RoadyGoat plays music like this when you drive through Phoenix. It's free on iPhone, and full songs play through Apple Music.
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Phoenix, Arizona, a major city in the Sonoran Desert, boasts a vibrant musical landscape with 350 artists calling it home. The city has a rich history across various genres, including rock, country, and Latin music. Stevie Nicks, a legendary rock artist, is from Phoenix, and her observations in the area reportedly inspired some of her songs.
The musical connection to Phoenix is also evident in songs like "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" by Marty Robbins. The city's diverse music scene continues to thrive with artists like Alec Benjamin in pop and Victor Mendivil in Latin music representing its contemporary sounds.
Showing top 20 of 88 songs · Hear more in the free iPhone app
Showing top 20 of 345 artists · Hear more in the free iPhone app
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Phoenix.
Chris Bianco moved from the Bronx to Phoenix and opened a tiny pizzeria inside a grocery store in 1988. By the late 1990s, food writers were calling it the best pizza in America. The Rosa — red onion, Parmigiano, rosemary, and Arizona pistachios — is his signature. Bianco grows his own wheat and makes his own mozzarella. He proved that world-class pizza could come from the desert.
Anthem, Arizona, a master-planned community carved from the desert north of Phoenix, exudes a feeling of comfortable suburban peace. Though a relatively new community, established in 1999 by Del Webb, Anthem has seen its share of notable figures pass through.
Anthem, Arizona, feels like a place that sprang fully formed from the desert floor, a testament to modern master planning. But even this carefully curated community has a history, albeit a short one. It began in 1999, when Del Webb, the name synonymous with planned retirement communities, envisioned something different: a family-oriented town with a patriotic spirit, hence the name "Anthem." The location, perched just over two thousand feet above sea level, offered a slightly cooler, drier escape from the Phoenix heat, a welcome change for those seeking respite from the city's intensity. The early 2000s were a whirlwind of construction, transforming arid land into neat rows of houses, shopping centers, and parks. This rapid growth cemented Anthem's place as a desirable suburb, attracting families and fueling a local economy centered on healthcare and retail. Though relatively young, Anthem has its own unique milestones. And before she was a country music star, Kelsea Ballerini walked the halls of Anthem's high school. Perhaps the most intriguing piece of Anthem's history lies underground: a time capsule, buried in 1999, waiting to reveal its secrets to the residents of 2099, offering a glimpse into the hopes and dreams of a community just finding its footing.
One of the finest collections of Native American art and culture in the world, founded in Phoenix in 1929, with a permanent exhibit on the legacy of Indian boarding schools.
Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and architecture school in the Sonoran Desert foothills of Scottsdale, built from desert stone and canvas beginning in 1937.
44 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Phoenix wouldn't exist without irrigation. The Hohokam people, who lived here centuries ago, were master irrigators, building canals that allowed them to farm in the arid desert. Modern Phoenix built upon that legacy.…
Pull over for a minute – you might just spot a ghost at the Hotel San Carlos! This place has a long history, and some say, a few permanent residents who never checked out. The Hotel San Carlos opened its doors in 1928,…
Pull over for a second. This is the Orpheum Theatre, and it’s more than just a pretty building. It was once a major stop on the vaudeville circuit, bringing some serious star power to Phoenix. Originally built in 1929,…
Chris Bianco moved from the Bronx to Phoenix and opened a tiny pizzeria inside a grocery store in 1988. By the late 1990s, food writers were calling it the best pizza in America. The Rosa — red onion, Parmigiano,…
Anthem, Arizona, a master-planned community carved from the desert north of Phoenix, exudes a feeling of comfortable suburban peace. Though a relatively new community, established in 1999 by Del Webb, Anthem has seen…
Phoenix's story is one of rebirth and resilience, mirroring its namesake. Long before it became a major metropolis, the Hohokam people thrived here, mastering irrigation to cultivate the arid landscape. Their intricate…
Ahwatukee, nestled at a slightly lower elevation than Scottsdale, carries a name that hints at a deeper history than its modern, suburban feel suggests. "House of Dreams," it's called, a Crow language derivation…
Ever wonder about Phoenix's industrial roots? Check out the F. S. Baird Machine Shop right here. Built in 1928 by Kathryn Baird, she and her son Arthur opened a machine shop in 1929. Arthur moved on in 1931, and other…
Ever wonder what Phoenix looked like before it became a sprawling metropolis? This neighborhood offers a glimpse into the past. From the late 1920s through the late 1940s, the F. Q. Story neighborhood blossomed,…
One of the finest collections of Native American art and culture in the world, founded in Phoenix in 1929, with a permanent exhibit on the legacy of Indian boarding schools.
