Gov. Ron DeSantis has named John Anderson’s “Seminole Wind” “Florida’s Anthem” by executive order. The order also directs state officials to honor the late Apopka native with historical markers in his hometown and that the wildlife drive at Lake Apopka to carry his name.
Executive Order 26-222 was issued Tuesday, October 27, and takes effect immediately. Anderson, a Country Music Hall of Famer, died October 21 at age 71.
The designation does not replace any existing state symbol. “Seminole Wind,” released in 1992, is separate from the state song, “Old Folks at Home,” and from the state anthem the Legislature adopted in 2008, “Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky.” The order encourages the incoming Legislature to write “Seminole Wind” into Chapter 15 of the Florida Statutes, which could happen during the regular session in March 2027.
The order also directs the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to work with the St. Johns River Water Management District to designate the Lake Apopka North Shore wildlife drive and trail system as the “John Anderson Wildlife Drive and Trail System.” The district’s Governing Board must approve the name, and no meeting date has been set.
Anderson was born December 13, 1954, grew up in Apopka and graduated from Apopka High School in 1972, before moving to Nashville. He signed with Warner Bros. in 1976 and went on to record five No. 1 country singles and 20 top 10 hits, including “Swingin’,” “Straight Tequila Night” and “Wild and Blue.” “Swingin’” won the Country Music Association’s Single of the Year in 1983, the same year he received its Horizon Award. He entered the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024, with a formal induction on October 20. His family announced his death on social media without giving a cause.
“Seminole Wind” is known for its lament over the damage done to the Everglades. Anderson performed twice at the Apopka Proud concert, in 2019 with Sawyer Brown and again as headliner in October 2024.
