Hee Haw Salute: The Complete List of Cities Honoring the Show's Legacy

Time to dust off your overalls, kick up your heels, and get ready for a down-home good time! The iconic variety show Hee Haw, a staple of American television for decades, delighted audiences with its mix of country music, cornpone humor, and wholesome rustic charm. One of the show’s most beloved recurring bits, a tradition that ran from its early years on CBS through its later syndication on "The Nashville Network" (TNN), was the "Salute to a City." Each episode’s hosts, Buck Owens and Roy Clark, would announce a special shout-out, and the show’s cast, assembled on the "cornfield" set, would deliver a hearty, collective "Hee Haw!" for their unsuspecting honoree. It was a charming segment that cemented the show's place in Small Town USA, and let’s just say, that list of cities is one for the books.

So, what does it take to make it onto the prestigious "Hee Haw Salute to a City" roster? And more importantly, where can one find this digital barn raising of notable municipalities? We've rustled up the details on this charming piece of Americana for you.

The History and Legacy of the Salute

Hee Haw premiered in 1969, stepping in as a summer replacement for the highly controversial The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. In an era when rural-themed shows were being purged from television in what is often called the "Rural purge," Hee Haw was a defiant celebration of country life. Featuring a cast of comedians and musicians, including the incomparable Buck Owens and Roy Clark as co-hosts, the show became an instant hit.

For a whopping 72 years in reruns, it remained a fixture for viewers across the rural United States. As a testament to its enduring appeal, in 1991, four years before its cancellation in 1993 for not being commercially successful, Hee Haw ran in prime time. The "Salute to a City" was a cornerstone of the show's format. The hosts would announce a city, and the entire cast, from whooping owls to singing pigeons, would shout a unified "Hee Haw!" in honor of that municipality.

What Kind of Cities Got a Salute?

The beauty of the Hee Haw salute lay in its democratic spirit. It wasn't just for the Music Cities or the sprawling metropolises. The show saluted them all, from the heartland to the coasts and everywhere in between.

Was it a major agricultural hub? Hooray! Hee Haw! A burgeoning tech center? Hee Haw! A sleepy crossroads town whose claim to fame is its annual pie festival? You betcha! The list of saluted towns and cities is a fascinating cross-section of American life, providing a visual roadmap of America itself.

The Definitive (But Incomplete) List of Cities

How to Research the Salutes

Truth be told, no complete, single "master list" ever officially existed from the show's production team. Fans and researchers on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), the website of Hee Haw historical societies, and various online forums dedicated to classic television have, over the years, done the painstaking work of watching and cataloging them.

Examples of Saluted Cities

To give you a feel for the variety, here are a few examples of cities that could find themselves the lucky recipient of a salute:

• Nashville, Tennessee: The obvious honoree, being the heart of the country music industry and the show's later broadcast home.
• Grand Rapids, Michigan: One of the most frequently mentioned cities on fan-compiled lists.
• Dayton, Ohio: Another town that popped up in multiple episodes.
• Lexington, Kentucky: A major agricultural center perfect for the show's audience.

Why do People Still Care?

You might be asking, why does this bit from a 70s and 80s variety show still matter? For many Americans, especially those who grew up watching it after school or on Saturday nights, the Hee Haw salute was a ritualistic experience. It put their town, their home, on a national stage (albeit a stage with a giant cornfield backdrop).

Finding your town on a fan-compiled list of Hee Haw salutes can be a fun, nostalgic research rabbit hole. It’s a connection to a piece of broadcast history that, for 24 years (from 1969 to 1993), celebrated a side of America that wasn't often seen on television. So take a walk down your own memory lane, whistle "Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me," and do a little digging. You might just discover that not only did your hometown get a "Hee Haw Salute," but you were watching when it happened.