On This Day in 1965, a Massive Country Hit Inspired by Bill Monroe Became the Tennessee State Song

On this day (February 17) in 1965, “Tennessee Waltz” became the fourth official state song of Tennessee. Many artists have recorded the song over the years. However, the most successful version came in 1950 when Patti Page released it as “The Tennessee Waltz.” Her rendition sold more than two million copies and was a hit on the country and pop charts upon its release.

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“My Homeland, Tennessee” became the state’s first official song in 1925, 129 years after Tennessee officially joined the union, according to the state’s official website. “When It’s Iris Time in Tennessee” was added to the list a decade later. In 1955, “My Tennessee” became the state’s official public school song. “Tennessee Waltz” was next, but far from the last. “Rocky Top,” “Tennessee (1992),” “The Pride of Tennessee,” “A Tennessee Bicentennial Rap: 1796-1996,” “Smoky Mountain Rain,” “Tennessee (2012),” “Under a Tennessee Moon,” and “I’ll Leave My Heart in Tennessee,” were adopted as state songs in the following years. Most recently, in 2023, Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road” was added to the list.

[RELATED: The Meaning Behind “Copperhead Road” by Steve Earle]

The Story Behind “Tennessee Waltz”

According to Middle Tennessee University’s Center for Popular Music, Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart wrote “Tennessee Waltz” in 1946. They were driving to Nashville to appear on the Grand Ole Opry when they heard Bill Monroe’s “Kentucky Waltz” on the radio, which inspired them to write a version of the song for the Volunteer State.

The pair worked out the lyrics on the way to Music City while Stewart wrote them on a matchbox. They set the words to the melody of King’s “No Name Waltz.”

King became the first to release the song in 1948. However, it didn’t become a major hit until Patti Page recorded it two years later. According to Songfacts, “The Tennessee Waltz” was initially the B-side to a Christmas novelty song. “Mercury wanted to concentrate on a Christmas song, and they didn’t want anything with much merit on the flip side,” Page recalled. “They didn’t want any disc jockeys to turn the Christmas record over. The title of the great Christmas song was ‘Boogie Woogie Santa Claus,’ and no one ever heard it,” she added.

Her version of the song went on to top the R&B, pop, and country charts simultaneously. It also sold millions of copies and inspired countless covers. Additionally, it was the last song to sell more than a million copies of sheet music.

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