--- title: SR 979. Norwood, Dorothy; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr979 cite_as: SR 979, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr979 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr979.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr979/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74183 date: 2026-03-19 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr978.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr980.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr979.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 979 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-19 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Sonya Halpern - RaShaun Kemp - Kenya Wicks - Gail Davenport - Tonya Anderson text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR979/2025 upstream_id: 2135924 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - gospel music - Senate resolution - Georgia honorees - Dorothy Norwood --- # SR 979. Norwood, Dorothy; recognize ## Text Senate Resolution 979 By: Senators Halpern of the 39th, Kemp of the 38th, Wicks of the 34th, Davenport of the 17th and Anderson of the 43rd A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Dorothy Norwood; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, born in Atlanta, Georgia, Dorothy Norwood is a legendary American gospel singer, songwriter, and storyteller widely revered as "The World's Greatest Gospel Storyteller" whose career has spanned more than six decades of transformative musical and spiritual influence; and WHEREAS, in the early 1960s, Dorothy Norwood joined the renowned gospel group The Caravans, performing alongside iconic artists such as Albertina Walker and Shirley Caesar, helping to shape the sound and direction of modern gospel music; and WHEREAS, in 1964, she launched a successful solo career with the release of her debut album Johnny and Jesus, establishing her distinctive storytelling style that blends music with sermon-like narratives that speak to faith, struggle, and redemption; and WHEREAS, Dorothy Norwood is celebrated for timeless works including "Johnny and Jesus," "The Denied Mother," "The Old Lady's House," and "There's a Stranger in Town," songs that are widely regarded as gospel classics for their emotional depth and moral clarity; and WHEREAS, her 1991 album Live with The Northern California G.M.W.A. Mass Choir reached No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel Chart, marking a major milestone in her already distinguished career; and WHEREAS, Dorothy Norwood has received multiple Grammy nominations and Stellar Awards, recognizing her excellence, longevity, and enduring influence within the gospel music industry; and WHEREAS, well into her 80s, Dorothy Norwood continues to record and perform, earning admiration for her powerful vocals, often described as "church-wrecking," and for her unwavering commitment to ministry through music; and WHEREAS, her legacy stands as a testament to the cultural, spiritual, and artistic contributions of Black gospel music and its deep roots in the State of Georgia and across the nation. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize and commend Dorothy Norwood for her extraordinary career, her lasting contributions to gospel music, and her role in preserving and advancing a vital tradition of African American cultural expression. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Dorothy Norwood. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate resolution formally recognizes and commends gospel singer Dorothy Norwood for her decades-long career in gospel music. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a change to state law. It honors Dorothy Norwood, an Atlanta-born gospel singer known as 'The World's Greatest Gospel Storyteller,' recounting her more than six-decade career, including her time with The Caravans, her solo debut album, and her chart-topping 1991 live album. The resolution formally states that the Senate recognizes and commends her for her contributions to gospel music and to African American cultural expression. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to Norwood. It creates no new rules, funding, or penalties. ### What it does - Formally states the Senate's recognition and commendation of Dorothy Norwood for her career in gospel music. - Recounts specific career achievements, including her work with The Caravans and her chart-topping 1991 live album. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Dorothy Norwood. ### Who it affects This resolution directly names and honors Dorothy Norwood. It also involves the Secretary of the Senate, who is tasked with preparing and distributing a copy of the resolution to her. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or financial effect; it does not change Georgia law, create funding, or impose requirements on anyone besides directing a ceremonial copy to be delivered. Its significance is symbolic, marking official state recognition of an individual's career achievements. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses detail Norwood's biography and career milestones, including her 1964 debut album and 1991 Billboard Gospel Chart-topping release. - The resolved clause states the Senate's recognition and commendation of Norwood's career and cultural contributions. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to Norwood. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-19) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-03-19) - Sponsors: Sonya Halpern, RaShaun Kemp, Kenya Wicks, Gail Davenport, Tonya Anderson - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74183 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr979.md?full=1