10 Surefire Signs You Have Strong Roots in Tennessee
By Chris Dodge|Published December 05, 2023
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Chris Dodge
Author
My name is Chris Dodge and I live right here in the great state of Tennessee. My family and I are full adventurers filled with passion to see the amazing things our state has to offer. We are avid hikers and have explored many different places in Tennessee and beyond but we are always thankful to be living in such a glorious state.
Sometimes you are born into a state’s culture; other times, you adopt it as your own — and embrace it fully. I live in Tennessee and am extremely proud to call the Volunteer State home. I have learned a lot about what makes us Tennesseans and what it takes to have strong roots in Tennessee. If you are also proud to call Tennessee home, make sure to check out Wear Your Roots and quite literally wear your state pride. So now let’s see if you have what it takes to consider Tennessee as your home and how you stack up with these tried and true “roots” of the state.
One of the first things people think about when they hear Tennessee is the sound of music coming from within our state borders. After all, our capital is known as Music City and we have played a major role in many genres of music across the spectrum of musical tastes. It’s not all twanging banjos and country crooning either; we have been proud to house The King of Rock *and* play a pivotal role in the blues. Having larger-than-life superstars hailing or living in Tennessee is also a big part of our past -- people like Dolly, Elvis, and BB King -- just to name a few. Tennessee has shaped music and for that, we are very proud.
We are all familiar with the term “y'all” and in fact, you can even say that word was hijacked from the South and has become popular everywhere. But if you have deep roots in Tennessee, you also say things like “Bless your heart,” “You’re fine,” “Yonder,” and “You-uns”. If you know any of these phrases, you will be finer than a frog hair in Tennessee!
Tennessee food is second to none. Southern cooking is a staple in the state and can be found everywhere, from family-style eateries to small-town diners. Southern staples include mac 'n cheese, fried chicken, country ham, and catfish. If this doesn't get your mouth watering, you probably aren't from around here!
Equally as important to Tennessee's culinary repertoire is barbecue. Southern cooking and BBQ go hand and hand -- and we can’t go without either of them. Memphis does it best when it comes to good barbecue, but it has spilled out throughout the state and you can find succulent smoked staples just about everywhere. The smell alone is enough to bring up good memories of gathering the family and digging into pulled pork sandwiches.
5. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is your favorite outdoor playground.
Not every state in America has its own national park, and we here in Tennessee are beyond blessed to have the Smokies. This glorious park is really the crown jewel of Tennessee and well worth spending several vacations exploring. Every time I cross the border into our national park I take a deep breath and it just feels like home once again. From gorgeous overlooks, scenic drives, wonderful waterfalls, and a plethora of wildlife, you can never go wrong with a visit to the Smokies.
Tennessee is undoubtedly beautiful and we have some of the best mountains in the country. If you have deep roots here, you also have a deep appreciation for our vast and stunning wilderness spaces. We have state parks that rival some of the big national parks in our country and there seems to be no end to the glorious overlooks you can hike to. We really know how to slow down and take in the nature we are blessed with in the Volunteer State.
Being in a landlocked state doesn’t bother us. You can keep your beaches and oceanfront towns because we have hundreds of waterfalls. There is nothing like hiking to a stunning waterfall and cooling off in these forested oases. You have definitely been in Tennessee long enough if you have explored your local swimming holes and have spent countless hours chasing waterfalls.
8. When it's snack time, you reach for the Moon Pies & RC Cola.
Other people outside of our state might not have heard of these snack icons, but we pride ourselves on these Tennessee creations. The list doesn't end there, though -- we also created Mountain Dew, cotton candy, Dr.Enuf, mini golf, and so much more. We don’t just produce great music, we make all kinds of things!
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9. You have an overwhelming appreciation for the countryside.
When you live in Tennessee you learn to appreciate the simple things in life. You learn to slow down the pace of life just a little bit and relax. Nothing says "Tennessee" to me more than the rolling hills of our farms and countryside. Not only is it gorgeous, but it represents a way to live and speaks about who we are as people.
It’s hard to imagine a place where everyone is friendly and shows genuine respect for one another -- that is, unless you're from Tennessee. Then you know not only is it possible, but you yourself exhibit the qualities of the South. Respecting your elders, honoring others, and loving one another is a gift that we Tennesseeans just love to share with the world.
Do you have deep roots in Tennessee? I have to say people from Tennessee are some of the best people in the world and we have so much to be proud of. From our accomplishments and outlook on life to our beautiful countryside and national park, we have a lot of things going for us as a state. It is easy to wear your state pride, and if you want to *literally* show your roots, please check out the Wear Your Roots website to showcase your home state. Use coupon code Tennessee10 during checkout to receive 10% off your order!
