by Michelle Stancil
It was a long-awaited reunion between Kenny Chesney and the #noshoesnation on the Gulf Coast. A long line of anxious ‘meet and greet’ VIPs lined up before the show and as they exited, it was huge smiles and some tears. For one, it was her 18th show and a signed copy of his first CD. For another fan it was a bucket list night… past her bedtime, a meet and greet, and a ‘show and tell’ item for her first day of Kindergarten… a Chesney signed red cowboy boot.
The last time Chesney made a stop in our area was for his one and only live show for the entire 2014 year… and he brought a full production, FREE concert on the beach at our favorite roadside dive bar, The Flora Bama! On that hot August afternoon, the water was clear, the sun was hot and our beach was packed and ready for a party. Four of the songs recorded that day will be making their way on Chesney’s 30-song live album to be released in October.
As he addressed the ecstatic crowd Saturday night, he made a point to thank John McInnis III and his team at The Flora-Bama for one of the best experiences of their career. It was a goosebumps moment to have one of all time alt country trailblazers give recognition and respect to our beloved Flora Bama and its long, rich legacy for nurturing the songwriter community for over 35 years. Chesney then went on to sing “Flora-Bama” which will forever immortalize in song and spirit our favorite beach watering hole and live music venue.
“Flora-Bama” 8.5.17: Flora Bama video from The Wharf show
Maybe you noticed his stage set was adorned with one simple thing… a subtle Flora-Bama themed bundle of bras near the drum set. The sold out show was opened by Midland who put on a toe tapping, sing along set during a beautiful sunset. The rain stopped, a full moon look on as the energy built all around, and from the first note, Chesney threw down a show that won’t long be forgotten by those of us who were there. Thank you to The Wharf and C-Spire as well as Red Mountain Entertainment for making the 2017 Concert Series one of the best yet!
Lyrics
Sitting here at the Flora-Bama
Bout to open up a big old can of
Good times, unwind
Fall in and out of love in the same night
In the same night
There’s ball caps, photographs, dollar bills, and bras
License plates from every state nailed up to the wall
Spring breakers, heart breakers, already getting loud
Talledega’s on the big screen, don’t it make you proud?
Sitting here at the Flora-Bama
Bout to open up a big old can of good times, unwind
Fall in and out of love in the same night
Can’t say I got a whole lot of cares
I’m in the red neck riviera
It’s getting crazy, getting hammered
Sitting right here at the Flora-Bama
At the Flora-Bama
There’s high tide, low tide, years of history
Hurricanes with different names that almost took the beach
Sign that says live your life just for inspiration
Gonna raise a lot of hell tonight in the, in the no shoes nation
Sitting here at the Flora-Bama
Bout to open up a big old can of good times, unwind
Fall in and out of love in the same night
Can’t say I got a whole lot of cares
I’m in the red neck riviera
It’s getting crazy, getting hammered
Sitting right here at the Flora-Bama
At the Flora-Bama
Got your who died, Go Vols, roll tide and the seminoles
Bulldogs, war eagle, green eyed gator that’s barely legal
Sitting here at the Flora-Bama
Bout to open up a big old can of good times, unwind
Fall in and out of love in the same night
Can’t say I got a whole lot of cares
I’m in the red neck riviera
It’s getting crazy, getting hammered
Sitting right here at the Flora-Bama
At the Flora-Bama
Don’t it feel good?
Don’t it feel good?
Yeah, don’t it feel good?
At the Flora-Bama
Songwriters: David Lee Murphy / Kenneth Chesney / Ross Copperman
Flora-Bama lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Carol Vincent & Assoc LLC
Artist: Kenny Chesney
Album: The Big Revival
Released: 2014
