A Q&A With the Red, Write & Blue Lyric Contest Promotion Winner, Wesley Tibbets

“She Still Waves” 
By Wesley Tibbets
Interview by American Songwriter

Wesley Tibbets is the American Songwriter Red, Write & Blue Lyric Contest Promotion winner for his song “She Still Waves”. American Songwriter caught up with Wesley to get the story behind his lyrics.

How long have you been songwriting?

Since 2004.

Why did you enter American Songwriter’s Red, Write & Blue Promotion? 

I had just released the song on my second album and it seemed like a good idea at the time.

What was the inspiration behind your song, “She Still Waves”?

Old Glory. I’m proud of our country and I’m proud of our veterans even more. I am giving the proceeds to the song to the North Texas Warriors Golf Association, a 501 c (3) non-profit organization for helping veterans with PTSD and brain trauma. The video is posted on their site.

Who are your all-time favorite songwriters and why? 

Tom T. Hall because he could tell a great story and I’m a bit of a storyteller myself. So many others, it is hard to focus on one individual. I study lyrics religiously of artists in the Top 40 on Contemporary Country Music charts. That’s where I learned to hone my craft.

Are you planning to release any new music this year? 

Yes, I already did. I have released four albums now.

What would you tell other artists who are considering entering the contest? 

Personally, I would rather try and fail than fail without trying. That’s just me. Go ahead and enter it. You never know. I can’t say I honestly thought I would win this. But I gave it a go.

Read the winning lyrics below:

[Verse 1]
She’s got a few stains and a tear at the seam
Been through war and fire and American dreams
She’s faded in places, but don’t count her out
She’s still got somethin’ worth singin’ about

Hangin’ on the porch in the middle of town
Catchin’ that breeze as the sun goes down
Old Glory ain’t just cloth on a pole
She’s heart and backbone, she’s red, white, and soul

[Pre-Chorus]
You can try to fold her, box her, blame her
Say this country don’t feel the same, but—

[Chorus]
She still waves when the world turns cold
What she stands for can’t be sold
Every stripe’s a story, every star’s a name
She’s weathered storms, but she don’t break
You can kneel or cheer, curse or praise—
But love it or leave it…
She still waves

[Verse 2]
She don’t pick sides, she’s flown for us all
From the courthouse steps to a soldier’s wall
Carved into helmets, stitched in the skies
Painted on hearts and 4th of July nights

She’s flown through pain, through change, through doubt
Through times we whisper and times we shout
But when you need hope in the dead of dark
She’s lit up sky-high, like a national spark

[Pre-Chorus]
You can try to shame her, tear her, name her
Say we’re too far gone to save her—

[Chorus]
She still waves when the world turns cold
What she stands for can’t be sold
Every stripe’s a story, every star’s a name
She’s weathered storms, but she don’t break
You can kneel or cheer, curse or praise—
But love it or leave it…
She still waves

[Bridge]
From the hands of a vet to a child at a game
She ain’t about perfect, she’s about brave
No, freedom ain’t clean—it’s torn and stained
But it’s still worth the price we pay

[Final Chorus]
She still waves when the night gets long
Still hums truth in a broken song
Every fold means somethin’ we bled to save
You can call it old, but it still stays
You can kneel or cheer, curse or praise—
But love it or leave it…
She still waves

[Outro Tag]
Yeah, through all of our yesterdays
Through tomorrow, come what may
She still waves… she’ll still wave