I nominate Page Wilson's "Virginia" - you can hear it as his theme for the "Out o' the Blue Radio Review" featuring two hours of what he calls "purebred American mongrel music" -- o the air since March 1996 at Richmond NPR affiliate 88.9FM WCVE, Saturday evenings 8:00-10:00 pm. jk > As we are on the subject of a state song and in light of our recent > nominating process for great/important Virginians, I propose that > members of the list offer opinions on what might make the best song for > our beloved Virginia. > > I'll get things started and suggest John Phillips's "Oh Virginia." > Phillips, best known as leader of the Mamas and the Papas and that > group's paean to the left coast "California Dreamin'," actually spent > much of his childhood in Virginia and attended Hampden-Sydney for a year > in the 1950s. Like his more famous tune, "Oh Virginia" is a nostalgic > dedication to the state, sung by a homesick narrator. Recorded in the > 1970s with the help of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and with a > laid-back, twangy sound somewhat reminiscent of the Rolling Stones' > early 1970s work, the song was not actually released until about 2000, > shortly before Phillips died. I'm a little fuzzy on the lyrics, but the > refrain includes references to the Shenandoah Valley, the Blue Ridge > Mountains, and something that sadly seems less and less a characteristic > of Virginia, its "change of seasons." > > Bland Whitley > Library of Virginia > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > Dr. Jon Kukla, Executive Vice-President Red Hill - The Patrick Henry National Memorial 1250 Red Hill Road Brookneal, Virginia 24528 www.redhill.org Phone 434-376-2044 or 800-514-7463 Fax 434-376-2647 - M. Lynn Davis, Office Manager - Karen Gorham-Smith, Associate Curator - Edith Poindexter, Curator To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html