]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF BLUES MUSIC

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                               speech of

                         HON. MARSHA BLACKBURN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 22, 2004

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the importance 
of Blues music in the Memphis region, across Tennessee, and to people 
the world over.
  The Blues is a historic treasure that must be preserved and studied 
for posterity. The Blues, created to express the hardship and tough 
times faced by many in the Delta region, have comforted millions, 
brought diverse communities of people together, and created a uniquely 
American tradition.
  Almost all the music we know and love today--including jazz, country, 
even some classical--has been influenced by the Blues. America's 
musical heritage cannot be understood without the Blues, and Rock and 
Roll as we know it wouldn't exist.
  Memphis has been a wellspring of musical creativity since the first 
Mississippi Delta bluesmen started drifting north. When the great W.C. 
Handy arrived on Beale Street from the Delta in 1908, he brought along 
this magical new genre. Memphis legends like W.C. Handy and B.B. King 
are just a few among the many legends of Blues music in the United 
States who should be recognized.
  As Co-Chairman of the House Songwriters Caucus and a Tennessean, I am 
proud to help represent one of America's true music capitals.
  Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in support of H. Con. Res. 13.

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