Champaign, IL
Music connected to Champaign
About Champaign
- • Alison Krauss, the bluegrass-country singer and musician, was born in Champaign, IL.
- • Mosaic, the web browser that popularized the internet, was developed at the University of Illinois.
- • The Illinois Central Railroad's expansion through the area established Champaign in 1855.
- • The Virginia Theatre's 'ghost light' is said to be haunted by a former stagehand.
- • The Great Fire of 1871 destroyed much of downtown, leading to widespread rebuilding.
- • Named for the French region, Champaign was incorporated in 1860.
- • With nearly 90,000 residents, it's smaller than Peoria but larger than Decatur.
- • At 741 feet above sea level, Champaign is relatively flat, ideal for cycling.
- • Education and healthcare are major employers, thanks to the University of Illinois.
- • Champaign feels like a vibrant college town with a blend of innovation and Midwestern charm.
- • The Chicago Bears are the closest NFL team, winning Super Bowl XX in 1986.
- • Illinois' Fighting Illini basketball team reached the NCAA championship game in 2005.
- • The area's soil is primarily fertile prairie soil developed under grassland vegetation.
- • The Embarras River flows through Champaign County.
- • The Greater Prairie Chicken, though endangered, can sometimes be found in nearby managed prairie habitats.
- • Tallgrass prairies were historically dominant ecosystems in the Champaign area.
- • The land was historically inhabited by the Illini Confederacy.
- • In 1914, Robert Zemecki was lynched downtown after being accused of attacking a white woman.
- • The Virginia Theatre, a restored 1921 movie palace, hosts performances and film screenings.
- • Interstate 57 runs north-south near Champaign, connecting Chicago to southern Illinois.
Artists From Champaign
12 Gauge
Absconder
Alison Krauss
Annisteen Allen
Beezus
blanketarms
Bookmobile!
Braid
Breeders
Bruce Hall
Champaign
Common Loon
Dean Carter
Earth Witch
Finchley Boys
Good Night & Good Morning
Hardvark
Headlights
Hum
Invincible
James Weaver
Jim Cox
Julie Frith
Kim Richmond
Logan Allen
Love Cup
Lucia Lin
Marc Beeson
Melanie Paxson
Mico Wave
Peter Westergaard
Poster Children
REO Speedwagon
Ric Menck
Rob McColley
Ron Bridgewater
Sam Levine
Sarge
Saul Perlmutter
Somi
Squirrel Movement
Starcastle
Stephen King
Ted Sirota
Terry Luttrell
The Autocorrect
The Beauty Shop
The Boat Drunks
The Living Blue
The Outnumbered
The Red Hot Valentines
The Ship
Three Hour Tour
Titanic Love Affair
Tom Bodett
Tummler
Very Secretary
Viktor Krauss
Virgin Idol
Whitney Keaton
Wilfred M. McClay
Wolfie
“Brother” Jack McDuff
Head East
Songs About Champaign
Champaign, Illinois
by
Nearby Places
12 Gauge
Absconder
Alison Krauss
Annisteen Allen
Beezus
Bookmobile!
Braid
Breeders
Bruce Hall
Champaign
Common Loon
Dean Carter
Earth Witch
Finchley Boys
Good Night & Good Morning
Hardvark
Head East
Headlights
Hum
Invincible
James Weaver
Jim Cox
Julie Frith
Kim Richmond
Logan Allen
Love Cup
Lucia Lin
Marc Beeson
Melanie Paxson
Mico Wave
Peter Westergaard
Poster Children
REO Speedwagon
Ric Menck
Rob McColley
Ron Bridgewater
Sam Levine
Sarge
Saul Perlmutter
Somi
Squirrel Movement
Starcastle
Stephen King
Ted Sirota
Terry Luttrell
The Autocorrect
The Beauty Shop
The Boat Drunks
The Living Blue
The Outnumbered
The Red Hot Valentines
The Ship
Three Hour Tour
Titanic Love Affair
Tom Bodett
Tummler
Very Secretary
Viktor Krauss
Virgin Idol
Whitney Keaton
Wilfred M. McClay
Wolfie
blanketarms
“Brother” Jack McDuff
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