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2024 SESSION

24106674D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 216
Offered February 26, 2024
Commending The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail.
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Patrons-- Kilgore and Rasoul; Senator: Pillion
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WHEREAS, The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting economic development in Southwest Virginia by promoting the region’s rich heritage of traditional music, celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024; and

WHEREAS, Southwest Virginia has been home to several musical pioneers, including the Carter Family, the Stanley Brothers, Carl Martin, Grayson & Whitter, Pop Stoneman, and many others, and the region’s musical heritage has played an integral part in the musical heritage of America; and

WHEREAS, The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail was first conceived in 2003 as a mechanism for cultural tourism and for honoring the musical legacy of Southwest Virginia; and

WHEREAS, The Crooked Road driving trail spans 333 miles and connects 10 major venues, including the Ralph Stanley Museum, the Country Cabin, the Carter Family Fold, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center and Marketplace, the Floyd Country Store, County Sales Music in Floyd, the Blue Ridge Music Center, the Rex Theater and Galax Old Fiddlers Convention, and the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum, as well as more than 50 affiliate venues featuring old time and bluegrass music on a regular basis; and

WHEREAS, The Crooked Road was designated as Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail by the General Assembly in 2004, and it serves 19 counties, four cities, and 53 towns in Southwest Virginia; and

WHEREAS, The Crooked Road continues to invest in the next generation of old time and bluegrass musicians, ensuring that Southwest Virginia’s vibrant musical legacy remains an important aspect of its cultural identity and a viable sector of the creative economy; and

WHEREAS, The Crooked Road has served as a vital contributor to Southwest Virginia’s economy amidst an economic transition from the region’s historical industries, such as coal, tobacco, timber, and textiles; and

WHEREAS, Southwest Virginia has experienced an increase in visitor spending, tourism-related taxes, and job creation due to economic activity along The Crooked Road trail; and

WHEREAS, The Crooked Road is home to countless musicians, dancers, and tradition bearers who continue to preserve the rich musical heritage of Southwest Virginia; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend and congratulate The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail on the occasion of its 20th anniversary of promoting old time and bluegrass music experiences across Southwest Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail as an expression of the General Assembly’s appreciation for its preservation of the musical legacy of Southwest Virginia.