[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 8743-8744]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING MR. VERNE ALLISON AND THE DELLS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 6, 2017

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in honoring the R&B music group, the Dells. 
Mr. Verne Allison, the last surviving member of the Dells, was visiting 
Washington, D.C. over the last few days so I wanted to take this 
opportunity to recognize the group and their outstanding music.
  Originally from Chicago, Illinois, the Dells formed out of a group of 
young men still in high school: Marvin Junior, Verne Allison, Johnny 
Funches, Chuck Barksdale and Mickey and Lucius McGill. They originally 
called themselves the El-Rays, but changed their name to The Dells once 
they signed with Vee Jay Records in 1955. It was at this record company 
where they released their hit recording, ``Oh What a Night,'' which, at 
one point,

[[Page 8744]]

finished right behind Elvis' ``Don't Be Cruel'' on the music charts. By 
the early 1960s, with their reach growing, the Dells were able to tour 
with big artists like Dinah Washington and Ray Charles, opening for 
them and exposing themselves to much bigger audiences.
  A soundtrack to the 1960s would not be complete without soulful 
melodies from groups like the Dells. At a time of constant political 
and social upheaval, a Washingtonian could turn on the radio and be 
serenaded with songs like the Dells' ``Give Your Baby a Standing 
Ovation'' and ``Stay in My Corner,'' a 1965 top 30 R&B hit. Decades 
passed and the Dells' music largely adapted. Members of the band 
remained largely stable. Their final work was the ``The Heart is a 
House for Love,'' part of a soundtrack for a movie in 1991. The Dells 
were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. Today, Verne 
Allison, one of the original members of the Dells, is the band's only 
surviving member.
  While Mr. Allison was in my district, he worked closely with DC 
Legendary Musicians. This organization works to protect the legacy of 
D.C. area musicians, past and present, and promote the music of artists 
from Washington around the globe. Although Mr. Allison and the Dells 
are from Chicago, DC Legendary Musicians recognizes the impact that 
music from artists like the Dells--who have performed locally at the 
Howard Theater, Constitution Hall and the Kennedy Center--have had on 
D.C. and its own music scene and history. Their work is crucial to 
ensuring this essential part of D.C. culture stays intact. I thank DC 
Legendary Musicians for their contributions to the District.
  I ask the House of Representatives to join me in honoring Mr. Verne 
Allison and the Dells. We celebrate their harmonious and soulful music 
that is part of the rich American tapestry that is Rhythm and Blues. I 
am very pleased we can still listen to it today.

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