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        Now if you're a big fan of Tennessee football, Tennessee Orange is the color that runs through your veins instead of red.  Some people even have a room in their home decorated in this color.  Not me... I lived with burnt orange carpet too many years.  I do sincerely apologize to all the "Orange Blooded Tennesseans" for not making this page in orange and white.  (Go Big Orange)  The state flower is the beautiful iris and I love flowers, so this purple iris won out.

        There's something about this beautiful state, in the shape of a slab of wood: Here friendliness seems to radiate, and it does our heart good. From Lookout Mountain to the coal fields, from the Great Smokies to the cotton land, where covered wagon and paddle wheel brought settlers by God's helping hand. To those who seek a fortune far or near, whatever be their skill or trade, if they can't make a good living here, then a living just cannot be made. It's kind of the buckle on the Bible Belt, and one belt fits all denominations; Live and let live is generally felt, everyone to his own salvation; Will its people change? No, there's no danger; in their ways they are, pretty well set, here they never see a stranger, only friends whom they haven't met. To those who may feel the same as I, please come and shake my hand, for here I shall live, and here I must die. It is truly my promised land.
~ By Hugh X. Lewis

        Tennessee has had several nicknames, but the most popular is “The Volunteer State.” The nickname originated during the War of 1812, in which the volunteer soldiers from Tennessee, serving under Gen. Andrew Jackson, displayed marked valor in the Battle of New Orleans.

        Other nicknames include the “Big Bend State,” which refers to the Indian name of the Tennessee River; “The River with the Big Bend”; and “Hog and Hominy State,” now obsolete but formerly applied because “the corn and pork products of Tennessee were in such great proportions between 1830 and 1840”; and “The Mother of Southwestern Statesmen,” because Tennessee furnished the United States three presidents and a number of other leaders who served with distinction in high government office.

        Tennesseans sometimes are referred to as “Volunteers,” “Big Benders” and “Butternuts.” The first two are derived from the nickname of the state, while the tag of “Butternuts” was first applied to Tennessee soldiers during the War Between the States because of the tan color of their uniforms. Later, it sometimes was applied to people across the entire state.
Source: http://www.state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/online/bbonline.htm

        The poem entitled “Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee” by Naval Adm. William Lawrence was designated and adopted as the official state poem by Public Chapter 111 of the 88th General Assembly. Adm. Lawrence composed this poem while enduring a period of 60 days of solitary confinement in a North Vietnamese prisoner of war camp. Lawrence, who spent six years as a POW during the Vietnam War, is a Nashville native and is retired from the United State Navy.

Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee
What Love and Pride I Feel for Thee.
You Proud Ole State, the Volunteer,
Your Proud Traditions I Hold Dear.

I Revere Your Heroes
Who Bravely Fought our Country’s Foes.
Renowned Statesmen, so Wise and Strong,
Who Served our Country Well and Long.

I Thrill at Thought of Mountains Grand;
Rolling Green Hills and Fertile Farm Land;
Earth Rich with Stone, Mineral and Ore;
Forests Dense and Wild Flowers Galore;
Powerful Rivers that Bring us Light;
Deep Lakes with Fish and Fowl in Flight;
Thriving Cities and Industries;
Fine Schools and Universities;
Strong Folks of Pioneer Descent,
Simple, Honest, and Reverent.

Beauty and Hospitality
Are the Hallmarks of Tennessee.

And O’er the World as I May Roam,
No Place Exceeds my Boyhood Home.
And Oh How Much I Long to See
My Native Land, My Tennessee.

My Homeland, Tennessee

        In 1925, the 64th General Assembly, by House Joint Resolution 36, adopted My Homeland, Tennessee as an official state song. The words of this song were written by Nell Grayson Taylor and the music by Roy Lamont Smith.

First Verse
O Tennessee, that gave us birth,
To thee our hearts bow down.
For thee our love and loyalty
Shall weave a fadeless crown.
Thy purple hills our cradle was;
Thy fields our mother breast
Beneath thy sunny bended skies,
Our childhood days were blessed.

Second Verse
’Twas long ago our fathers came,
A free and noble band,
Across the mountain’s frowning heights
To seek a promised land.
And here before their raptured eyes;
In beauteous majesty:
Outspread the smiling valleys
Of the winding Tennessee.

Third Verse
Could we forget our heritage
Of heroes strong and brave?
Could we do aught but cherish it,
Unsullied to the grave?
Ah no! the State where Jackson sleeps,
Shall ever peerless be.
We glory in thy majesty;
When It’s Iris Time In Tennessee
Our homeland, Tennessee.

Chorus
O Tennessee: Fair Tennessee:
Our love for thee can never die:
Dear homeland, Tennessee.

---

When It’s Iris Time in Tennessee

        In 1935, When It’s Iris Time in Tennessee by Willa Waid Newman also became an official state song. This song was adopted by the 69th General Assembly in Chapter 154 of the Public Acts.

First Verse
Sweetness of Spring memories bring
Of a place I long to be.
Land of Sunshine calls this old heart of mine,
Come back to Tennessee.

Second Verse
Rocks and the rills deep tinted hills,
There’s no spot so dear to me.
Where’er I roam still it’s my Home Sweet Home,
My own, my Tennessee.

