Tennessee Sayings and Quotes

There’s a lot to love about Tennessee. From the Smoky Mountains to barbecue, this landlocked state is far from boring. Not only is it the birthplace of country music, it is home to several attractions including Graceland, The Grand Ole Opry, Dollywood, and some 9,000 caves for nature lovers to explore. Below you’ll find a collection of insightful and humorous quotes about Tennessee from residents who know it best.

I grew up in east Tennessee, and everybody knew everybody's business. Kenny Chesney
I grew up in Tennessee. We didn't know what Louis Vuitton was. I had to order all my prom outfits out of catalogs. Reese Witherspoon
In Tennessee where I grew up, there were animals, farms, wagons, mules Tina Turner
In Washington I'm thought of as a conservative, but in Tennessee I'm thought of as a Bolshevik. Howard Baker
Ooooh, I love Nashville! It seems like everywhere you walk, there's great music coming out of every wall. Imelda May
In Nashville, if people don't like someone, they say, 'I don't really like him,' then add, 'bless his heart.' In Hollywood, they kind of leave that last part off. Brad Paisley
What you need for breakfast, they say in East Tennessee, is a jug of good corn liquor, a thick steak and a hound dog. Then you feed the steak to the dog. Charles Kuralt
We are famous for our three grand divisions of East, Middle and West Tennessee, represented by the three stars on our flag. It is important however to remember that the blue circle around the three stars on our flag represents the unity of our state. I believe that Tennesseans have much more that unites us than divides us. Bill Lee
I love Memphis, I guess you could say, in the way that you love a brother even if he does sometimes puzzle and sadden and frustrate you. Say what you want about it, it's an authentic place. I was born and raised in Memphis, and no matter where I go, Memphis belongs to me, and I to it. Hampton Sides
Many cities make music, but no city breathes music quite like Memphis. The songs and sounds that come from here are uniquely American. Shawn Amos
I placed a jar in Tennessee and round it was upon a hill. Wallace Stevens
I come from this really small town near Nashville, Tennessee, where everything was la-di-da and normal. Miley Cyrus
In Tennessee where I grew up, there were animals, farms, wagons, mules. Tina Turner
I was one of the first three black students to go to an all-white school in Tennessee. Gil Scott-Heron
Tennessee is a program that I thought had a lot of tradition. A program that I thought stood for something. Booger McFarland
We in Tennessee know that low taxes, less government, and less spending are the ways to grow our economy. Marsha Blackburn
I love Tennessee, but they don't have the pine trees and the sandy soil and the black water that I grew up around. Josh Turner
Growing up on a mountain in Tennessee, I spent most of my childhood outside. Rachel Boston
I have a lot of friends who, especially in Tennessee, were looking forward to getting married who wanted to wait until it was legal in the state that they live in to get married. Trisha Yearwood
I am humbled by the opportunity to serve the people of West Tennessee, but I never intended to become a career politician. Stephen Fincher
Obviously I love Nashville, I love Tennessee. It's a great organization to play for. Marcus Mariota
Tennessee obviously has a proud history of military service, but unfortunately, that also means that we have lost a lot of people serving the country who are Tennesseans. Bill Haslam
As somebody who thinks Tennessee history is important, I want to make certain that's still a part of the curriculum. I think that's critical for the people growing up in our school system. Bill Haslam
At the end of the day, I'm certainly hopeful they can leave some time to focus on Tennessee history. But we understand the struggle when it comes to curriculum time and what you just physically don't have time for. Bill Haslam
Growing up in east Tennessee gave me my country roots, my twang, and a lot of my stories. Kelsea Ballerini
I have a lot of love for Tennessee. Derrick Henry
I grew up in east Tennessee, and everybody knew everybody's business. Kenny Chesney
"What you need for breakfast, they say in East Tennessee, is a jug of good corn liquor, a thick steak and a hound dog. Then you feed the steak to the dog. What you need for breakfast, they say in East Tennessee, is a jug of good corn liquor, a thick steak and a hound dog. Then you feed the steak to the dog. Charles Kuralt
It did not give of bird or bush, Like nothing else in Tennessee. Wallace Stevens
Is that thy answer, strong and free, O loyal heart of Tennessee? What strange, glad voice is that which calls John Greenleaf Whittier