06 LC 34
0570
House
Resolution 1199
By:
Representatives Jenkins of the
8th
and Ralston of the
7th
A
RESOLUTION
Commending
"Fiddlin" Howard Cunningham on his accomplishments in his chosen field of music
and entertainment and inviting him to appear before the House of
Representatives; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
Howard Cunningham was born on November 27, 1928, to a farm family of six
children in Clay County, North Carolina, near the town of Hayesville, North
Carolina; and
WHEREAS,
as a young lad of five years, his family moved to nearby Hiawassee, Georgia;
and
WHEREAS,
his first fiddle was given to him at age 15 by brother-in-law Ross Brown, an
old-time well-known fiddler; and
WHEREAS,
upon graduation from high school, Howard joined a country band known as "The
Crazy Cut Ups" working out of Greenville, South Carolina; they traveled the east
Tennessee area, being guests on
Knoxvillés
Mid Day Merry Go Round on several occasions; they later went to Statesboro,
Georgia, playing two shows each day on radio station WWNS; and
WHEREAS,
Howard returned home to Hiawassee and formed another group working Saturdays on
WGGA in Gainesville, Georgia, playing square dances and schools in the north
Georgia and western North Carolina area; and
WHEREAS,
in 1950, the Georgia Mountain Fair was formed, and in 1952 Howard approached the
fair management about the idea of starting a country music program, inviting
area musicians to participate; from this humble beginning, Howard and others
started this show under a shade tree, and today the Georgia Mountain Fair
Country Music
Halĺs
modern building seats 3,500 people with state of the art lighting and sound;
and
WHEREAS,
the Georgia Mountain Fair staff band was formed and is still featured at the
Georgia Mountain Fair activities and also at the Fall Festival; the band opens
for a lot of the Nashville acts as well as "Bob
Wilĺs
Texas Playboys" and many more too numerous to mention; the members of the band
have a total service of over 250 years, with Howard being the leader with 50
years; and
WHEREAS,
Howard́s
special accomplishments, memberships, and awards include: host of the Georgia
Mountain
Faiŕs
Music program; Georgia State Champion
Fiddleŕs
Convention; played at the American Heritage Music on the Mall at the Smithsonian
in July 1981; played at The Festival of the Arts in Edinburgh, Scotland, in
August 1984; played at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway; played at the 1996
Summer Olympics in Atlanta; Tennessee State Champion Fiddle Player 1997; Smoky
Mountain Fiddlers Contest Winner 1994; Atlanta Country Music Hall of Honor 1988;
Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame 1994; and the "Fiddlin" John Carson
Award.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body commend "Fiddlin" Howard Cunningham on his accomplishments in the
field of music and entertainment and invite him to appear before the House of
Representatives at a time to be determined by the Speaker.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to "Fiddlin"
Howard Cunningham.