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Tennessee State Song

Smoky Mountain Rain Adopted: June 9, 2010

Smoky Mountain Rain

by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan

   I thumbed my way from LA back to Knoxville
   I found out those bright lights aint where I belong
   From a phone booth in the rain I called to tell her
   I’ve had a change of dreams I’m comin’ home
   But tears filled my eyes when I found out she was gone

   Smokey Mountain rain keeps on fallin’
   I keep on callin’ her name
   Smokey Mountain rain I’ll keep on searchin’
   I can’t go on hurtin’ this way
   She’s somewhere in the Smokey Mountain rain

   I waved a diesel down outside a café
   He said that he was goin’ as far as Gatlinburg
   I climbed up in the cab all wet and cold and lonely
   I wiped my eyes and told him about her
   I’ve got to find her!
   Can you make these big wheels burn?

   Smokey Mountain rain keeps on fallin’
   I keep on callin’ her name
   Smokey Mountain rain I’ll keep on searchin’
   I can’t go on hurtin’ this way
   She’s somewhere in the Smokey Mountain rain

   I can’t blame her for lettin’ go
   A woman needs someone warm to hold
   I feel the rain runnin’ down my face
   I’ll find her no matter what it takes!

   Smokey Mountain rain keeps on fallin’
   I keep on callin’ her name
   Smokey Mountain rain I’ll keep on searchin’
   I can’t go on hurtin’ this way
   She’s somewhere in the Smokey Mountain rain”
	

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 966
By Burchett

A RESOLUTION to adopt "Smoky Mountain Rain" as an official state song.

WHEREAS, from time to time, the General Assembly has adopted certain songs as official state songs; and

WHEREAS, over Tennessee's history, seven songs have been honored as official state songs: "My Homeland, Tennessee" (1925); "When It's Iris Time in Tennessee" (1935); "My Tennessee" (1955); "Tennessee Waltz" (1965); "Rocky Top" (1982); "Tennessee" (1992); and, "The Pride of Tennessee" (1996); and

WHEREAS, made famous by country music legend Ronnie Milsap, "Smoky Mountain Rain" pays homage to the Great Smoky Mountains, which draw 2.2 million tourists annually to the State of Tennessee from around the world; and

WHEREAS, written by Nashville songwriters, Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, "Smoky Mountain Rain" tells the story of a special, enduring love of a Tennessee sweetheart and the storyteller’s return to Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains in search of that which he holds most dear; and

WHEREAS, the Tennessee cities of Knoxville and Gatlinburg are featured as part of the storyline of the song; and

WHEREAS, Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan wrote "Smoky Mountain Rain" specifically for Ronnie Milsap as a tribute to the Great Smoky Mountains and Ronnie Milsap’s meteoric rise from a modest rearing in the Smoky Mountains to success and fame in Tennessee’s country music industry; and

WHEREAS, originally released in September of 1980, "Smoky Mountain Rain" became a Number 1 hit on the Billboard Country Singles Chart in December of 1980; and

WHEREAS, the song also became a crossover Number 1 hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart and was featured on Top 40 pop radio stations across the United States; and

WHEREAS, this Tennessee country song reached Number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, ranking high among every song genre and attained a peak position of Number 8 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart; and

WHEREAS, "Smoky Mountain Rain" has qualities in common with previous state songs "Rocky Top" and "Tennessee Waltz" as a country song featuring the State of Tennessee, its majestic natural beauty, and the special ties to home that bind Tennessee sweethearts together; and

WHEREAS, "Smoky Mountain Rain" is clearly deserving of the special honor of being designated an official song of the State of Tennessee; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, that "Smoky Mountain Rain" by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan is hereby adopted as an official song of the State of Tennessee.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy.


Sources...

The Tennessee General Assembly. Senate Joint Resolution No. 966. Nashville: State of Tennessee. Web. 13 Sep 2011. <http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/billsearch/billsearchadvancedarchive.aspx?terms=SJR966&searchtype=all&ga=106>.
CowboyLyrics.com. Ronnie Milsap, Smoky Mountain Rain Lyrics. : CowboyLyrics.com. Web. 13 Sep 2011. <http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/milsap-ronnie/smoky-mountain-rain-12023.html>.


Tennessee state song
Tennessee state song: "Smoky Mountain Rain"
by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan

Additional Information

Kye Flemming: Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. with link to Kye Flemming's official website.

Dennis Morgan: Entry at Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc.

Dennis Morgan: Dennis Morgan, songwriter, official website.

Ronnie Milsap: Official website of country music singer and pianist Ronnie Milsap.

State songs: Complete list of official state songs from NETSTATE.COM.

More symbols & emblems: Complete list of official Tennessee state symbols from NETSTATE.COM.

Essential Ronnie Milsap
Essential Ronnie Milsap

Essential Ronnie Milsap, Audio CD (August 1, 2006) Original Release Date: 2006. Number of Discs: 2. This two-disc set contains the original versions of 39 country hits that Ronnie Milsap recorded for RCA between 1974 and 1989. During that 15-year period, no one else hit the top of the charts as often as Milsap - or even came close.