“In the mid-70’s I got into a cab in Houston and the cabbie, knowing who I was, said, ‘I always wanted to ask you, man… Why in the world did you write a song about China Grove?'”
“I said, ‘There’s no such place. I made it up.’ And then the cabbie said, ‘No, there really is a China Grove and it’s exactly where you said.’”
CHINA GROVE, TEXAS (Bexar County).
China Grove is on U.S. Highway 87 nine miles east
of downtown San Antonio in eastern Bexar County.
China Grove incorporated in the 1960s,
and by 1970 the population was 254.
“I must have seen a road sign for China Grove when we
were driving into San Antonio in the Winnebago for a
concert in 1972. But I sure don’t remember it.”
– Tom Johnston
When the sun comes up