RoadyGoat plays music like this when you drive through Fresno. It's free on iPhone, and full songs play through Apple Music.
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Fresno, California, located in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley, is home to a diverse array of musical talent. While not widely known as a music capital, the city has produced 69 artists across various genres. For example, Audra McDonald is a gospel artist from Fresno, and the metal band Organ Donor also calls Fresno home.
The city is also mentioned in eight songs, including "Berzerk" by Eminem and "Live Those Songs" by Kenny Chesney.
Showing top 20 of 67 artists · Hear more in the free iPhone app
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Fresno.
Clovis, California, a town nestled on the flatlands of the Central Valley, might seem unassuming at first glance. But beneath the surface of this place, named for landowner Clovis Cole, runs a current of ambition and achievement.
Clovis, California, owes its existence to the iron horse. Before the Southern Pacific Railroad snaked its way through the San Joaquin Valley, this spot was just another patch of flat land between Fresno and the Sierra Nevada foothills. But the railroad needed a place to ship out the valley's agricultural bounty, and Clovis, named for landowner Clovis Cole, became that place. The town rapidly grew into a shipping hub, distinguishable by its wooden water tower, then the tallest structure for miles. The spirit of Clovis today is a unique blend of its agricultural roots and modern suburban life. While education and healthcare now dominate the local economy, that original connection to the land is still present in the annual Clovis Rodeo, a major event that draws crowds from across the state. Locals might tell you that people stay in Clovis for the schools, the relatively affordable housing compared to coastal California, and the slower pace. It's a place where Friday night lights still shine bright, where the recent memory of the Giants' 2010 World Series win still sparks conversation, and where the echoes of the 1955 flood, which reshaped the town's infrastructure, serve as a constant reminder of resilience.
Clovis, California, owes its existence to the iron horse. Before the Southern Pacific Railroad cut its way through the San Joaquin Valley, this flat expanse of land, markedly lower than the distant Sierra Nevada foothills, was mostly agricultural. But when the railroad arrived, so did opportunity. Clovis Cole, a major landowner, gave his name to the budding town in 1890, and it officially incorporated in 1912. Soon, the Old Town water tower rose above the landscape, the tallest structure for miles, a symbol of Clovis’s aspirations as a shipping center between Fresno and Stockton. The town wasn't without its trials. The devastating flood of 1955 reshaped the landscape and forced infrastructure improvements. Yet, Clovis persevered, its identity as a community deeply rooted in agriculture and the spirit of the West. The Clovis Rodeo, a now-famous California event, became a local institution, celebrating the area's ranching heritage. Today, while education and healthcare are major employers, and the shouts of Buchanan High School’s championship-winning wrestlers echo through the town, a connection to its past remains.
16 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Fresno's story is deeply rooted in the soil. The city owes its existence to the Southern Pacific Railroad, which arrived and transformed what was then a dusty plain into a transportation hub. That access, combined with…
This ornate water tower, designed by a renowned architect, once symbolized Fresno's progress and now stands as a unique landmark. Completed in late 1894, the Old Fresno Water Tower was designed by George Washington…
Catch a show at this opulent theater and imagine the roaring twenties in downtown Fresno! This is Warnors Theatre, originally the Pantages.The theater opened in 1928 as the Pantages Theater, named for its owner,…
See the future of American transportation taking shape right here in Fresno. This is the site of the first purpose-built high-speed rail station in the United States. Located in downtown Fresno, the station is being…
Step back in time at Fresno's oldest surviving hotel, a landmark of the city's early 1900s boom. The Hotel Fresno, built in 1912, was designed by architect Edward T. Foulkes. Its design was reportedly inspired by San…
Pull over for a sec – this unassuming spot was once the heart of Fresno's vibrant Spanish-language cinema scene. In 1948, Gustavo Acosta built the Azteca Theater right here. It was the first theater in the entire San…
Imagine escaping the scorching Fresno sun by descending into a hand-dug oasis. That's the story of the Forestiere Underground Gardens. Baldassare Forestiere, a Sicilian immigrant, began carving this subterranean retreat…
Clovis, California, a town nestled on the flatlands of the Central Valley, might seem unassuming at first glance. But beneath the surface of this place, named for landowner Clovis Cole, runs a current of ambition and…
Del Rey, California, sits just a bit higher than the flatlands around it, a quiet place where the scent of orchards hangs heavy in the air. It's easy to imagine its streets unchanged for decades, despite the shifts that…
The dust swirled on Sanger's main street, settling on the same flat fields that stretch toward the horizon. It's a landscape that seems to whisper stories of hard work and quiet lives, a place where the Sunday ordinance…
Biola, California, maintains a quiet rhythm, a place where the success of the almond harvest and the Fresno State Bulldogs' football season are common topics of conversation. Yet, the drought that gripped California for…
Caruthers, California, a small town in the heart of the Central Valley, embodies a quiet agricultural spirit. Founded in 1910 and named for railroad official Robert Caruthers, its initial prosperity stemmed from its…
The air crackles with anticipation as dusk settles over Selma, California, not just from the evening chill, but from the collective rustling beneath the Elkhorn Avenue overpass. Thousands of bats, a swirling, leathery…
Madera sits squarely in the heart of the Central Valley, and for generations, its identity has been inextricably linked to the land. Farming is more than just an industry; it's a way of life. But in recent years, the…
Kerman, California, owes its existence to the iron horse. The Central Pacific Railroad’s push through the San Joaquin Valley laid the foundation for what would become a thriving agricultural center. While many towns…
Parlier, California, rests squarely in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, a place where the earth stretches flat and fertile as far as the eye can see. Fields of grapes and fruit trees dominate the landscape, a…
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