HR0738 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0738 LRB093 21508 KEF 48650 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize the musical group, the Dells, on their induction into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame on March 15, 2004; and

WHEREAS, The Dells are the "grandaddies" of Rhythm and Blues harmony; they are the group many others have attempted to emulate but none have surpassed; and

WHEREAS, Initially known as the El-Rays, the group was formed in 1952 at Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois; they have maintained unchanging personnel for the past 39 years: lead baritone Marvin Junior, lead tenor Johnny Carter, second tenor Verne Allison, baritone Michael McGill, and bass Chuck Barksdale; from Carter's chirping highs to Barksdale's resonant lows, the Chicago-based quintet continues to set the standard for top-to-bottom male harmony, and Junior's robust voice remains among the most powerful and urgent instruments in the annals of soul music; and

WHEREAS, Between 1956 and 1992, the Dells had a total of 46 hits on Billboard's R&B singles chart, including such classics as "Oh, What a Night," "Stay in My Corner," "Always Together," and "Give Your Baby a Standing Ovation"; they have their first new album in eight years, Reminiscing, on Volt Records, a division of Fantasy, Inc., with a current artist roster that boasts such other old school soul greats as the Delfonics, the Dramatics, and Brenda Holloway; and

WHEREAS, Today, 50 years after their inception, the Dells continue to headline concert halls and nightclubs around the globe; and

WHEREAS, The Nineteenth Annual Induction Ceremony will be held on March 15, 2004, in New York at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Dells on their many successes as a group and on their induction into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to each member of the Dells as a token of our respect and esteem.