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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Renowned Texas musician Robert Earl Keen brought 41 |
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years of touring to a triumphant close in 2022, bidding a fond and |
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bittersweet farewell to cheering fans all across the country; and |
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WHEREAS, A Houston native, Mr. Keen first picked up a guitar |
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during his freshman year at Texas A&M University; he began playing |
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around town, and after graduation, he took a day job in Austin, |
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honed his chops, and won the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival |
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New Folk Songwriting Competition; following a well-trodden path, he |
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moved to Nashville and signed with a publishing company, but the |
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scene proved stultifying for an artist who thrived on stage and |
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wrote wry, folk-influenced songs with a novelist's keen eye for the |
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telling detail; and |
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WHEREAS, Returning home to Texas proved to be the best |
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possible career move; Mr. Keen came fully into his unique voice, |
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populating his lyrics with colorful characters like the migrant |
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gardener in "Mariano," the ne'er-do-well couple in "The Road Goes |
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on Forever," and the dysfunctional inebriates of "Merry Christmas |
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from the Family"; as he became one of the nation's top touring |
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artists, a host of stars covered his tunes, from Joe Ely, Nanci |
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Griffith, and George Strait to the Highwaymen, a supergroup of four |
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legendary songsmiths, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon |
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Jennings, and Willie Nelson; on the road and over more than 20 |
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albums, Mr. Keen's rootsy blend of country, folk, rock, and blues |
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paved the way for numerous younger musicians who would benefit by |
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the growing popularity of a genre, dubbed Americana, that now has |
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its own Grammy category; with a podcast titled Americana, he has |
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helped raise the profile of many up-and-coming practitioners; he |
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has supported even younger musicians with annual benefit concerts |
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for the Hill Country Youth Orchestra; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Keen was named a Distinguished Alumnus of |
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Texas A&M in 2018; his myriad accolades further include membership |
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in the Texas Heritage Songwriters Association Hall of Fame, the |
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Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and the Texas Institute of Letters; and |
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WHEREAS, Over Labor Day weekend 2022, Mr. Keen played his |
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final, sold-out shows at John T. Floore's Country Store in Helotes, |
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but although the road goes on without him, his creativity has always |
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flourished here at home, and melancholy fans may find solace in |
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anticipating the next additions to a magnificent body of work; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Robert Earl Keen on his retirement |
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from touring and honor him for his outstanding contributions to |
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Texas music; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Keen as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |