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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, An American icon and renowned Texas troubadour, |
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Willie Nelson has brought joy to people around the world for half a |
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century and more; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Myrle and Ira Nelson, Willie Hugh Nelson |
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was born in Abbott on April 30, 1933; he and his older sister, |
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Bobbie, were raised by their paternal grandparents, who encouraged |
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their musical talents; while still just a child, he began playing |
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guitar in a polka band, and he and his sister later played on the |
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local club circuit with Bud Fletcher and the Texans; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Nelson found work in the 1950s as a DJ in Fort |
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Worth and performed in local honky-tonks; he wrote his famous |
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gospel song "Family Bible," and his songs soon became smash hits for |
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Ray Price, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison, and many other stars; today, |
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such early compositions as "Night Life," "Crazy," "Hello Walls," |
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and "Funny How Time Slips Away" remain treasured classics; and |
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WHEREAS, After living in Nashville, he came to Austin in 1970 |
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and found his own audience as a leading proponent of "outlaw |
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country," incorporating rock 'n' roll, folk, and other influences; |
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he started a new Texas tradition with his freewheeling Fourth of |
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July picnics, and in 1975 he made a commercial breakthrough with Red |
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Headed Stranger; duets with Waylon Jennings on "Good Hearted Woman" |
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and "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" brought even |
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greater success, and his album of standards, Stardust, spent nearly |
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a decade on the country charts and sold more than four million |
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copies; and |
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WHEREAS, His film career took off with roles in The Electric |
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Horseman and Honeysuckle Rose, and the latter yielded a signature |
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song, "On the Road Again"; Mr. Nelson and Julio Iglesias ruled the |
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airwaves with their crossover duet "To All the Girls I've Loved |
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Before," and Mr. Nelson united with Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, |
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and Kris Kristofferson in the supergroup the Highwaymen for a host |
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of hits; and |
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WHEREAS, In the 1990s, Mr. Nelson continued his streak on the |
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country charts with such albums as Across the Borderline, and the |
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present decade has found the prolific Texan mining a variety of |
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musical veins, even topping the jazz charts with Two Men with the |
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Blues, his collaboration with Wynton Marsalis; Mr. Nelson joined |
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with Asleep at the Wheel to celebrate western swing on the 2009 |
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release Willie and the Wheel, and he received three Grammy |
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nominations that year; his latest album, Country Music, is up for a |
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Grammy in the Americana category, and "On the Road Again" is being |
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inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; and |
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WHEREAS, While maintaining a heavy touring and recording |
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schedule through the years, Mr. Nelson has made time for numerous |
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charitable endeavors; he helped launch Farm Aid in 1985 and serves |
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as president of the organization, which has raised more than $30 |
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million to support family farms; when his hometown struggled, Mr. |
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Nelson came to the rescue, and he continues to support its church |
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and grocery store; his concern for the environment has led him to |
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not only promote the use of alternative fuels but also invest in |
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biodiesel, marketing his own BioWillie brand; moreover, he has |
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established the Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute, advocated |
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for the humane treatment of horses, and headlined countless |
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benefits for those in need; and |
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WHEREAS, The myriad professional accolades bestowed on Mr. |
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Nelson include seven Grammys, nine Country Music Association |
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Awards, and Kennedy Center honors, and he was inducted into the |
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Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993; widely applauded for his good |
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works as well, he is an honorary trustee of the Dayton Peace Museum |
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and has received the B. B. King Blues Hero Award for community |
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service and the Bridging Divides Award from The University of Texas |
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Project on Conflict Resolution and Humanitarians Engaged in |
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Respectful Dialogue; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his incomparable music and his tireless |
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philanthropy, Willie Nelson has made an enormous positive |
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difference in the world around him, and it is indeed a pleasure to |
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recognize him for his accomplishments; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Willie Nelson for his outstanding music |
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career and for his myriad contributions to the Lone Star State and |
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extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Nelson as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |