Now There Really Is A “Rocky Top, Tennessee”
Whether you first heard the song around a campfire at summer camp, in a bluegrass circle during your high school years, or being sung a cappella by six orphaned miscreants in the back of Brewster Baker’s (aka Kenny Rogers’) Winnebago in the movie Six Pack, the song “Rocky Top, TN” probably hit you in some special way. The iconic bluegrass song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, and first released as a single on Christmas Day, 1967 by the Obsorne Brothers has gone on to become one of the most well-recognized bluegrass songs in history. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution once ranked “Rocky Top” number seven on its list of “100 Songs of the South” and the Tennessee General Assembly has voted in the song as an official State Song despite it never being a big hit, and despite there not actually being a Rocky Top, Tennessee …. until now.
“Rocky Top, TN” was written by the Bryant writing duo (best known for writing many of the Everly Brothers’ hits) when they were looking for a change of pace after writing a bunch of slow songs. It took the duo only ten minutes to write “Rocky Top”, and though the specific location of the Bryant’s Rocky Top is thought to reference the barren 5,440-foot “Rocky Top” summit in the Great Smoky Mountains near the Tennessee / North Carolina border, not far from Gatlinburg where the song was written, there’s no people or community there like there is in the song.
However one enterprising town in East Tennessee called Lake City just a little north of Knoxville saw where the lack of a true Rocky Top, Tennessee could be an opportunity. Looking to boost tourism to the town of around 2,000, Lake City’s city council voted on November 7th, 2013 to petition the Tennessee State Assembly and have the town’s name officially changed to Rocky Top. The idea was partially inspired by a business partnership that suggested if the town changed its name, they would build a theme park there.
It sounded like a good idea to the city council, but the path from Lake City to Rocky Top would be rocky by far. The House of Bryant, which owns the copyright to the “Rocky Top, TN” song and multiple trademarks associated with the name put up a fight, and said the town’s name change violated intellectual property laws. On May 29th, 2014, The House of Bryant sought a preliminary injunction to bar the town from changing its name, but a district judge denied the request. On June 26th, Lake City legally changed it’s name to Rocky Top, and for the first time, Rocky Top, Tennessee became an actual place.
One of the great things about the song “Rocky Top, TN” is that even though it may have never been about a real place, it speaks deeply about our sense of home and comfort, and remorse about a changing world. Only fitting that “Rocky Top” now officially has a home of its own.
July 9, 2014 @ 8:47 am
Interesting news Trigger Man. ” Rocky Top, TN” is one of my favorite songs. The Masters of Bluegrass played at Watermelon Park Fest a couple of years ago and they also did an informal discussion of the history of bluegrass. Del McCoury was a hoot as always, but Bobby Osborne was the real star and we really enjoyed hearing the history of this song.
July 9, 2014 @ 8:48 am
One of my all time favorite songs. I’ve heard others cover it, but the Osborne Brothers is the best.
“Strangers ain’t come down from Rocky Top. Reckon they never will”
July 9, 2014 @ 9:11 am
Funny that a song that ostensibly talks about some type of state or federal arm of the law looking for a moonshine still and getting murdered ended up as a state song. Not complaining, just think it’s an interesting turn of events, and speaks to what this song means to people.
July 9, 2014 @ 9:36 am
It’s right up there with Reagan using “Born in the USA” for his campaign song.
Sometimes people pick a song without fully understanding the meaning behind it.
July 11, 2014 @ 5:12 am
I fully understand the meaning, and I approve. That verse, at least, is in the grand tradition of Celtic rebel music like “A Nation Once Again” and “Rifles of IRA.”
July 9, 2014 @ 9:01 am
Bobby Osborne has used @mayorofrockytop on Twitter for quite a while now. Wonder if he’ll have to change it? He’ll always be the Mayor of Rocky Top to me!
July 9, 2014 @ 11:26 am
I never understood why Lake City felt it should be receiving tourist traffic in the first place. It has a Cracker Barrel and a fireworks store, and that’s about it. I guess they do serve as an entrance to Norris Dam, but there’s more going on at the actual Norris exit (including the Museum of Appalachia!).
July 9, 2014 @ 12:39 pm
I live very close to Lake City/Rocky Top.
Actually, I believe the fireworks vendor you refer to had a serious fire last week which made national news.
Unfortunately, I think that most of the moonshine stills have been replaced by meth labs.
I left home to go to East Tn to college in 1975 and it was like the Wild West compared to where I grew up on the other end of the state.
I knew from the start that I had to live there.
The premise of the song, that Trig nicely captures, remains true today.
East Tn is not like it used to be and I miss the old culture and ambiance.
July 9, 2014 @ 3:44 pm
Very cool.
July 9, 2014 @ 9:39 pm
Go Vols!!!
I’m out.