HR0847 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0847 LRB104 21557 ECR 36965 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The City of Chicago is globally revered as the "Blues Capital of the World", a title earned through a century of cultural innovation, resilience, and the electrification of the human spirit; and

WHEREAS, The roots of this legacy lie in the Great Migration, during which approximately six million African Americans moved from the rural South to the North between 1916 and 1970, bringing the Delta blues to the Near West and South Sides of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago blues sound, heard over the industrial din of a bustling metropolis, began to emerge from the historic Maxwell Street Market and local rent parties, characterized by the electric guitar and amplified harmonica, which eventually gave birth to rock and roll, soul, and R&B music; and

WHEREAS, This musical revolution was anchored by legendary figures, such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Dixon, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Memphis Minnie, and it was facilitated by pioneering labels, including Chess Records at 2120 South Michigan Avenue; and

WHEREAS, Eight-time Grammy Award winner and living legend Buddy Guy recently testified before the Chicago City Council, noting that while cities such as Nashville, Memphis, and New Orleans have erected monuments to their musical icons, Chicago has yet to build a statue or monument worthy of the artists who made the City a global cultural destination; and

WHEREAS, Many blues advocates, including Executive Director Diamond M. Dixon of Chicago Blues Revival, have been emphasizing that statues will not matter without a serious investment in the infrastructure and communities that birthed the blues genre, calling for a blending of culture and commerce that allows local neighborhoods to buy in to the legacy of blues in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, The blues remains a living, breathing art form in venues such as Rosa's Lounge, Kingston Mines, and Buddy Guy's Legends, where veteran performers, including Bob Stroger and Willie Buck, share the stage with a new generation of self-starters and innovators, such as Joey J. Saye and Melody Angel; and

WHEREAS, Programs such as Blues in the Schools, led by Blues Hall of Fame member Billy Branch, and Fernando Jones' Blues Camps at Columbia College are essential in teaching the basics of the blues genre to over 100 children annually, ensuring that music remains a tool for positive expression and social solidarity; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize Chicago's unparalleled history as the "Blues Capital of the World", and we celebrate the artists, past and present, who have shaped the soundtrack of our State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we support the calls for the City of Chicago to develop permanent, physical monuments and public art installations beyond existing murals to provide the reverence and international visibility that Chicago Blues pioneers deserve; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge for greater community advocacy and a revival of investment in blues culture and for the State and local governments to provide substantial support for the infrastructure that solidifies the legacy of the legendary blues artists, including the preservation of historic sites such as Muddy Waters' Kenwood home and support for local Blues education non-profits; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Buddy Guy, the Chicago Blues Revival, and the family of the late Willie Dixon as a symbol of our esteem and respect.