Title: Honoring the 50th anniversary of Alligator Records.
Policy area: Arts, Culture, Religion

Summary:
This resolution honors Alligator Records on 50 years of business and celebrates the American cultural legacy of Chicago blues music.
The resolution encourages the U.S. government to take all necessary steps to preserve and advance the art form of Chicago blues music.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 443 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 443

          Honoring the 50th anniversary of Alligator Records.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 25, 2021

Ms. Schakowsky (for herself, Mr. Schneider, Mrs. Bustos, Mr. Rush, Ms. 
Kelly of Illinois, Ms. Newman, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Quigley, Mr. 
Casten, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Foster, 
   and Ms. Underwood) submitted the following resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to 
    the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
          Honoring the 50th anniversary of Alligator Records.

Whereas Chicago blues music has its roots deep in the Mississippi Delta and was 
        carried north in the Great Migration of 1916-1970 by the millions of 
        African Americans who migrated to northern industrial cities in search 
        of good jobs and to escape from Jim Crow racism;
Whereas Chicago's blues community nurtured thousands of musicians and dozens of 
        record labels, and the city became the world capital of blues and 
        eventually gave birth to Alligator Records and the rich, soulful Chicago 
        blues heritage and culture that we know and love today;
Whereas with nothing but his love of the blues and entrepreneurial spirit, Bruce 
        Iglauer founded Alligator Records in 1971 at the age of 23, using all 
        his savings to record his favorite Chicago blues band, Hound Dog Taylor 
        and the HouseRockers, although the band had no national presence, no 
        booking agent, no manager, no publicist, and played almost entirely in 
        tiny neighborhood clubs on the South and West Sides of Chicago;
Whereas beginning with this one album, Iglauer built a blues record label that 
        is now celebrating its 50th birthday;
Whereas today, Alligator Records is the largest independent blues label in the 
        world, with over 350 albums and an artist roster that ranges in age from 
        22 to 78, and has won three Grammy Awards and an astonishing 48 
        nominations, as well as over 150 Blues Music Awards and over 115 Living 
        Blues Awards; and
Whereas Alligator Records has been a driving force in support of Chicago blues 
        and blues music worldwide, and a glowing example of our country's rich 
        tradition of musical and entrepreneurial spirit: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) honors Alligator Records on 50 years of business and 
        celebrates the American cultural legacy of Chicago blues music;
            (2) encourages the United States Government to take all 
        necessary steps to preserve and advance the art form of Chicago 
        blues music;
            (3) recommits itself to ensuring that recording labels like 
        Alligator Records and their artists receive fair protection 
        under the copyright laws of the United States for their 
        contributions to culture in the United States; and
            (4) reaffirms the status of Chicago blues as a unique 
        national treasure.
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