Senator DeFrancisco Presented the Roosevelt Dean Blues Band with a Senate Resolution Commemorating the Life of Longtime Syracuse Blues Singer Roosevelt Dean

COMMEMORATING the life of longtime Syracuse blues singer Roosevelt Dean 

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commemorate the lives of celebrated men and women who have influenced our communities through their love of music and performing, and who have given us the gift of music; and 
 
WHEREAS, Roosevelt "Rosie" Dean, an icon of the Syracuse blues scene, was taken from us on Saturday, April 4, 2009, after a long struggle with cancer; Dean had battled cancer since 2001; and

WHEREAS, Roosevelt Dean grew up in Phenix City, Alabama, and in 1962, at the age of eighteen he moved to Syracuse, New York; and

WHEREAS, After working for Syracuse China for 30 years, Roosevelt Dean retired to pursue his passion of performing the blues; and

WHEREAS, Roosevelt Dean performed and recorded regularly in Syracuse and quickly became a popular bluesman within the community; Dean was a featured performer at the famous Syracuse restaurant, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, and at many other sites throughout Central New York; and

WHEREAS, Roosevelt Dean also helped promote and inspire many other gifted performing artists in Syracuse, including his longtime friend singer Carolyn Kelly, who Dean convinced to make a comeback; and

WHEREAS, Roosevelt Dean performed with hundreds of musicians in the Syracuse area, including his band, The Spellbinders, which released many CDs, including the very popular "Blues Heaven," which featured the title song he wrote in tribute to the Syracuse blues scene; and

WHEREAS, Roosevelt Dean, who was known as "The Voice of Syracuse," later started The Roosevelt Dean Blues Band; and 

WHEREAS, Longtime Syracuse blues singer Roosevelt Dean was inducted into the Syracuse Area Music Awards (Sammys) Hall of Fame in 2008 for his deep blues voice and guitar work, and won several other Syracuse Area Music Awards throughout his career; and

WHEREAS, Roosevelt Dean was well-known in the City of Syracuse and was considered a kind person and a talented blues guitarist and vocalist; he has been described as "a true blues treasure" and a man who "made everybody feel special"; and

WHEREAS, Many individuals in the performing arts community came together to pay tribute to Roosevelt Dean in the days following his passing and held tribute concerts in his honor; his loss has been deeply felt by many; now, therefore, be it  
 
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the life of Roosevelt Dean, knowing that he has forever left a void in the hearts and minds of those he loved and those he touched through his music, and to convey its sincere condolences to his family and friends; and be it further  
 
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Roosevelt Dean's children; Teresa Dean, Michael Dean and Shawana Dean.