1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 729 1-3 WHEREAS, One of the world's most beloved literary forms 1-4 is the uniquely American creation known as the western, and the 1-5 Lone Star State's towering stature in the popular imagination 1-6 springs in large part from the remarkable durability of the genre; 1-7 and 1-8 WHEREAS, Author Elmer Kelton has distinguished himself as one 1-9 of the premier storytellers of our time, and his vivid tales of the 1-10 winning of the West are as typical of Texas tradition as cowboy 1-11 songs and cattle drives; and 1-12 WHEREAS, A native Texan, Mr. Kelton grew up watching his 1-13 father ply the cowboy's trade as a ranch foreman near Crane, and 1-14 his own life experience has imbued such works as The Time It Never 1-15 Rained, The Day the Cowboys Quit, and The Good Old Boys with a 1-16 deep understanding of the cattleman's culture; and 1-17 WHEREAS, His more than 30 novels have earned him a legion 1-18 of loyal readers, including his fellow writers, who regularly 1-19 recognize him with the highest accolades of their trade; the 1-20 winner of six Spur awards from the Western Writers of America, 1-21 Mr. Kelton has been honored with the Texas Institute of Letters' 1-22 Barbara McCombs/Lon Tinkle Award and the Western Literature 1-23 Association's Distinguished Achievement Award, and he is also a 2-1 three-time recipient of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame's Western 2-2 Heritage Award; and 2-3 WHEREAS, Mr. Kelton's preeminence as the undisputed master 2-4 of the form was secured in 1996 when the Western Writers of America 2-5 selected him as the Best Western Writer of All Time, placing him 2-6 ahead of such legendary literary figures as Larry McMurtry, 2-7 Louis L'Amour, A. B. Guthrie, and Zane Grey; and 2-8 WHEREAS, A talented working journalist as well, Mr. Kelton 2-9 has worked as an agricultural writer and editor for the San Angelo 2-10 Standard-Times, Sheep and Goat Raiser, and Livestock Weekly, from 2-11 which he retired in 1990; in leaving his day job, Mr. Kelton has 2-12 freed up more of his time for his fiction writing and his close-knit 2-13 family; and 2-14 WHEREAS, Elmer Kelton has fired the imaginations and touched 2-15 the hearts of readers around the globe with his finely crafted 2-16 evocations of Texas life through the years, and even as he works 2-17 to capture a vanishing way of life on the printed page, he himself 2-18 has become an integral aspect of the Texan culture he so winningly 2-19 celebrates; now, therefore, be it 2-20 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 2-21 75th Legislature, hereby recognize May 28, 1997, as Elmer Kelton 2-22 Day and extend to Mr. Kelton sincere best wishes for continued 2-23 success and happiness in the future; and, be it further 2-24 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared 2-25 for Mr. Kelton as an expression of high regard by the Texas Senate. 3-1 Duncan 3-2 ______________________________________ 3-3 President of the Senate 3-4 I hereby certify that the above 3-5 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-6 on May 14, 1997. 3-7 ______________________________________ 3-8 Secretary of the Senate 3-9 ______________________________________ 3-10 Member, Texas Senate