Bill Text: TX SR73 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Honoring Joe Paul Nichols for his contributions to music.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-01-24 - Reported enrolled [SR73 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SR73-Introduced.html
| 88R6419 EME-D | ||
| By: Springer | S.R. No. 73 | |
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| WHEREAS, For a half century, singer and guitarist Joe Paul | ||
| Nichols distinguished himself as one of the Lone Star State's | ||
| premier country and gospel musicians; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The son of O. W. and Myrtle Nichols, Joe Paul | ||
| Nichols was born in Cundiff in 1941; he learned to play guitar at | ||
| age nine, and his first break in the music industry came when he was | ||
| hired to contribute to the weekly country show Cowtown Hoedown; | ||
| after graduating from Jacksboro High School in 1960, he was a | ||
| regular performer on the Big D Jamboree television program; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In 1970, Mr. Nichols formed his own band, The Five | ||
| Pennies, and the group gained acclaim with their blend of country, | ||
| western swing, and country gospel music; over the course of his | ||
| prolific career, he shared the stage with numerous country music | ||
| luminaries and recorded 26 albums and more than 300 songs; he scored | ||
| a number one hit on the country gospel charts with "Jesus is the | ||
| Same in California," and in 2006, his song "Eleven Eighteen Nadine | ||
| Lane" captured Song of the Year honors from the Academy of Western | ||
| Artists; among his numerous accolades, he was inducted into the | ||
| Texas International Music Association Hall of Fame, and the | ||
| International Country Gospel Music Association named its lifetime | ||
| achievement award in his honor; moreover, he served as the music | ||
| director at Cundiff Baptist Church for 48 years; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Nichols maintained a day job throughout his | ||
| musical career, working as a state inspector for the Texas | ||
| Department of Transportation for 34 years and serving as the county | ||
| commissioner in Jack County for a decade; he retired from music in | ||
| 2008 and passed away on July 27, 2011, at the age of 69; and | ||
| WHEREAS, With his exceptional talent and dedication to his | ||
| craft, Joe Paul Nichols earned a special place in the hearts of | ||
| innumerable people, and his musical legacy will continue to | ||
| resonate for years to come; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature | ||
| hereby commend Joe Paul Nichols for his contributions to country | ||
| and gospel music and pay tribute to the life and legacy of this | ||
| beloved Texas musician; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That when the Texas Senate adjourns this day, it do | ||
| so in honor of Joe Paul Nichols. | ||
