One Of The Biggest Names In Music Was Born In A Small Town About An Hour From Cleveland
By Nikki Rhoades|Published May 22, 2023
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is — she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
Sometimes, small towns produce people who become massively influential. Today, we’re going to look at a rock star from a city near Cleveland who many consider to be the nicest guy in rock. This individual holds the keys to this Ohio city, and he also has an entire alley with a record-setting piece of public art dedicated to him. That’s right, we’re talking about the man, the legend: Dave Grohl.
Warren, Ohio, is a community about an hour away from Cleveland.
About 56 miles southeast of The Land, this community is home to some 39,000 residents. It also has an incredible small town feel that I personally love... and its vintage historic district is delightfully midwestern. As the seat of Trumbull County, Warren is as picturesque as you may expect.
Warren is filled to the brim with history, but you sometimes have to dig to find its most newsworthy moments.
Much of the city's most potent history can be found in its historic district, as one would expect. However, history was made here in the recent past on January 14, 1969, and that's a bit harder to find.
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Unbeknownst to many Ohioans, this town is the birthplace of the Dave Grohl.
Dave Grohl was the drummer in Nirvana and Scream. Today, he's best known for his work with Foo Fighters, Them Crooked Vultures, and a slew of side projects. From his charitable endeavors to his famously down-to-earth personality, Grohl has amassed a reputation as one of the nicest rockstars out there.
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Grohl only started his early life in Warren, but his influence is sprinkled throughout the town.
Dave Grohl lived in Warren, Ohio until he was three years old. From there, he moved to Virginia, where his parents would split when he was just seven years old. Nonetheless, the Grohl influence in Ohio remained. His father, James Harper Grohl, was a Canton-born journalist and assistant to an Ohio senator. His funeral was handled by a Trumbull County funeral home, and he is presumably buried in the area.
Though Dave Grohl moved away, his family roots were unwavering.
Grohl came to town throughout his childhood to visit family members, and some summer vacations were spent exploring the area. To this day, it's not unlikely to encounter him in the area... especially because one street now bears his name.
David Grohl Alley is one of the most unexpected roadside attractions in the county. It's exactly what it sounds like: an alleyway dedicated to one locally-born rockstar.
The alley is filled with Grohl-themed art, plus one record-setting pair of drumsticks.
These beauties are the world's largest drumsticks, having broken the Guinness World Record at their debut in 2012. They're one of the most celebrated landmarks in Warren, and they're well worth grabbing a picture with.
When the alley way debuted in 2009, Grohl himself showed up to the celebration.
Grohl even performed at the celebration, surprising and moving the people of Warren with a few emotional songs. While he didn't make it out in 2013 when the drumsticks were moved into the alley, he did take out space in the local paper to thank the people of Warren.
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To this day, new art pops up in the alley. And some visitors even report bumping into the legend himself at the attraction!
As work from local artists keeps this attraction growing, it's worth visiting time and time again. Dave Grohl, who was given a key to the City of Warren in 2009, is said to pop up here from time to time to check out the latest additions to the alley.
Though he only spent his early life in Warren, the locals have wholeheartedly accepted Dave Grohl as one of their own.
And, if the rumors about Grohl's kindness have any credence, one can assume he is equally as proud to be an Ohioan at the core.
Cleveland is known as the birthplace of rock and roll, but one of the biggest names in music is actually from a community outside of the metropolitan area. This iconic rock star from a city near Cleveland has earned his time in the spotlight and his place in Warren, Ohio legend.
Want to explore the hidden musical roots of Ohio further? Visit Cleveland’s Little Italy to dine where greats like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin once sat down to unwind.
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