Thank you to the manager of this legislation, Congresswoman Chu, for her very kind and astute words and to Mr. Cao for his words in recognizing that gospel music is part of Americana. And that's why…
Thank you to the manager of this legislation, Congresswoman Chu, for her very kind and astute words and to Mr. Cao for his words in recognizing that gospel music is part of Americana.
And that's why I stand today to be able to reflect the history of America and to be able to say that it is important that we preserve our history, cherish uniqueness of American history and American history in music.
Today I rise in support of H.J. Res. 90, expressing support for the designation of September 2010 as Gospel Music Heritage Month and honoring gospel music for its valuable and long-standing contributions to the culture of the United States.
It was in my own hometown of Houston, listening to the wide range of gospel artists from many different disciplines, that the idea came to seek an opportunity for all of America, no matter from where they may have come, from what walk of life, what religion, what ethnicity, what background to really celebrate this very special part of American history.
As you may know, gospel music is an American art form that has spanned hundreds of years and across several generations. It has touched millions of lives around the world while demonstrating its profound ability to transcend secular music and many other forms of music.
As you can note, you can see that when we play or sing gospel music in a very diverse form, people are happy. They are joyful. They are having a wonderful time.
By surpassing culturally constructed boundaries, gospel music has emerged as a musical thread uniting the fabric of America. Gospel music is when we are sad. Gospel music is when we are joyous. Gospel music is when we need comforting.
Whether you are rich or poor, young or old, and even Democrats and Republicans alike have been uniquely interlinked by gospel's undeniable influence to American culture. For this reason it is important that we recognize and celebrate the vital role that gospel music has played in shaping music history. If
you talk to many of our military personnel on battlefields, you will note that many will hum a gospel song or a hymn that began with the origin of gospel music.
While gospel music has become a multibillion-dollar industry, gospel music's historic roots have originated in the humble and soulful melodies of African American spirituals, as well as in the far ranges of Appalachia and other places around the Nation. Its sound contains diverse elements from African music, melodic influences from Irish folk songs, hymns and ultimately borrows from other uniquely American musical styles, including ragtime, jazz and blues. The legacy of gospel music can be heard in the voices of pioneers in American history like Thomas Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, James Vaughan, Roberta Martin and many, many more.
The influence of gospel music can be found infused in all forms of secular music, including rock and roll, country, soul, R&B and countless other styles. Gospel music laid down the foundation for legendary recording artists such as Elvis Presley. I heard many say that Elvis's best words and music were the gospel songs that he sang, and I believe that someone reminded me that Elvis Presley won a Grammy because of a gospel song that he sang. Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Buddy Holly, Whitney Houston, Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, Bob Dylan, and Randy Travis.
While there are many elements, situations and issues that divide our Nation, gospel music has found a unique way to highlight our similarities and influence the cultural makeup of our society. Instead of emphasizing our differences, gospel music has found a way to cater to the fundamental elements that unite people around the world, focusing on the soul of an individual rather than the mind.
If you look at these pictures, you can see how people are inspired and seemingly caught up in the emotion and the feeling of the song.
With that, it is important that we do not take this art form for granted. In fact, this evening I was speaking to Kurt Carr, and it may be important that as we celebrate Gospel Music Heritage Month we find a way to translate this musical art to our children. We must make sure that the heritage of gospel music is recognized, honored, and celebrated. As I said, it is part of Americana. It is part of American history. It is a song which pioneers took west with them and others found comfort in their times of stress.
Over the years, songs like ``Amazing Grace,'' which was written by John Newton, a young boy who left school at the age of 11 and began a life as a pirate seaman. Eventually he engaged in slavery capturing people from west Africa and selling them to slave markets around the world. But some would say by the grace of God fear was put into his heart when he was caught in a violent and fierce storm upon the sea, and lo and behold, he designed, wrote, felt and offered to the world the song, ``Amazing Grace,'' which offered to us that one could be saved when you felt lost and blind.
And so it is important that as we reflect on how wonderful it is to live in this great country, how many attributes we have, we have brought to this Congress the opportunity to commemorate and designate September as Gospel Music Heritage Month.
There are some icons that I want to mention in this statement tonight.
