West Virginians have been proud of those opening lines to John Denver's signature song since he first wrote and recorded them on his 1971 hit, "Take Me Home Country Roads"
The West Virginia Legislature on Friday made it official and Governor Earl Ray Tomblin announced that Denver's song is now one of the state's songs.
The announcement was made at a ceremony in Charleston, WV complete with a marching band playing the honored song.
The song has long been a tradition with the state's university football fans and is played after every game.
A radio listener lit the torch that started the movement to proclaim the song as one of the state's official songs more than two years ago when the widow of actor Bob Denver (Gilliagan's Island & Dobie Gilllis and no relation to John Denver) Dreama Denver played the song on her morning radio show. The listener called and wanted to know if it was an official state song. That's when Ms. Denver got the idea.
The state house passed a similar bill last year but that one never made it through the state senate. This year it passed both houses and became official.
John Denver was never an official resident of the state.
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