State Song Contest Opens

By GRETCHEN PARKER The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 15, 2007

Starting today, Floridians have a chance to make their musical mark on history, when a state network of teachers begins accepting nominations for a new state song.

Anyone who lives in Florida who has a new song or permission to nominate a song written by someone else can burn a CD and send it to Florida Music Educators' Association (FMEA), Attention: Just Sing, Florida!, 402 Office Plaza, Tallahassee FL 32301-2757.

All applications must be postmarked by Oct. 1, 2007. For more information on the rules and how to submit a song, go to www.justsingflorida.org.

The nonprofit Florida Music Educators' Association is appointing a panel that will narrow the candidates to three and post them online. Then comes the fun part — touted as the "Florida Idol" portion of the search. Floridians can listen to the finalists and vote via the Web site for their favorite. The winning song will go into a legislative bill next year.

The seven-member panel hasn't yet been selected but likely will be made up of association members, K-12 and college music teachers, who are active songwriters, said FMEA executive director James Perry.

The goal is to find the perfect Florida song, proposed by Floridians, said Sen. Anthony Hill, D-Jacksonville, who is leading the effort to find a new state anthem.

"We're not dismissing 'Old Folks at Home' but just retiring the song and reflecting what Florida is today," Hill said.

His effort, which is supported by state Rep. Ed Homan, R-Tampa, would go before lawmakers next year.

'Old Folks at Home,' better known as "Swanee River", has been Florida's official state song since legislators adopted it with a resolution in 1935. It's one of the most recognizable tunes in the world, but it harkens back to the state's plantation era, includes the word "darkeys" in the chorus and was nixed from Gov. Charlie Crist's inauguration ceremony.

Several songs have been proposed to lawmakers already, including one recorded by Temple Terrace Elementary School students.

Reporter Gretchen Parker can be reached at gparker@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7562.