By Telford                                             H.R. No. 509
         77R9205 WMS-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas Tornados cast an international spotlight
 1-2     on the Lone Star State, and whenever their music is played, good
 1-3     times and crowded dance floors are sure to follow; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, Combining the talents of four renowned performers,
 1-5     the late Doug Sahm, Freddy Fender, Flaco Jimenez, and Augie Meyers,
 1-6     and also featuring such gifted musicians as Ernie Durawa, Speedy
 1-7     Sparks, Louie Ortega, Max Baca, and Oscar Tellez, the Texas
 1-8     Tornados have produced a body of work that not only demonstrates
 1-9     their creativity and talent, but also reflects the culture and
1-10     music of Texas and its neighbor to the south; and
1-11           WHEREAS, In 1989, Doug Sahm, who garnered international
1-12     acclaim during the 1960s as leader of the Sir Douglas Quintet,
1-13     conceived the idea of creating a Tex-Mex supergroup; to that end he
1-14     recruited former Sir Douglas Quintet organist and longtime friend
1-15     Augie Meyers, conjunto superstar and Grammy Award winner Flaco
1-16     Jimenez, and Freddy Fender, whose solo success earned him Best Male
1-17     Artist of 1975 from Billboard magazine; and
1-18           WHEREAS, The group gave its first performance in 1989 at
1-19     Slim's 303 Club in San Francisco as the "Tex-Mex Review" and was an
1-20     immediate and rousing success; and
1-21           WHEREAS, Changing the band's name to the Texas Tornados, the
1-22     members recorded their self-titled debut album, an irresistible mix
1-23     of waltzes, country and western two-steps, polkas, ballads, and
1-24     Hispanic-flavored rock and roll that produced such hits as "Who
 2-1     Were You Thinking Of" and "Adios Mexico," and the Grammy Award
 2-2     winner "Soy de San Luis," which was written by Flaco Jimenez's
 2-3     father, Santiago Jimenez, Sr.; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, Returning to the studio in 1991, the Tornados
 2-5     crafted their second album, Zone of Our Own, which earned the group
 2-6     its second Grammy nomination;  as prolific as they are talented,
 2-7     they put out several albums in the space of a few years, including
 2-8     Hangin' on by a Thread, The Best of the Texas Tornados, 4 Aces, The
 2-9     Nada Mixes, and Live From the Limo, Vol. 1, which captured the
2-10     unique musical chemistry that fueled the group in front of a live
2-11     audience; and
2-12           WHEREAS, Although the Texas Tornados disbanded after the
2-13     untimely death of Doug Sahm in 1999, the band has earned its
2-14     rightful place as a  Lone Star music legend; now, therefore, be it
2-15           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-16     Legislature hereby honor the Texas Tornados for the band's
2-17     remarkable musical achievements and commend its members for the
2-18     countless hours of enjoyment they have brought to their legions of
2-19     fans.