San Jose Rocks

San Jose Rocks Honoring San Jose & Silicon Valley's music legacy—from pioneering radio to iconic bands & beyond. Where Innovation Got Loud. San Jose, Silicon Valley.

This valley built the tools that transformed the way music is made and heard — and lit the fuse on rock ’n’ roll legacies that still echo worldwide. San Jose Rocks celebrates the surprising music history of San Jose and Silicon Valley — where innovation and rock 'n' roll collided. From the world’s first radio broadcast to Apple’s iTunes and GarageBand, and from game-changing tech to legendary arti

sts, this region shaped how the world listens. Grateful Dead played their first show here. Stevie Nicks, Smash Mouth, the Doobie Brothers, and the Smothers Brothers made our stages iconic. Behind the scenes, Silicon Valley innovators like Ampex and Dolby redefined recording and playback, while NVIDIA powers the future of AI-generated sound. We're shining a spotlight on the untold stories that connect our stages, startups, and sound systems — and remixing what’s next. Follow us on social, sign up for our newsletter, and explore more at SanJoseRocks.org

06/13/2026

A message of note.

𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸! 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱!San Jose holds a special distinction — the oldest city in California and the stat...
06/06/2026

𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸! 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱!

San Jose holds a special distinction — the oldest city in California and the state's first capital. We have a deep, rich history here, and we've grown into one of the most exciting places on earth. Part of what makes that growth worth celebrating is that we can still reach back and touch where we came from. So here's a happy question worth asking out loud: how do we keep our history close even as we keep moving forward?

It's on my mind because the City is looking at changing how people use the California Room, the special research collection at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library. The room would stay open, but access would shift to appointment-only, with staff reassigned elsewhere. I'd love to see that get a thoughtful conversation before it's settled — because this room is one of our great treasures.

Part of what makes a place like the California Room special is that you can simply walk in. People come through those doors to learn about this valley — where we came from, what happened here, who we are. So much discovery happens when curiosity can wander in without an appointment, and when knowledgeable staff are right there to help you find what you didn't even know to ask for.

Here's a story close to our heart. If not for the California Room and the wonderful staff there, the team at San Jose Rocks might never have solved a 60-year mystery: where the 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱 played their very first show under that name. We found our answer because the records were there, the staff knew where to look, and the door was open. San Jose Rocks! And so do its libraries.

It makes us wonder how many more San Jose stories are waiting in that room right now, ready for someone to discover them — if we keep it easy to walk in and ask.

Libraries like this one are a gift.

Please encourage San Jose's mayor and city councilmembers to keep the welcome mat out.

Check out these two images. The first is a sample of the bands and artists with roots in Silicon Valley. The second is a...
06/02/2026

Check out these two images. The first is a sample of the bands and artists with roots in Silicon Valley. The second is a sample of the technologies born here that changed how the world makes, hears, and shares music.

Now ask yourself: what other region on earth can claim both?

Nashville is known for its artists. Memphis is known for its artists. Motown is known for its artists. Silicon Valley is the only place where the artists and the technologies that drive the world's soundtrack came from the same region.

And these are just the ones we could fit on two slides.

Want the full story in 75 seconds? Watch our public service announcement: https://youtu.be/BQyjZbmCc8A

Who knew? Now you do.
sanjoserocks.org | Celebrating the soul of Silicon Valley

Dionne Warwick hated the song."Where is San Jose?" she asked, refusing to record it. Bacharach and Hal David had to talk...
05/19/2026

Dionne Warwick hated the song.

"Where is San Jose?" she asked, refusing to record it. Bacharach and Hal David had to talk her into it.

It went on to win her first Grammy, sell 3.5 million copies, and put San Jose on the world's musical map years before anyone said the words "Silicon Valley."

Plot twist: the lyricist had never lived here. Hal David spent the war years writing Army comedy revues in Honolulu — sometimes alongside a young soldier named Carl Reiner. He just overheard the phrase one day, and built a global hit around it.

Burt Bacharach's verdict on the whole accidental triumph: "I just giggled all the way to the bank."

The full story is now up on San Jose Rocks:
https://sanjoserocks.org/didyou/hal-david-knew-the-way-to-san-jose/

Who knew? Now you do.

San Jose Rocks joining with South Bay Flashback spreading the gospel of South Bay’s rocking history across all genres of...
05/16/2026

San Jose Rocks joining with South Bay Flashback spreading the gospel of South Bay’s rocking history across all genres of music and music technology. Come out and visit us at Campbell Boogie Music Festival this weekend.  Stay tuned for an announcement regarding San Jose Rocks and Campbell History Museum! 

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