Florida honors Country singer John Anderson, names 'Seminole Wind' as state anthem

APOPKA, Fla. - Florida has a new official anthem: "Seminole Wind" by the late John Anderson.

The Apopka, Florida-born country singer and songwriter – and County Music Hall of Famer – died last week in Tennessee at the age of 71. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared the new anthem on Tuesday via an executive order. 

What we know:

Gov. DeSantis designated Anderson's "Seminole Wind" as Florida's Anthem, a separate distinction from the State Anthem, "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky," declared in 2008, and the state song, "Old Folks At Home."

DeSantis directed the Florida Secretary of State to install historical markers in Apopka, the city where Anderson was born and raised, and tasked the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the St. Johns River Water Management District to designate a wildlife drive and trail system as John Anderson Wildlife Drive.

What they're saying:

From DeSantis' executive order:

"Seminole Wind has served as the unofficial anthem of the State of Florida since its debut in 1992, its lyrics honoring Floridians across the Peninsula, including the Seminole Tribe of Florida's Osceola, and the conservation-minded spirit of Floridians from Okeechobee to Micanopy; and the sentiments of Seminole Wind positively influences a generational investment in protecting Florida's heritage, natural environment, and way of life, resulting in the expedited restoration America's Everglades, the very place Anderson sought to protect in Seminole Wind."

It also highlighted Anderson's induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024. 

The backstory:

Anderson was born on Dec. 13, 1954 in Apopka, Florida. He graduated from Apopka High School, and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue his country music career, according to his official bio on the Country Music Hall of Fame website.

Anderson reportedly began playing in garage bands when he was in seventh grade – and decided at 12 that he wanted to pursue a professional career in music, his bio said.

He is known for several songs, including "Straight Tequila Night, "Seminole Wind," and "Swingin.'"

Seminole Wind was Anderson's twelfth album, released in February 1992 and featured a song of the same name. That song was released as a single in August 1992.

The song's lyrics include:

"So blow, blow Seminole wind
Blow like you're never gonna blow again
I'm calling to you like a long-lost friend
But I know who you are
And blow, blow from the Okeechobee
All the way up to Micanopy
Blow across the home of the Seminole
The alligators and the gar."

What you can do:

According to his Facebook page, Anderson loved the outdoors. Fans were encouraged to honor Anderson by making a donation to Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's Outdoor Fund, which supports conservation efforts in North America.

The Source: The information used in this story was gathered from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' post on X, the executive order, statements and remembrances posted from John Anderson's verified Facebook page, and Anderson's bio on the Country Music Hall of Fame website.