R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The house of representatives is proud to honor 1-2 renowned Texas singer and songwriter Billy Joe Shaver, for his 1-3 songs have earned him a special place in the hearts of country 1-4 music lovers everywhere; and 1-5 WHEREAS, Born in Corsicana, Mr. Shaver was raised in Waco and 1-6 joined the United States Navy at the age of 17, already a budding 1-7 songwriter; after completing his military service, he married 1-8 Brenda Joyce Tindall and on June 20, 1962, they became the proud 1-9 parents of a son, John Edwin "Eddy" Shaver; and 1-10 WHEREAS, When he was 26, he lost two of the fingers on his 1-11 right hand in an accident, an event that ironically spurred his 1-12 desire to learn to play the guitar; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Determined to make it as a songwriter, he divided 1-14 his time for a number of years between Nashville and Texas and got 1-15 his first break when he was hired by Bobby Bare as a songwriter, 1-16 delivering Mr. Bare his first number one hit, "Ride Me Down Easy"; 1-17 his own recording career began in 1972 when he was invited to play 1-18 at the Dripping Springs Reunion, considered by many to be the 1-19 fountainhead of the "Outlaw Movement," and his song "Willy the 1-20 Wanderin' Gypsy and Me" was heard by Tom T. Hall, who included it 1-21 on his next album in 1972; and 1-22 WHEREAS, The following year was a banner year for Mr. Shaver, 1-23 as it marked the release of his debut album Old Five and Dimers 1-24 Like Me, and the acclaimed Waylon Jennings album, Honky Tonk 2-1 Heroes, a collaborative effort on which Mr. Shaver penned 9 of the 2-2 album's 10 songs; through the years, his songs have been recorded 2-3 by a host of musical legends, including Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, 2-4 Bob Dylan, Patty Loveless, Kris Kristofferson, Elvis Presley, and 2-5 Roy Acuff, whose rendition of "Georgia on a Fast Train" Mr. Shaver 2-6 counts as his highest professional honor; and 2-7 WHEREAS, Continuing to perform his own music as well, he went 2-8 on to record such classic albums as When I Get My Wings, Gypsy Boy, 2-9 Billy Joe Shaver, I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal . . . But I'm Gonna 2-10 Be a Diamond Someday, and Salt of the Earth; and 2-11 WHEREAS, He formed the band, Shaver, with his son and went on 2-12 to tour in the U.S., Europe, and Australia and release a number of 2-13 well-received albums, including Victory, which was named in 2-14 remembrance of his mother; and 2-15 WHEREAS, In 1996 Mr. Shaver made his acting debut in the 2-16 Robert Duvall movie, The Apostle, in a role he didn't consider 2-17 "much of a stretch," and he once again demonstrated his remarkable 2-18 ability to relate life's joys and sorrows in a way that strikes a 2-19 chord with people and that has earned him a reputation as one of 2-20 the greatest songwriters of his day; now, therefore, be it 2-21 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 2-22 Legislature hereby commend Billy Joe Shaver for his lifetime of 2-23 musical accomplishments and extend to him sincere best wishes for 2-24 continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an 2-25 official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Shaver as an 2-26 expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Wilson Laney Goodman Merritt Alexander Goolsby Miller Allen Gray Moreno of Harris Averitt Green Moreno of El Paso Bailey Grusendorf Morrison Berman Gutierrez Mowery Bonnen Haggerty Naishtat Bosse Hamric Najera Brimer Hardcastle Nixon Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Noriega Brown of Brazos Hawley Oliveira Burnam Heflin Olivo Callegari Hilbert Pickett Capelo Hilderbran Pitts Carter Hill Puente Chavez Hinojosa Ramsay Chisum Hochberg Rangel Christian Hodge Raymond Clark Homer Reyna of Bexar Coleman Hope Reyna of Dallas Cook Hopson Ritter Corte Howard Sadler Counts Hunter Salinas Crabb Hupp Seaman Craddick Isett Shields Crownover Janek Smith Danburg Jones of Lubbock Smithee Davis of Harris Jones of Bexar Solis Davis of Dallas Jones of Dallas Solomons Delisi Junell Swinford Denny Keel Talton Deshotel Keffer Telford Driver King of Parker Thompson Dukes King of Uvalde Tillery Dunnam Kitchen Truitt Dutton Kolkhorst Turner of Coleman Edwards Krusee Turner of Harris Ehrhardt Kuempel Uher Eiland Lewis of Tarrant Uresti Elkins Lewis of Orange Villarreal Ellis Longoria Walker Farabee Luna West Farrar McCall Williams Flores McClendon Wilson Gallego McReynolds Wise Garcia Madden Wohlgemuth George Marchant Wolens Geren Martinez Fischer Woolley Giddings Maxey Yarbrough Glaze Menendez Zbranek _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 227 was adopted by the House on February 7, 2001, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House