[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6999-7000]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  A TRIBUTE TO JUNIOUS NORFLEET, A PIONEERING ARTIST, MUSICIAN AND AN 
                           AMERICAN ORIGINAL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOBBY L. RUSH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 24, 2008

  Mr. RUSH. Madam Speaker, on this day it is my esteemed honor to enter 
into the Record a heartfelt tribute to a great artist, musician and a 
Chicagoan for most of his life, the late Junious Norfleet. America may 
not know Junious Norfleet's name but they surely know his music. 
Junious, also known as ``Bud,'' was the youngest brother of the famed 
Norfleet Brothers whose artistry--a skillful mix of R&B, jazz and 
gospel--grew in popularity in the 1950s. Junious provided the jazzy, 
sultry but powerful voice of a tenor whose tone, skillful delivery and 
showmanship propelled him to the lead of this pioneering musical group. 
Junious' life on Earth ended on March 25, 2008, following complications 
from a stroke. He leaves behind his wife, Janet Norfleet, Chicago's 
first female postmaster, and thousands of adoring family members, 
friends and fans, like me, throughout our Nation.
  As a fan and admirer of Junious Norfleet, when I think of his life as 
an African American in these United States, I think that, in many ways, 
it mirrors the challenges, growth and triumphs of our nation. Junious 
was born in the town of Marion, Alabama on March 20, 1926 to the union 
of Jake and Indiana Norfleet. He was the youngest of 15 children, a 
``PK,'' or preacher's kid, who grew up in a loving, but disciplined 
home in the segregated South. Junious came of age enjoying his 
childhood. He learned the value of hard work while living in a large, 
rural environment where he was responsible for the care and upkeep of 
his own portion of land. There, his parents grew sweet

[[Page 7000]]

potatoes, cotton and other produce and he recounted many days of 
happiness from enjoying something as simple and refreshing as 
watermelon on a hot summer day. He did share with his friends, though, 
that no children of his would ever have to perform such rigorous, 
manual labor. And he, indeed, delivered on that promise for his family.
  With a father as a minister and the youngest of 15 children (ten boys 
and five girls), the church was always a big part of Junious' life. He 
grew up singing with his older brothers on the family farm in Marion, 
Alabama. They would perform at any time, anywhere, so long as people 
were around to listen. Junious was handsome and charismatic, the 
perfect lead for any music group. He possessed a booming voice that 
made others stop and take notice. As word of the Norfleet Brothers' 
talent began to spread, they gained their first taste of commercial 
success by hosting a 15-minute radio program which broadcast every 
Saturday afternoon from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It was 
in Tuscaloosa where The Norfleet Brothers recorded their first record.
  As their singing abilities began to be recognized, in 1948, after 
some of his older brothers completed tours of duty in WWII, The 
Norfleet Brothers began to travel. They sang in churches and town halls 
in Tennessee, Cincinnati, Ohio and Chicago while driving across the 
country in their cherished, fiery red Chevy. Junious along with his 
brothers, Peter Young, Arthur and Joseph, his nephew, Wilson, cousin 
Nathaniel and their friend, George, made quite a name for themselves 
while building an adoring fan base. Their notoriety had a bit of a 
downside as, after performing in Chicago, they found that their red 
Chevy had been stolen. But their loss was Chicago's gain as they 
decided to make Chicago their home.
  Never afraid of hard work, Junious and his brothers worked a variety 
of jobs while continuing to sing. A patriotic American, like his 
brothers before him, Junious served, stateside, in the Army from 1953 
to 1956. During this time he continued to balance love of country, love 
of family and a passionate desire to build a career in music and 
entertainment. Like other talented African American artists at that 
time, Junious and his brothers had to struggle with unscrupulous record 
labels and managers during an era when Jim Crow segregation remained 
the law of the land. Still, the Norfleet Brothers continued their rise 
to prominence in the 1950s with a traditional, four-part harmony gospel 
sound that was backed with guitar. The group maintained this structure 
even as gospel moved toward heavier instrumentation and more of a 
``shout out'' style of singing, according to author Bob Marovich who is 
writing a history of gospel in Chicago. Songs on which Junious was 
featured as lead tenor included ``Through it All'' and ``What a Friend 
We Have in Jesus.'' According to his wife, ``Wade in the Water'' was 
his favorite. During this time the group cut an album, ``Shadrach,'' 
and were widely known for the song ``None but the Righteous.''
  According to published reports, the cast of the group was fluid and 
they began touring in the late 1940s. Over time, The Norfleet Brothers 
were joined by other family members and an occasional outsider and, 
later, the sons of the original members also sang with the group. In 
1957, they won the first place prize on the Morris B. Sikes Amateur 
Hour, a local television program. They appeared on several television 
programs and were hired to sing television commercials for a local auto 
dealer.
  In 1963, The Norfleet Brothers became the host of the Emmy award-
winning ``Jubilee Showcase,'' Chicago's longest running television 
program (1963-1984). The Norfleet Brothers performed as the headlining 
act for 21 years! The group continued to perform at various churches 
and events. They held their annual gospel concerts at Hartzell Memorial 
United Methodist Church during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1988, The 
Norfleet Brothers celebrated their 50th Anniversary in the music 
business with a concert at Olivet Baptist Church in Chicago.
  Junious is survived by his loving wife, Janet, and by several 
children, grandchildren, a host of nieces and nephews, grand nieces, 
grand nephews and a legion of fans, young and old, who will miss his 
charming smile and his wonderful voice. In addition to this reflection, 
Junious Norfleet's legacy will live on as, in recent years, his grand 
nephew, Ronald Norfleet, his grand niece, Toni Reed, took the time to 
gather oral history from Junious that preserves the rich musical and 
family legacy he leaves behind. Reed, a Chicago-based documentary film 
producer, is working on a documentary feature film about her uncle's 
remarkable life.
  My prayers and best wishes are forever extended to this large and 
loving family. I wish Ms. Reed and her family all the best in sharing 
the artistry, courage and musical gifts of Junious ``Bud'' Norfleet 
with family, friends and fans throughout the world.

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