82R27829 JH-D
By: Hughes H.C.R. No. 159
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The driving, danceable sound of boogie woogie music
is a distinctive American art form, and its energetic style is all
the more notable for having been born in the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, Music historians have traced boogie woogie to
northeastern Texas in the 1870s, when large numbers of African
Americans were working in railroad construction and in logging and
turpentine camps in the Piney Woods region; a common feature of the
work camps was a barrelhouse, which often contained a piano to
provide entertainment for the workers during off hours; and
WHEREAS, In those makeshift gathering spots, a new,
percussive style of piano developed, marked by a repeated "walking"
bass line, a fast tempo, and a 12-bar blues arrangement; this
spirited music quickly grew in popularity and became known by a
number of names, including "barrelhouse," "fast western," "fast
Texas," and--as it became best known--boogie woogie; and
WHEREAS, As the hub of the Piney Woods and the headquarters of
the Texas and Pacific Railway, the city of Marshall played an
especially important role in these events; this crossroads town was
a frequent meeting place for the piano players that traveled from
camp to camp, and it figured prominently in the early development of
boogie woogie; and
WHEREAS, The city's status as a rail center made it a fitting
home for the music because boogie woogie was heavily influenced by
the locomotive; with their pounding piano, musicians imitated the
huff and clatter of the trains and drew their rhythmic inspiration
from the propulsive rotation of the steam engine driver wheel; and
WHEREAS, Ultimately, the railroad helped to transport boogie
woogie far beyond its birthplace; as wandering musicians took the
style to cities throughout the country, its rollicking sound rolled
across the South and Midwest and on to big cities such as Chicago
and New York; through the decades, its elements would be melded into
other genres, including the uniquely American sounds of jazz,
rhythm and blues, and rock and roll; and
WHEREAS, This interesting chapter in Texas history further
underscores the Lone Star State's reputation as a center for
musical creativity, and by hosting concerts and festivals and
establishing a boogie woogie artist-in-residence, Marshall is
embracing its part in creating this important musical innovation;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby designate Marshall as the official Birthplace of Boogie
Woogie.