Chorus
When it’s Iris time down in Tennessee,
I’ll be coming back to stay
Where the mockingbird sings at the break of day
A lilting love song gay.
Where the Iris grows,
Where the Harpeth flows,
That is where I long to be.
There’s a picture there that lives in memory
When it’s Iris time in Tennessee.

---

My Tennessee

        My Tennessee by Frances Hannah Tranum was adopted as the official public school song in 1955. It was adopted by Senate Joint Resolution 35 of the 79th General Assembly.

First Verse
Beloved state, oh state of mine,
In all the world I could not find,
Where God has strewn with lavish hand,
More natural beauty o’er the land.
From ev’ry stream and valley green
His wond’rous art is ever seen.
Ah, let my heart beat true to thee,
And swell with pride for Tennessee.

Second Verse
Thy rocks and rills, and wooded hills,
My mem’ry keeps the childhood thrills
You gave to me, that I might know
The joys supreme, you could bestow.
The song of birds, the whisp’ring trees,
The low of herds, the hum of bees,
It all comes back so dear to me,
My childhood home in Tennessee.

Third Verse
Your battles fought, and vict’ries won,
Your freedom bought and duty done,
With daughters fair, and sons so brave,
To do and dare, their deeds they gave.
Courageously, without a fear,
And won the name of volunteer.
In sacred trust, let those who will,
By being just, preserve it still.

Chorus
Oh, Tennessee, My Tennessee,
Thy hills and vales are fair to see,
With mountains grand, and fertile lands
There is no state more dear to me.
Thro’ other climes tho I may roam,
There will be times I’ll long for home,
In Tennessee, Fair Tennessee,
The land of my nativity.

---

Tennessee Waltz

        In 1965, Tennessee Waltz by Redd Stewart and Pee Wee King became an official song of the state. It was adopted by Senate Joint Resolution 9 of the 84th General Assembly.

I was waltzing with my darlin’ to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I happened to see
Introduced him to my loved one and while they were waltzing
My friend stole my sweetheart from me.

I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes I lost my little darlin’ the night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz.

---

Rocky Top

        Rocky Top, by Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, was adopted as an official song of Tennessee by Chapter 545 of the Public Acts of 1982.

First Verse
Wish that I was on ol’ Rocky Top,
down in the Tennessee hills;
Ain’t no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top;
Ain’t no telephone bills;
Once I had a girl on Rocky Top;
Half bear, other half cat;
Wild as a mink, but sweet as soda pop,
I still dream about that;

Second Verse
Once two strangers climbed ol’ Rocky Top,
lookin’ for a moonshine still;
Strangers ain’t come down from Rocky Top;
Reckon they never will;
Corn won’t grow at all on Rocky Top;
Dirt’s too rocky by far;
That’s why all the folks on Rocky Top
get their corn from a jar;

Third Verse
I’ve had years of cramped-up city life
Trapped like a duck in a pen;
All I know is it’s a pity life
Can’t be simple again.

Chorus
Rocky Top, you’ll always be
home sweet home to me;
Good ol’ Rocky Top;
Rocky Top, Tennessee;
Rocky Top, Tennessee.

---

Tennessee

        Tennessee by Vivian Rorie was adopted as an official song of Tennessee in 1992. It was adopted by House Joint Resolution 744 of the 97th General Assembly.

I do not know of another state
Where I had rather be
Than this great state I’m living in
And that is Tennessee.
I love the stars dearly
And there are surely three
That show the Grand Division
Of my home-land, Tennessee

Where could you find a meadow
With grass so vividly green?
Where could you find the mountains
With such majestic scene?

You will never find so bright a moon
To shine down from above
You will also see the robin
The wren, and the turtle dove.

And don’t forget the rivers
Where visitors long to stay.
And many have voiced in parting,
‘I’m sure glad I passed this way.’
You will see the cattle grazing
Beside a cotton field;
And there’s the Grand Ole Opry
And a feeling it’s all God’s will.

I have lived here all my life
It’s where I’m going to be
Although I’ve traveled quite a bit,
I’ll still take Tennessee!

Oh, I sure love the state I’m in:
The great state of Tennessee!

~ Great Sites In Tennessee ~
News/Sports

The Nashville Tennessean Online

The Commercial Appeal Online Memphis News Paper

WELCOME TO BIG ORANGE COUNTRY - Home of Tennessee Football

Go Vols!

Education

Caywood School's Homepage

Tennessee Department of Education

Tennessee Universities

Tennessee Education Association

Resources For Visiting In Tennessee

CNN - Travel: City Guides - Tennessee

Tennessee's WWW Home Page (Governor's page)

Tennessee Blue Book

Department of Tourist Development

Reelfoot Lake fishing and hunting resort

Tennessee Aquarium

Shiloh National Military Park Home Page

Whats new in the Smokies

The Smokies Magazine

GORP - Great Smoky Mountains National Park activities, lodging and park info

The Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Home Page Outlet Mall's and DOLLYWOOD

Gatlinburg TN. Main Page shops and museums

Mountain Rentals of Gatlinburg Cabins and Chalets Offering mountain chalets, log cabins, and condominiums within 3 miles of downtown Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains for the price of a motel room. Check availability and make your reservation online!

Official Moon Pie Home Page Chattanooga, Tennessee

The Memphis Guide

Welcome to the Memphis Museum System Website

The University of Memphis Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology

Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau

Elvis - Presley.com The Official Site Shockwave needed

TennesseeHillbilly.com