HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1083
By Hardaway
A RESOLUTION to honor musical artist Wendy Moten.
WHEREAS, the members of this General Assembly take great pleasure in recognizing a native Memphian and present-day Nashvillian who has set the music world on its ear with her peerless singing ability; and WHEREAS, Wendy Moten recently finished as runner-up on season 21 of The Voice,
impressing both the coaches and the audience with her vocal chops and versatility; and WHEREAS, a native of Memphis who is now based in Nashville, Wendy Moten is no novice to the entertainment industry; she has been singing professionally since the age of
sixteen, when she made her debut at Libertyland theme park in Memphis; and WHEREAS, when music tours were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to audition for The Voice, a wise choice as the judges were simply stunned by her talent during her blind audition; and WHEREAS, after coach Blake Shelton enthusiastically selected Ms. Moten for his team,
she wowed the audience every week, performing a wide array of songs by The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Judy Garland, and Dolly Parton; and WHEREAS, on November 22, 2021, her fifty-seventh birthday, Wendy Moten was leaving the stage after performing when she tripped and fell, landing hard on her right elbow;
undaunted by this setback, she finished the episode before going to the hospital and performed the last several shows with a broken elbow; and WHEREAS, her final performance of "Over the Rainbow" on The Voice simply brought down the house, causing coaches Ariana Grande, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Blake Shelton to leap to their feet in appreciation and leaving them speechless; and HJR1083
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WHEREAS, the perseverance, courage, and fortitude Ms. Moten displayed after her injury played a major role in catapulting her to runner-up; as a thirty-year veteran of the industry,
she was never intimidated by her surroundings or other performers and distinguished herself as
the most mature artist to ever advance so far in the competition; and WHEREAS, her impressive musical pedigree includes a fifteen-year stint as Julio Iglesias's duet partner; touring as a backing singer with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill; working with Martina McBride, Wynonna Judd, and Vince Gill; and singing on studio sessions with Eric Clapton, The Doobie Brothers, Buddy Guy, and dozens of others; and WHEREAS, Wendy Moten's 1993 self-titled debut album featured a small but multi-
format hit in the single "Come in Out of the Rain"; in 2019, she recorded a collection of classic country songs titled I've Got You Covered, which was produced by Vince Gill; and WHEREAS, on April 2-3, 2022, Wendy Moten will return to her hometown as the headliner of two sold-out shows at the Halloran Centre; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED
TWELFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE
CONCURRING, that we honor the incredibly gifted and versatile vocalist Wendy Moten for her inspiring performances on The Voice, salute her many accomplishments in the music industry,
and wish her all the best as she relaunches her solo career.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear without House or Senate designation.
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