I would like to adjourn in memory of Jack Hannah, a Western music legend and icon of the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival.
Jack was born in Marshland, Missouri, in 1933 and his family relocated to the San Joaquin Valley amid the Great Depression when he was three years old.
His father, Lon, and mother, Melba, worked hard to give the family a better life and found a new start here in California.
Growing up, Jack played football and baseball and competed in both at the collegiate level for Fresno State.
Following his time at Fresno State, Jack went on to become a professional baseball player, pitching in the Milwaukee Brewers minor league system for six years.
Between his athletic and music careers, he spent time as a school counselor and high school baseball coach, winning a pair of San Joaquin Valley championships in the process.
Most Santa Clarita residents will know Jack, however, as a co-founder of the Sons of the San Joaquin, which he began with his brother, Joe, and nephew, Lon.
They started performing together in 1987, released more than a dozen albums and were inducted into the Western Music Association Hall of Fame.
During their career, the group regularly performed at the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival and had a strong and loyal following around the world.
In 2007, the Sons of the San Joaquin were inducted into the Walk of Western Stars in Old Town Newhall.
Many of the group’s songs were written by Jack, and he was honored with several Songwriter of the Year awards from the WMA.
Jack and his wife, Linda, were married for 62 years and had four children and nine grandchildren.
We are grateful for the impact Jack had on our lives – and our hearts are with his family and friends.