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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Acclaimed folksinger Peter Yarrow is celebrating |
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his 75th birthday with a performance at the Kerrville Folk Festival |
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on May 31, 2013, to the delight of his many fans; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Manhattan in 1938, Mr. Yarrow graduated from |
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the High School of Music and Art and went on to complete his |
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bachelor's degree in psychology at Cornell University; he formed |
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Peter, Paul and Mary with Mary Travers and Noel Paul Stookey in |
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1961, and the following year, their self-titled debut went directly |
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to number one on the Billboard charts; the album kept its place in |
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the Top 10 for 10 months; and |
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WHEREAS, The group reached the number two slot with its |
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sophomore release, and its third album retook the top spot on the |
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charts; through the years, Mr. Yarrow wrote or cowrote many of the |
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trio's most famous songs, among them "Puff (the Magic Dragon)," |
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"Day is Done," "Light One Candle," and "The Great Mandela"; he also |
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cowrote and produced the Mary McGregor hit "Torn Between Two |
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Lovers"; and |
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WHEREAS, Peter, Paul and Mary exemplified the folk movement's |
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dedication to social justice, and the performers participated in |
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two historic civil rights protests led by Dr. Martin Luther King, |
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the 1963 March on Washington and the march in Selma, Alabama, two |
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years later; Mr. Yarrow was particularly active in the peace |
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movement and in support of Soviet Jewry, and he formed Operation |
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Respect, a renowned anti-bullying organization, after hearing the |
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song "Don't Laugh at Me" at the Kerrville Folk Festival; the United |
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States Congress recognized Operation Respect for its "Don't Laugh |
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at Me" programs and curricula, which have been used in thousands of |
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classes across the country; and |
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WHEREAS, Nurturing the next generation of musicians, Mr. |
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Yarrow helped found the New Folk Concerts program at the Newport |
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Folk Festival and the Kerrville Folk Festival, and many talented |
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singer-songwriters have since launched their careers through New |
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Folk performances; himself a mainstay of the Kerrville Folk |
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Festival, Mr. Yarrow has performed frequently at the event over the |
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past four decades, oftentimes on his birthday; and |
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WHEREAS, Peter Yarrow has brought joy to innumerable people |
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through his wonderful music, and this milestone in his life offers a |
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welcome opportunity to express appreciation for his myriad |
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contributions; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize Peter Yarrow as a "Texan by Choice" |
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and congratulate him on the memorable occasion of his 75th |
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birthday; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Yarrow as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |