A house RESOLUTION

 

to recognize and honor karen alexander-Banks, founder and ceo of the auntie karen foundation, for her twenty-first legends of concert series.

 

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to learn of the great work being done by Karen Alexander-Banks and the Auntie Karen Foundation for residents and students across the Palmetto State through the Legends of…Concert Series; and

 

Whereas, a global nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, the Auntie Karen Foundation was founded on October 31, 2001, by Ms. Alexander-Banks with a mission to create and implement a series of reproducible community outreach programs designed to empower, enlighten, and educate children and adults through the arts; and

 

Whereas, the Legends of…Concert Series was created to keep the legacy of African American music alive by celebrating the achievements of legendary award-winning recording artists of jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues fame. Series events take place at the prestigious Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia; and

 

Whereas, the concert series is designed to not only entertain but also enrich the cultural landscape by promoting the arts as a source of inspiration and unity. The series attracts people from across the State and from neighboring states such as Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee; and

 

Whereas, the concert series was inaugurated in 2004 with four-time Grammy winner Roberta Flack. The 2005 concert featured jazz artist Dianne Reeves, the 2006 concert showcased the artistry of seven-time Grammy winning jazz vocalist Al Jarreau, and Patti Austin presented a remarkable performance in 2007; and

 

Whereas, since 2006, the Legends of…Concert Series has included a Legends of Master Class, a one-day event created by Karen Alexander-Banks in partnership with Richland School District One and the University of South Carolina School of Music; and

 

Whereas, other Legends of…Concert Series artists included: Joe & Take 6 (2008), George Duke & Rachelle Ferrell (2009), Ashford & Simpson (2010), Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds (2011), Ramsey Lewis & Patti Austin (2012), Gladys Knight (2013), "A Tribute to George Duke" featuring Kirk Whalum, Layla Hathaway & Jonathan Butler (2014), Chaka Kahn (2015), Al Jarreau with The South Carolina Philharmonic (2016), "A Tribute to Prince" featuring Sheila E & Morris Day and The Time (2018), the Isley Brothers (2019), Stephanie Mills & Peabo Bryson (2020), Vanessa Williams with the Colour of Music Orchestra (2021), Jeffrey Osborne & Lalah Hathaway (2022), and "A Tribute to Al Jarreau" featuring Kirk Whalum, "A Tribute to Al Jarreau" featuring Regina Belle, Chris Walker & Bob James (2023), "A Testament To Our Faith" Legends of Gospel featuring Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp, and Hezekiah Walker (2024); and

 

Whereas, this year's concert will take place on February 21, 2025, and is titled "21^st Annual Auntie Karen Legends of…Concert with PJ Morton." The event will celebrate twenty-one years of dedicated service from the Auntie Karen Foundation and its volunteers, partners, and sponsors. It will honor the rich legacy of African American music while bringing world-class performances to South Carolina; and

 

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives greatly appreciate the Auntie Karen Foundation's focus on attracting tourism to the city of Columbia and building a vibrant and equitable cultural community. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

 

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Karen Alexander-Banks, founder and CEO of The Auntie Karen Foundation, for her twenty-first Legends of…Concert Series.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Karen Alexander-Banks.

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