Just Sing Florida: New State Song Announced
Tune Replaces 'Swannee River'
POSTED: Friday, January 11, 2008
UPDATED: 3:32 pm EST January 11,
2008
TAMPA, Fla. -- The winner of a new state song contest was announced Friday in Tampa.
Click here to listen to the song. (Courtesy of Florida Today)
"Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky" beat out two competitors in an online competition at JustSingFlorida.org conducted by the Florida Music Educators Association, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported.State Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, and Rep. Ed Homan, R-Tampa, have agreed to sponsor legislation to replace Stephen Foster's "Old Folks At Home" as Florida's official state song in the 2008 legislative session. Gov. Charlie Crist didn't have the song -- also known as "Swannee River" -- sung at his inauguration last year and has supported the search for a new one."No one is saying it should be erased from Florida history," said James Perry, executive director of the FMEA. "But it's a song that a lot of people aren't comfortable singing."The state altered Foster's original lyrics, with their slavery-era dialect and racial stereotypes, but "Old Folks At Home" still referred to a long-gone era of plantations in Florida. The three new songs nominated as a replacement celebrated a more modern Florida.The FMEA said 8,020 ballots were cast and that "Sawgrass" won with more than half the vote.In addition to state song legislation, lawmakers will also consider a bill by Rep. Dave Murzin, R-Pensacola, to designate a different tune as Florida's official state "anthem." But that wouldn't affect adoption of a new state song."Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky" was written by Jan Hinton of Pompano Beach.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Click here to listen to the song. (Courtesy of Florida Today)
"Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky" beat out two competitors in an online competition at JustSingFlorida.org conducted by the Florida Music Educators Association, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported.State Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, and Rep. Ed Homan, R-Tampa, have agreed to sponsor legislation to replace Stephen Foster's "Old Folks At Home" as Florida's official state song in the 2008 legislative session. Gov. Charlie Crist didn't have the song -- also known as "Swannee River" -- sung at his inauguration last year and has supported the search for a new one."No one is saying it should be erased from Florida history," said James Perry, executive director of the FMEA. "But it's a song that a lot of people aren't comfortable singing."The state altered Foster's original lyrics, with their slavery-era dialect and racial stereotypes, but "Old Folks At Home" still referred to a long-gone era of plantations in Florida. The three new songs nominated as a replacement celebrated a more modern Florida.The FMEA said 8,020 ballots were cast and that "Sawgrass" won with more than half the vote.In addition to state song legislation, lawmakers will also consider a bill by Rep. Dave Murzin, R-Pensacola, to designate a different tune as Florida's official state "anthem." But that wouldn't affect adoption of a new state song."Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky" was written by Jan Hinton of Pompano Beach.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Copyright 2008 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com.
All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.
An Orange County judge has granted a temporary injunction on the release of footage of the death of a SeaWorld trainer.
The death of a SeaWorld trainer horrifies members of the audience, who were gathered for the park's "Dine With Shamu" experience.
FIRST ON ClickOrlando.com. Authorities release the 911 calls made after a SeaWorld Orlando trainer was pulled into a tank by a killer whale.
PETA has taken to the skies to protest SeaWorld's practice of using captive animals for entertainment.
The Connell family, of New Hampshire, was videotaping the Sea World killer whale show moments before a trainer was killed.
The 15th Annual Motor City Tattoo Expo took place Feb. 27-28 in downtown Detroit. Take a look at the some of the incredible ink and stunning works of art.
The trainer killed by an orca at SeaWorld Orlando is not the first victim of an attack by a captive animal delete, or the first animal expert killed on the job.
Check out these lookers who ran into the law.
We take a look at some well-known public figures who were cheerleaders.
From the bottom of a pizza pan to a bathtub -- some people say they've seen the likeness of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and other religious figures in a whole host of places.
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
