05 LC 19
6581
Senate
Resolution 417
By:
Senators Brown of the 26th, Butler of the 55th, Fort of the 39th, Seay of the
34th, Thomas of the 2nd and others
A
RESOLUTION
Honoring
the life and legacy of Ray Charles; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
on September 23, 1930, Ray Charles Robinson was born the first child of Aretha
and Baily Robinson in Albany, Georgia; and
WHEREAS,
he rose from the tragedies of poverty, blindness, and the deaths of his younger
brother and mother to become a musical phenomenon and a national treasure;
and
WHEREAS,
music played a fundamental role in his life from a very young age when a man by
the name of Wylie Pitman taught him his first melodies on the piano;
and
WHEREAS,
the originality and genius of his music defies categorization and earned him 12
Grammy Awards; and he has been inducted into the Halls of Fame for his
contributions to rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll and is credited with
helping to popularize country and western music; and
WHEREAS,
he was a generous supporter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and an outspoken
advocate for the State of Israel, earning him recognition as the Beverly Hills
Lodge of B´nai Brith´s "Man of the Year" in 1976; and
WHEREAS,
in 1979, Ray Charles´s classic rendition of "Georgia On My Mind" was
declared the official song of the State of Georgia, and he appeared on the floor
of the State Capitol to sing its first performance as such; and
WHEREAS,
the story of Ray Charles is uniquely American and expresses those qualities and
dreams held most dear to our nation.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body join
together to honor the life of Georgia´s native son, the legendary Ray
Charles, and express their regret at his passing.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the family of Ray Charles.