This unassuming spot marks a place of both opportunity and profound loss. For nearly a century, the Phoenix Indian School stood here, a boarding school for Native American children from across the Southwest. Beginning…
Imagine a thriving desert community centuries before Phoenix even existed, right here where you're driving! This is S'edav Va'aki, a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the Hohokam people. The Hohokam inhabited this…
Pull over for a moment and imagine the stories buried beneath your feet. This is Double Butte Cemetery, the final resting place for many of Tempe's earliest pioneers. Founded in 1888, the cemetery sits at the base of…
Arizona's first governor is buried in a white pyramid in the middle of Papago Park. George W. P. Hunt, a seven-time governor of Arizona, built this tomb in 1931 for his wife, Helen. He joined her there after his death…
Pull over here for a second. You're looking at the oldest continuously occupied structure in the entire Valley of the Sun. That's right, this is the C.T. Hayden House, or La Casa Vieja, and it's been standing since…
Tempe's story begins with a river, specifically the Salt River. In the 1870s, Charles Trumbull Hayden recognized the strategic importance of a reliable river crossing, establishing Hayden's Ferry. This ferry was more…
This one-story adobe building served as a community hub in Laveen, Arizona since 1940. Built during the Works Progress Administration era, the Laveen School Auditorium, or Building A, provided a much-needed space for…
Prepare to be amazed! This stunning auditorium, ASU Gammage, is one of the last public works designed by the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright originally conceived the design as an opera house for Baghdad in 1957.…
Imagine having tea where a Supreme Court Justice once lived! This is the Sandra Day O'Connor House, moved here from its original location in Paradise Valley. Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the U.S.…
This isn't just another college building; it's the heart of Arizona State University, Old Main, standing since before Arizona was even a state! Built in 1898, Old Main was the centerpiece of the Arizona Territorial…
Pull over here for a second – this unassuming building was once the center of Glendale's cultural life, thanks to a group of forward-thinking women. It all started in 1901 when a group of women organized the “Self…
Pull over here! This unassuming spot was once the heart of the Manistee Ranch, a thriving agricultural oasis in the late 19th century. Herbert W. Hamilton, hailing all the way from Wisconsin, founded the ranch in 1897.…
Glendale has long been a place where the past and the future meet. The city, dipping slightly in elevation at just over a thousand feet, still echoes with the sounds of its agricultural roots, even as it embraces the…
Scottsdale, Arizona, a place where the desert wind whispers tales of reinvention. Its story begins with Winfield Scott, whose name now graces the city, arriving in 1888 and setting in motion a transformation from arid…
Pull over for a minute! This little red schoolhouse isn't just cute, it's a window into Scottsdale's past. Back in 1909, Scottsdale needed a bigger school than the old one-room building. So, they built this red brick…
Tolleson's story is etched in the Arizona soil, a narrative of agriculture, perseverance, and adaptation. The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad acted as a catalyst, transforming the area into a crucial…
Peoria, Arizona, might conjure images of sun-drenched citrus groves and the dry bed of the New River shimmering in the heat, a landscape that once lured settlers from its namesake in Illinois. That pioneer spirit still…
Imagine a thriving desert city, bustling centuries before Phoenix even existed. That's what Mesa Grande was. Between 1100 and 1400, the Hohokam people built this massive adobe complex, part of a larger network of…
Mesa began as a vision of agricultural prosperity, an idea etched into the desert landscape with the completion of the Mesa Canal in 1878. The name itself, "Mesa," a Spanish word for "table top," speaks to the geography…
Ever wonder how a small farming town blossomed into the city of Mesa? You're near the Mesa Historical Museum, a treasure trove of the city's past. The Mesa Historical Society founded the museum in 1987 to preserve and…
Avondale's story is tied to the land itself. Being situated in the fertile valley around the Agua Fria River initially made it an agricultural hub, a natural extension of Phoenix's farming needs. The warmer temperatures…
Sun City, Arizona, owes its existence to a confluence of factors, not least of which is its agreeable geography. At 1,100 feet above sea level, the community enjoys mild winters and captivating desert vistas, an obvious…
Youngtown, Arizona, a small island of tranquility amidst the bustling Phoenix metropolitan area, owes its existence to a specific vision: a haven for retirees. Del Webb, a name synonymous with planned communities, saw…
Chandler, Arizona, unlike some of its neighbors, owes its existence to a very specific set of circumstances. It began as a cotton farming community thanks to Dr. A.J. Chandler, whose vision for agricultural development…
Imagine leaving your mark on the world, literally etched in stone. That's what happened here at Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve, where ancient peoples left a stunning gallery of rock art. Over 1500 petroglyphs, created…
Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and architecture school in the Sonoran Desert foothills of Scottsdale, built from desert stone and canvas beginning in 1937.
Gilbert, Arizona, owes its existence to the fertile land and the arrival of the Arizona Eastern Railway in 1902. Farmers, drawn by the promise of irrigation and rich soil, began to settle in the area. The railway…
Goodyear, Arizona, owes its existence to a very specific need: tires. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, seeking a reliable source of long-staple cotton for tire production, established a farm here in 1917, and the…
Litchfield Park, Arizona, a place synonymous with manicured greens and a certain quiet luxury, might not immediately strike one as a hotbed of celebrity origins. But look a little closer, beyond the meticulously planned…
Sun City West is a place where the desert meets a certain kind of dream. Del Webb's vision of planned retirement living took root here, transforming the landscape in the late 20th century. Today, golf carts hum along…
The land around El Mirage, Arizona, is unmistakably Sonoran Desert. Flat plains stretch out in every direction, punctuated by creosote bushes and the occasional saguaro. The elevation, a little over a thousand feet,…
La Mesa sits nestled in the embrace of the Sonoran Desert, a landscape sculpted by eons of geological activity. The area’s defining feature is undoubtedly its flatness. "La Mesa" itself means "the table" in Spanish, a…
Surprise, Arizona, wasn't always the bustling suburb it is today. Originally, it was a small farming community carved out of the desert landscape. Agriculture helped establish the town, a testament to human ingenuity in…
Imagine living in a thriving desert community over a thousand years ago – that was Snaketown, a major settlement of the Hohokam people. Between about 750 and 1150 AD, Snaketown was a hub of culture and agriculture in…
Longer stories, research notes, photos, videos, and where the road goes next. Free, and no iPhone needed.
