How a song about a woman became a state song

 Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind.

Hoagy Charmichael  wrote the music to "Georgia on my Mind" in 1930 and his college roommate, Stuart Gorrell provided the lyrics. Contrary to popular belief, the Georgia in the song was Hoagy's sister, and not the state of Georgia.

The words, of course, could apply to either. "The road leads back to you." That could easily be a woman or a state. "Other arms reach out to me, other eyes smiles tenderly."  Does the state of Georgia have arms and eyes? Sounds like a woman to me, but I guess you could describe a state that way.

Ray Charles recorded this song in 1960 and it rose to the top of the charts. I mention it, because he had a part in making this a state song.

Charles was booked to perform in Augusta, Georgia in August of 1961. The students at the nearby Paine College (a black college) complained to Charles that the venue would be segregated. As a result, Charles refused to perform, and was subsequently sued by the promoters for breach of contract. He lost the lawsuit.

The biographical movie Ray propagated the myth that Ray Charles was banned from Georgia as a result of this incident. Interesting drama, but not true. The movie showed a very moving scene -- I cried -- where the Georgia legislature officially apologized to Charles. He performed the song on the chamber floor, and the song was voted in as the state song.

Ray Charles did actually sing the song for the legislature in 1979, and it did become the state song. But since he never was banned from the state, there was no apology.

And that is how a song about Hoagy Charmichael's sister became a state song.

And Wisconsin, where I live? Our state dance is the polka. It is widely held (but not true) that a wedding in Wisconsin is not considered to be consummated until the bride and groom have danced their first polka. And also contrary to popular belief, the tuba is not the state instrument. Wisconsin sadly does not have an official state instrument. But we do have an official state fossil. We are all proud of our trilobites.

References 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_on_my_mind
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AGeorgia_on_My_Mind
http://www.national-anthems.org/history.php
http://www.myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=Ray_Fredericksberg_05_ul
http://afgen.com/ray_charles.html
http://oldies.about.com/od/rbandblues/f/rayracism.htm
http://emol.org/film/archives/ray/knowingray.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0350258/goofs
http://www.stfrancis.edu/content/historyinthemovies/ray.htm