SENATE MEMORIAL 52

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2019

INTRODUCED BY

Steven P. Neville and William E. Sharer

A MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING THE AMAZING TALENT OF CHEVEL SHEPHERD, WINNER OF THE VOICE SINGING COMPETITION.

     WHEREAS, Chevel Shepherd is a sixteen-year-old resident of Farmington who was catapulted to fame when she earned the crowning title on The Voice, a singing competition television series; and

     WHEREAS, Chevel was a member of Kelly Clarkson's team and was announced the winner of season fifteen of The Voice on December 18, 2018; and

     WHEREAS, in 2018, Chevel entered the fifteenth season of The Voice and in her blind audition sang "If I Die Young" by the Band Perry; and

     WHEREAS, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson and Blake Shelton gave their enthusiastic approval of Chevel's performance, and Chevel chose to be a part of team Kelly; and

     WHEREAS, Chevel made it to the finale and won the competition; and

     WHEREAS, as a teenager, Chevel constantly impresses people with her powerful voice, given her age and her petite four-foot ten-inch stature; and

     WHEREAS, Chevel was raised on country music and the outdoors, often doing crafts, feeding the animals and fixing up cars with her dad; and

     WHEREAS, since Chevel was eight, she has been singing wherever she can; and

     WHEREAS, Chevel first learned to yodel from her father when she was eleven years of age, and fell in love with it; and

     WHEREAS, Chevel sang LeAnn Rimes' hit "Blue" during the semifinals and dedicated the performance to her grandfather, who was sitting in the audience; and

     WHEREAS, when Chevel performed Loretta Lynn's song "You're Lookin' at Country" during the live top ten performances, she got feedback on her facebook page from Loretta Lynn herself, who wrote, "Loved it, honey!"; and

     WHEREAS, through her choices in music, Chevel has confirmed that she considers herself "an old soul"; and

     WHEREAS, Chevel loves the sound of older country music, from the storytelling to all of the instruments and the musicality of it; and

     WHEREAS, Chevel is doing something different from modern country music and would like to bring back old country music and yodeling;

      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that Chevel Shepherd be recognized for her amazing singing talent; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Chevel Shepherd be congratulated for winning The Voice singing competition; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to Chevel Shepherd.

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