| 1 | 1 | | 88R6419 EME-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Springer S.R. No. 73 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, For a half century, singer and guitarist Joe Paul |
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| 7 | 7 | | Nichols distinguished himself as one of the Lone Star State's |
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| 8 | 8 | | premier country and gospel musicians; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The son of O. W. and Myrtle Nichols, Joe Paul |
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| 10 | 10 | | Nichols was born in Cundiff in 1941; he learned to play guitar at |
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| 11 | 11 | | age nine, and his first break in the music industry came when he was |
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| 12 | 12 | | hired to contribute to the weekly country show Cowtown Hoedown; |
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| 13 | 13 | | after graduating from Jacksboro High School in 1960, he was a |
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| 14 | 14 | | regular performer on the Big D Jamboree television program; and |
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| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, In 1970, Mr. Nichols formed his own band, The Five |
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| 16 | 16 | | Pennies, and the group gained acclaim with their blend of country, |
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| 17 | 17 | | western swing, and country gospel music; over the course of his |
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| 18 | 18 | | prolific career, he shared the stage with numerous country music |
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| 19 | 19 | | luminaries and recorded 26 albums and more than 300 songs; he scored |
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| 20 | 20 | | a number one hit on the country gospel charts with "Jesus is the |
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| 21 | 21 | | Same in California," and in 2006, his song "Eleven Eighteen Nadine |
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| 22 | 22 | | Lane" captured Song of the Year honors from the Academy of Western |
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| 23 | 23 | | Artists; among his numerous accolades, he was inducted into the |
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| 24 | 24 | | Texas International Music Association Hall of Fame, and the |
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| 25 | 25 | | International Country Gospel Music Association named its lifetime |
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| 26 | 26 | | achievement award in his honor; moreover, he served as the music |
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| 27 | 27 | | director at Cundiff Baptist Church for 48 years; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Nichols maintained a day job throughout his |
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| 29 | 29 | | musical career, working as a state inspector for the Texas |
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| 30 | 30 | | Department of Transportation for 34 years and serving as the county |
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| 31 | 31 | | commissioner in Jack County for a decade; he retired from music in |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2008 and passed away on July 27, 2011, at the age of 69; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | WHEREAS, With his exceptional talent and dedication to his |
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| 34 | 34 | | craft, Joe Paul Nichols earned a special place in the hearts of |
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| 35 | 35 | | innumerable people, and his musical legacy will continue to |
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| 36 | 36 | | resonate for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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| 38 | 38 | | hereby commend Joe Paul Nichols for his contributions to country |
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| 39 | 39 | | and gospel music and pay tribute to the life and legacy of this |
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| 40 | 40 | | beloved Texas musician; and, be it further |
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| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That when the Texas Senate adjourns this day, it do |
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| 42 | 42 | | so in honor of Joe Paul Nichols. |
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