Veteran Mississippi legislator David Jordan of Greenwood is madly devoted to promotion of the blues culture that has deep roots within his senatorial district. Besides owning the lot where the legendary Robert Johnson is buried (there are three contending sites for this distinction, however), Jordan also sponsored the legislation that brought the Mississippi Blues Commission into being.

So it was no great surprise to many of his fellow lawmakers Wednesday that he sponsored a resolution honoring soul blues queen Denise LaSalle, who visited the State Capitol for the first time for the occasion.

LaSalle, who was born in Leflore County, but now resides in Jackson, Tennessee, achieved fame at a young age with her 1971 hit song “Trapped by a Thing Called Love.” She was also a class-A songwriter, penning such hits as Z.Z. Hill’s hit recordings “Down Home Blues” and “Someone Else Been Stepping In.”

Stepping down from her role of soul blues queen for several years, Denise LaSalle recorded several gospel albums that captivated a large segment of that traditional genre. In 1999, she won a crossover Emmy for her gospel and R&B recordings.

Extending a heartfelt welcome to Ms. LaSalle and her road manager, Anna Coday, Jordan told his fellow senators that they “need to get some blues in this chamber.”

“We fight a lot,” said Jordan, “but we do need some blues in this Capitol from time to time.”

Jordan sponsored the resolution read on behalf of Denise LaSalle’s success in the music field and as a representative of Mississippi around the world.

LaSalle told her legislative audience scattered about the senate chamber and in the gallery that she wasn’t always proud of her home state, but she has grown to appreciate it in a profound way in later life.

“I’m so proud of Mississippi,” said a very nervous Denise LaSalle. “When I first left Mississippi, I had tears in my eyes in trying to get away from Mississippi. But Mississippi has made me so proud that everywhere I go now, I can talk proudly about Mississippi, and I hold it up like a banner.”

 “Denise LaSalle is an icon in the blues world,” said State Sen. John Horhn, a former professional entertainer and one-time director of the Mississippi Tourism and Film commissions. “She is a part of our blues history and we appreciate her and love her for her exciting stage performances and her wonderful and distinct singing voice.”

State Alice Harden of Jackson was a member of the senate committee that escorted Denise into the chamber and up to the podium where the proclamation honoring her was read.

“She is an outstanding blues artist,” Harden said. “We honored her this morning, and she honored us with her presence. She is a native of the Mississippi Delta and we are proud of all the success that she has had. We want all Mississippians to know that Denise LaSalle is doing great things for our state wherever she goes.”

Jordan summed up the feelings of most of his colleagues from the Delta in saying

“The blues is our number-one tourist attraction and it is the most profitable of Mississippi products sold out in the world market,” Jordan said. “She has been all over the world, but was never given the occasion to come to the State Capitol until now. She has a right to be here. It’s up to folks like myself to make sure that our people who have made great achievements like Ms. LaSalle are properly recognized.”

Denise LaSalle is still active in the blues world known as the “Chittlin’ Circuit.” She records on the Malaco label based in Jackson.