Timeline
Finding a State Song
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
1970 L. Douglas Wilder, then a state senator, made his first attempt to repeal the state song -- "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia" -- for its offensive lyrics. Proposals to change its lyrics became a ritual.
1997 General Assembly considers rewriting the lyrics but ultimately decides to retire the song, voting it "state song emeritus." The vote was unanimous.
1998 General Assembly opens songwriting competition, receiving more than 340 entries.
1998-99 A selection committee, led by Sen. Emmett W. Hanger Jr. (R-Augusta), narrows the group to eight finalists.
2000 The committee presents the songs to the General Assembly but defers a final decision until 2001 amid charges of favoritism. The committee announces that the songs will be sent to local radio stations and posted on the Internet to see whether public support coalesces for one. It doesn't.
2006 Lawmakers consider making "Shenandoah" the state song but ultimately reject the idea because it's not about Virginia.
2007 Frustrated by inaction and embarrassed that Virginia might not have a state song when Queen Elizabeth visits to celebrate Jamestown's 400th anniversary, Hanger promises to come up with a revised selection process to finally choose a state song. Meanwhile, frustrated citizens and songwriters begin petitioning their local representatives to have their songs picked. Today, the House Rules Committee will hear three songs:
- "Cradle of Liberty" by Blacksburg lawyer Thomas L. DeBusk
- "Virginia, Ever Enshrined" by Carol Boyd Leon, Burke songwriter and music teacher
- "Virginia" by Lester Ray Sears, a bluegrass musician from Giles County
-- Brigid Schulte
