Bill Text: MS SR15 | 2025 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Recognize Eddie Cotton, Jr., as recipient of Governor's Arts Award for Excellence in Music.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-3)
Status: (Passed) 2025-01-30 - Adopted [SR15 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2025-SR15-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2025 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Horhn
Senate Resolution 15
(As Adopted by Senate)
A RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE RECOGNITION OF THE MISSISSIPPI SENATE TO THE LEGACY AND TALENT OF EDDIE COTTON, JR., OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2025 GOVERNOR'S ARTS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MUSIC.
WHEREAS, the Governor's Arts Awards Program has announced its 2025 recipients, which include Gospel/blues artist Eddie Cotton, Jr., of Jackson, Mississippi, as the 2025 recipient of the Excellence in Music Award; and
WHEREAS, established in 1988, Governor's Arts Awards are given to individuals and organizations to recognize outstanding work in the artistic disciplines as well as arts-based community development and arts patronage in Mississippi. The awards are presented in partnership with the Governor's Office and signify the important relationship between government and the arts; and
WHEREAS, Eddie Cotton, Jr., is a Gospel-infused, juke joint-style blues artist with a worldwide reach. He was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and moved to Clinton, Mississippi, when he was two years old. Cotton grew up singing and playing gospel music in his father's church. He started on the drums and then took piano lessons at home. As a youth, he began listening to the blues; it would not be long before that foot-stomping, down-home music would stir in his soul, inspiring him to pick up the electric guitar and cleverly interpret the blues with an original modern flare; and
WHEREAS, when Cotton was six, his father took him to the YWCA on Farish Street, where he took guitar lessons from Zac Harmon, who was 17 years old at the time. Cotton and his father often visited other churches, allowing Eddie to learn new chords and techniques and expand his guitar skills. The gospel music he learned in the Church of God in Christ was a creative mix of funk, blues, and even a little jazz. Cotton was attracted to the blues while listening to it on the radio because it reminded him of church chords; and
WHEREAS, Cotton received a scholarship to Jackson State University (JSU), where he learned to play jazz and studied music theory. During his time at JSU, he began to get into the blues scene. Cotton frequented the legendary Subway Lounge, where he would watch King Edward Antoine play. Antoine soon learned that Cotton could play guitar and mentored him. Cotton joined King Edwards's band for almost two years until 1996 when Cotton put together his own band, The Mississippi Cotton Club; and
WHEREAS, Cotton's music inspires his fans to get up, move, and dance. Cotton has shared line-ups with notables such as Hubert Sumlin, Honey Boy Edwards, Bobby Rush, B.B. King, Little Milton Campbell, Dorothy Moore, The Temptations, Cassandra Wilson, Smokey Wilson, Charlie Pride, Marty Stewart, Sonny Rhodes, The Williams Brothers, Mavis Staples, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle and many more; and
WHEREAS, his blues career has taken him all over the world, and he has played at prestigious festivals and events in Canada, Finland, Norway, France, Germany, and throughout the United States. Cotton has performed at four of the Mississippi GRAMMY Legacy shows cosponsored by the Recording Academy, Los Angeles, and the State of Mississippi. He has also been featured in numerous publications nationally and internationally and has appeared in several films about the blues; and
WHEREAS, Cotton's honors include The Peavey Award — 2008, Winner of the Vicksburg Blues Society Blues Challenge - 2014, Winner of the International Blues Challenge, Memphis — 2015, Jackson Music Awards Entertainer of the Year – 2016, Jus' Blues Awards Entertainer of the Year — 2016 and Central Mississippi Blues Society Lifetime Achievement Award — 2024. Among his awards and accolades, he has a Mississippi Blues Trail marker in his hometown of Clinton; and
WHEREAS, Cotton has recorded five albums, two of which were live recordings at the Alamo Theater in Jackson. His most recent release, The Mirror on the Malaco label, comprises all original songs. Cotton continues to perform at events nationally and internationally. He is working on a new album release for 2025 and is part of a book project about Jackson, Mississippi's music history, which will be unveiled in 2025; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we pay tribute and express appreciation for the energy of a Mississippi musician whose performances have made Mississippi a better place and exemplifies the charitable and artistic/musical traditions of our great state:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby extend the recognition of the Mississippi Senate to the legacy and talent of Eddie Cotton, Jr., of Jackson, Mississippi, as the recipient of the 2025 Governor's Arts Award for Excellence in Music and extend our congratulations to this outstanding musician on this auspicious occasion.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Eddie Cotton, Jr., and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
