Natural Tennessee

The state of Tennessee is divided into three Grand Divisions—East, Middle, and West, each represented by one of the three stars on the Tennessee state flag. Songwriters have for years celebrated the natural beauty to be found in Tennessee's set of three regions. From the mountains in East Tennessee to the Natchez Trace in the Middle to the Mississippi River in the West, the state's landscape has inspired popular music.

The most commonly represented natural features are the state's mountains and rolling hills. Specific areas such as the Cumberland Plateau and the Smoky Mountains are also frequent song subjects. Lookout Mountain is often referenced, due to its connection with the Civil War battle that took place there and for the popular tourist destinations found there (such as Rock City). Numerous songs also extoll Tennessee's blue, purple, and sleepy hills wherever they might lie.

Rivers also enjoy generous representation in song. The Cumberland, Tennessee, and the Green Rivers are but a few of these waterways that wind through popular song.

Browse through songs in My Homeland Tennessee related to Natural Tennessee.