Dr. Bobby Jones, who founded and is the director and anchor and presenter of ``Dr. Bobby Jones Gospel,'' a program that has been on cable TV for 30 years, I did not say 10, I did not say 20, this is the longest-running cable TV program in the Nation, not longest gospel TV program, the longest gospel program of 30 years. And so I thank you, Dr. Jones, for providing for aspiring artists and the many gospel singers that have had their opportunity to be on your program.
Singers like Kurt Carr, V. Michael McKay and Don Jackson, who was the founder of the Stellar Awards, which is the great honorable program that honors all gospel singers. Certainly V. Michael McKay, as I indicated, just wrote a book of hymns that has a gospel touch; to Jazzy Jordan, who manages a number of artists and to many of those whose names have been listed in this legislation, names like the Mighty Clouds of Joy, Kirk Franklin, Theola Booker, Yolanda Adams, Edwin and Walter Hawkins--and certainly we mourn the passing of brother Walter Hawkins--Sandi Patty, the Winans, Kathy Taylor, Brenda Waters, Carl Preacher--the late Carl Preacher--Shirley Joiner of B, C & S. All of these may not still be with us today, but we recognize their value.
What about those who started with a grounding in gospel music like Sam Cooke, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Alan Jackson and many, many others.
So I hope that as we celebrate, we will find the opportunity to be able to have a gospel music heritage event in every location around America. Again, no matter what your background, you can celebrate gospel music.
This bill has generated bipartisan support with 65 cosponsors, and I urge the rest of my colleagues to join us in honoring and celebrating this historic musical art form and pass H.J. Res. 90 today so that we can establish September as Gospel Music Heritage Month in the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support my bill H.J. Res. 90, ``Expressing Support for the Designation of September 2010 as `Gospel Music Heritage Month' and Honoring Gospel Music for its Valuable and Longstanding Contributions to the Culture of the United States.''
As you may know, gospel music is an American art form that has spanned hundreds of years and across several generations. It has touched millions of lives around the world while demonstrating its profound ability to transcend secular musical genres. By surpassing culturally constructed boundaries, gospel music has emerged as the musical thread uniting the fabric of America. Rich, poor, young, old, and even Democrats and Republicans alike have been uniquely interlinked by gospel music's undeniable influence and contribution to American culture. For this reason, it is important that we recognize and celebrate the vital role that gospel music has played in shaping music history.
While gospel music has become a multibillion-dollar industry, gospel music's historic roots have originated in the humble and soulful melodies of African American spirituals. Its sound contains diverse elements from African music, melodic influences from Irish folk songs and hymns, and ultimately borrowed from other uniquely American musical styles including ragtime, jazz, and blues. The legacy of gospel music can be heard in the voices of pioneers in American history, such as Thomas Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, James Vaughan, Roberta Martin, and many more.
The influence of gospel music can be found infused in all forms of secular music including rock & roll, country, soul, R&B, and countless other styles. Gospel music laid down the musical foundation for legendary recording artists such as Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Buddy Holly, Whitney Houston, Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, Bob Dylan, and Randy Travis.
While there are many elements, situations, and issues that divide our Nation, gospel music has found a unique way to highlight our similarities and influence the cultural make of our society. Instead of emphasizing our differences, gospel music has found a way to cater to the fundamental elements that unite people around the world, focusing on the soul of an individual rather than the mind. With that, it is important that we do not take this art form for granted. We must make sure that the heritage of gospel music is recognized, honored and celebrated.
Over the years, songs like ``Amazing Grace,'' which was written by John Newton, a young boy who left school at the age of eleven and began a life as a pirate seaman. Eventually he engaged in slavery, capturing people from West Africa and selling them to slave markets around the world. But by the grace of God, fear was put into his heart when he was caught in a violent and fierce storm upon the sea. Newton was so afraid of a shipwreck that he began to read ``The Imitation of Christ'' by Thomas a' Kepis. Calling himself a wretch who was lost and blind, John Newton recognized that God had used this book to lead him to a dramatic change in his way of life and this episode led him to write one of the most amazing songs throughout history.
My bill will designate the month of September as ``Gospel Music Heritage Month,'' honoring gospel music for its valuable long-standing contributions to American culture. This bill has generated bipartisan support with 65 cosponsors. I urge the rest of my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating this historic musical art form, and to pass H.J. Res. 90 today.
