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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Luther
4 Thomas Ingram, recording artist from O'Fallon, who passed away
5 on March 19, 2007; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Luther Ingram was born November 30, 1937, in
7 Jackson, Tennessee, to Richard Lee and Callie Ingram; he was
8 united in holy matrimony to Jacqueline Langford in 1961; and
 
9     WHEREAS, He attended public school in Jackson, Tennessee,
10 and in Alton; his family recognized his love for music at about
11 two or three years of age when his mother, dad, and older
12 brothers, Archie and Richard, couldn't sit him down during
13 church service when he heard the music and the singing; he
14 joined the group Midwest Crusaders as a young man after his
15 family moved to Alton in 1947; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Luther's love for singing became an integral part
17 of his life; he went to work for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft
18 Company, but his love for his music would not be squelched by
19 his work and he became a part of The Gardenias, along with his
20 two brothers and two other family friends; he quickly became
21 the feature lead singer and was known in the area as one of the
22 most talented and prolific young singers in the region; he

 

 

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1 roomed with Jimi Hendrix when each was recording in New York,
2 he performed with Ike Turner at clubs in East St. Louis, and
3 was the opening act for Isaac Hayes; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Luther Ingram recorded with Decca Records in New
5 York and in 1965 wrote and sang "I Spy for the FBI" with his
6 brothers in their group, Luther Ingram and the G-Men; he is
7 best remembered for his signature classic song, "If Loving You
8 Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right"; the song was recorded in
9 1973 and reached number 1 on the record charts; his other
10 popular songs include "Ain't That Loving You (For More Reasons
11 Than One)", "I'll Be Your Shelter", and "You Never Miss Your
12 Water"; Luther Ingram was on the R&B charts thirteen times in
13 his career; he also co-wrote the Staple Singers hit song
14 "Respect Yourself"; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Luther Ingram is remembered as a soft-spoken and
16 quiet person and as an intense singer who sought perfection in
17 every song he sang; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Luther was preceded in death by his father,
19 Richard Lee Ingram; his sister, Georgia Lee; his brother, Allie
20 B.; and his grandparents; and
 
21     WHEREAS, The passing of Luther Ingram will be deeply felt
22 by all those who knew and loved him, especially his devoted

 

 

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1 wife of 46 years, Jacqueline; his sons, Kenneth (Rochelle)
2 Ingram, and Eric Luther (Linda) Ingram; his mother, Mrs. Callie
3 Ingram; his mother-in-law, Mrs. Rose Langford; his brothers,
4 Archie (Dorothy) Ingram, Richard (Beatrice) Ingram, Jessie
5 (Sherlene) Ingram, Frank (Karen), and Thomas (Barbara); his
6 sister, Daisy (Pennington) McGee; his grandchildren, Jemar
7 Glen, Kenneth Edward, and James Kobe; his great-aunts, Fanny
8 Henry, Norma Walls, Mildred Hill, Susan Weaver and Mary
9 (Sherman, Sr.) Hamilton; his sisters-in-law, Virgie Mae
10 Hudson, Geraldine Scott and Mary (Jesse) Brown; his
11 godchildren, Christopher (Venis) Manuel, Debra Reed, Stephanie
12 Lewis, Briana Scott, Stevie (Jessica) Scott, Maurice Scott Jr.,
13 and Joseph Bates; his longtime brethren, Bernie (U-Vee) Hayes,
14 Percy Lockett, Donald Dace, John Sanders, Dr. James Logan, and
15 Randy Stewart; his nieces and nephews; his dozens of cousins; a
16 host of friends and associates along with his musical family
17 Stax/KoKo of Memphis Tennessee; therefore, be it
 
18     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
19 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
20 mourn, along with all who knew and loved him, the passing of
21 musical artist Luther Ingram; and be it further
 
22     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
23 presented to the family of Luther Ingram as a symbol of our
24 respect and sympathy.