<BillNo> <Sponsor> HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 388 By Terry HJR0388 005535 - 1 - A RESOLUTION to honor and congratulate Bayker Blankenship for his rising success in country music. WHEREAS, it is fitting that the members of this General Assembly should pause to specially recognize those native Tennesseans who possess world-renowned musical ability and have achieved early success in the music industry; and WHEREAS, Bayker Blankenship is one of those noteworthy people, a rising country music artist known for his high-energy performances, authentic storytelling, smooth vocals, and undeniable stage presence; and WHEREAS, Mr. Blankenship, a determined young man from Livingston in Overton County, has achieved extraordinary success early in his career as a country music artist; he represents this State by defying the odds to become a successful country music singer in a short amount of time, demonstrating that a young man from a small town can achieve early success in the country music industry; and WHEREAS, Bayker Blankenship got his big break on April 19, 2024, when he released his second single, "Maxed Out," which reached the No. 2 position on the Spotify Viral Charts and No. 43 on Apple Country; "Maxed Out" ultimately earned an RIAA Certified Gold Single award on February 6, 2025; and WHEREAS, the RIAA Certified Gold Single honor is awarded to a song or album that sells 500,000 units, and "Maxed Out" has been streamed over 67 million times; and WHEREAS, Mr. Blankenship recently released his debut album, Younger Years, which includes the singles "Maxed Out," "Tennessee Sunset," "Young Wild Free," and "Back When We Were Kids"; the album debuted with more than four million streams in the first week of its release; and - 2 - 005535 WHEREAS, in a contest being held throughout his Maxed Out tour, Bayker Blankenship is donating $1 of every ticket sold to support debt relief, with proceeds going toward helping two fans pay off their debts; and WHEREAS, Mr. Blankenship has now garnered over forty million streams in a few months, opened up for country music legend Willie Nelson on October 19, 2024, in Corpus Christi, Texas, and appeared on CBS Saturday Morning Saturday Sessions on November 30, 2024; and WHEREAS, against all odds, Bayker Blankenship has risen from being a small-town young man with dreams of becoming a successful country music singer to becoming a beacon of hope for aspiring country musicians in Tennessee and across the nation; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE CONCURRING, that we commend Overton County native Bayker Blankenship for his rapid rise to stardom as a country music artist, congratulate him upon his first single, "Maxed Out," becoming an RIAA Certified Gold Single, and extend to him our best wishes for every future success and happiness. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear without House or Senate designation.