Title
Recognizing June 2023 as Black Music Month in the City of Philadelphia.
Body
Whereas, Black Music Month has its roots in Philadelphia. On June 7, 1979, pioneering songwriter, record producer, and Philadelphia's own Kenny Gamble, one third of The Sound of Philadelphia architects, Gamble, Huff and Thom Bell, on-air radio personality and music activist Dyana Williams, and Cleveland radio DJ Ed Wright with the encouragement of the Black Music Association, had President Jimmy Carter to declared June "Black Music Month, on the South Lawn of the White House. In 2000, Congress issued a resolution declaring June Black Music Month; and President Bill Clinton signed a Black Music Month proclamation. Every American President since, has also issued proclamations; and
Whereas, Philadelphia has long been known for Black music. In 1901, United Methodist preacher Charles Albert Tindley wrote the lyrics to "We Shall Overcome," and Philadelphia is where Marian Anderson, famed contralto opera singer, was born and raised; and
Whereas, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell's The Sound of Philadelphia with MFSB produced 175 gold and platinum albums, 80 number one hits, and a catalogue of more than 3,000 recorded songs that are still sampled by musicians today; and
Whereas, Philadelphia's own Walk of Fame along South Broad Street, also known as the Avenue of the Arts, reveals other notable Black musicians with Philly connections, including McFadden & Whitehead, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass, Girls' High's own Jill Scott, Sister Sledge, Billy Paul, Tammi Terrell, The Delfonics, Marion Williams, Boyz II Men, Patti LaBelle, Chubby Checker, The Soul Survivors, The Trammps, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Heath Brothers, Jean Carne, Dee Dee Sharp, MFSB, Earl Young, Dexter Wansel, and McCoy Tyner; and
Whereas, The Roots Picnic, started by another Philadelphia group founded by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter, The Roots Picnic, is held in ...
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