SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A state lawmaker has filed legislation for an official jazz song of Massachusetts. State Representative Orlando Ramos is the one behind this proposal.
The song is by 76-year-old Springfield jazz singer Montenia Shider. She has been performing for more than 40 years and has taught music at Robert H. Hughes Academy Charter School. Shider was unaware that this legislation was filed until this afternoon.
“I did not expect anything like this. We were running around trying to get this room together because we thought the representative was going to talk about all these different things, but to know it’s about this song it’s wonderful because it’s a great song,” expressed Shider.
“After doing a little bit of research and talking to our council we realized Massachusetts already had a song, but not a jazz song, so I thought this would be the perfect jazz song for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” said State Representative Orlando Ramos.
Shider performed her song “Massachusetts” at the grand opening of the Raymond A. Jordan Senior Center in 2018.
