>From: "Ray, Christi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "'[EMAIL PROTECTED]'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: 2/11/99 U.S. REP CLEMENT RECOMMENDS KITTY WELLS FOR HONORS >Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 15:28:52 -0500 > > > > >For Immediate Release >Contact: Christi Ray >February 11, 1999 >Pager: 1-888-433-3770 > >CLEMENT RECOMMENDS KITTY WELLS FOR 1999 >KENNEDY CENTER HONORS > >Washington, D.C. Tennessee's Fifth District Congressman Bob Clement >announced today he is recommending the Queen of Country Music, Kitty Wells, >for 1999 Kennedy Center Honors. Clement joined the Nashville Association of >Musicians Local 257 in making this recommendation, in a letter addressed to >Mr. James A. Johnson, Chairman, Kennedy Center Board of Trustees. > >"I am delighted to recommend Kitty Wells for this prestigious honor," said >U.S. Rep. Clement. "Our friendship goes back many years to when my father >was Governor of Tennessee. Both she and her husband, Johnny Wright, are >wonderful entertainers and great human beings." > >1999 marks Wells 80th birthday and commemorates her 50th year as a recording >artist. The letter asks that she be honored as the first female country >music entertainer to receive the award. Kitty Wells was the first female >country artist to chart a # 1 song with "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk >Angels," helping break the male dominance of the country recording industry. >Wells inspired artists such as Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, and >Tammy Wynette, to pursue careers in the country music field. > >A Nashville native, Kitty Wells went on to chart a total of 38 top 10 songs. >She is the only artist, male or female to win first place honors on both >Billboard and Cashbox annual polls for 10 consecutive years. Billboard >further acknowledges Wells as not only the top female artist of the 1950's, >but of the 1960's as well. In 1976, Wells became the first living female >solo singer to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 1987, >Kitty Wells received the Pioneer Hat trophy from the Academy of Country >Music, in 1991 the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences honored >her with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 1993 she was honored >with the >TNN/Music City News Living Legend Award. > >"A Kennedy Center honor for Kitty Wells would further assert her position as >a true American treasure," said Clement. "I am pleased to join with the >Nashville Association of Musicians in making this recommendation." > > > Jeff Wall http://www.twangzine.com The Webs least sucky music magazine 3421 Daisy Crescent - Va Beach, Va - 23456
