HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 50

(By Delegate Haynes)

[February 7, 2022]

Requesting the Division of Highways name the Route 61, locally known as the Fayette Pike Road, beginning at 38.1807020, -81.3175328 and ending at 38.1796852, -81.2266422, in Montgomery, West Virginia, the “John Ellison Road” in honor of Willie John Ellison.

Whereas, Willie John Ellison was born to an impoverished family in a rural, coal mining community in West Virginia; and

Whereas, John Ellison began a difficult music career experiencing tremendous hardship and racism; and

Whereas, John Ellison traveled to Rochester, New York where he founded Soul Brothers Six; and

Whereas, In 1967 John Ellison wrote “Some Kind of Wonderful” which became one of the most famous songs in history; and

Whereas, In 1987 the book Sweet Soul Music named the Soul Brothers Six as a major influence on the sound of modern music; and

Whereas, John Ellison continued to write groundbreaking, hit songs including “I’ll be Loving You”, “Funky, Funky Way of Making Love”, and “You Can Count on Me”; and

Whereas, John Ellison has received five lifetime achievement awards from BMI, was introduced into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2015, and has even won a lifetime musical achievement award in Canada, and

Whereas, John Ellison impresses with his music and voice and is one of the most influential musicians to come from West Virginia. He has made essential contributions to blues, gospel, soul and funk music in a time of great social change; therefore be it,

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways name the Route 61, locally known as the Fayette Pike Road, beginning at 38.1807020, -81.3175328 and ending at 38.1796852, -81.2266422, in Montgomery, West Virginia, the “John Ellison Road” in honor of Willie John Ellison; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the roadway as the “John Ellison Road”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.