Courtesy of Columbia Records
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Fort Worth native Leon Bridges now has a street with his name on it.
The Grammy Award winner is immortalized on the intersection of South Calhoun Street and East Daggett Avenue after an unveiling ceremony in front of Niles City Sound this week. Mayor Mattie Parker, Hear Fort Worth’s Tom Martens and Chip Adams with the Texas Music Office gave remarks.
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Bridges was born in Atlanta but was raised in Fort Worth, graduating from Fort Worth Crowley High School. Bridges recorded his debut album, Coming Home, nearly a decade ago at Niles City Sound. His Columbia Records debut was a triumph of vintage-sounding retro soul that indicated he was only going to get better. His smooth, Sam Cooke-esque croon won over a lot of people, and he’s become one of the biggest artists who never forgets his Texas roots.
“Fort Worth is my place of refuge. A lot of artists when they get success, they move out of their city, but I still kept Fort Worth home,” he told The Dallas Morning News.
Fort Worth council members unanimously passed a resolution on Sept. 30 to place street sign toppers in honor of Bridges.
“When Leon Bridges came home and he sold out Dickies Arena, the feeling in that arena was palpable because this city, we all were so proud that Leon was one of us,” Mayor Parker said.
Bridges won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance for his song “Bet Ain’t Worth The Hand.”
In 2024, he released his album Leon, which emphasizes his Fort Worth upbringing and takes the listener on a personalized tour of the streets, people and landmarks that have shaped him today.
“There are a lot of stories about my family running through it,” Bridges told Grammy.com. “It’s really about the things that I value most in life and what is meaningful to me, which is home and family.”
The last time we saw Bridges in Dallas, it wasn’t a performance. But rather a surprise appearance during an encore at Aminé’s show at South Side Ballroom. He just wrapped up his joint tour with Charley Crockett in Austin, so to come out for Aminé’s fans was cool.
It’s nice that Fort Worth’s most recognizable star can be among people who love him and he can still be himself. Congrats again on the honor, Leon!
