This one was by Stephen Stills’ band Manassas though it features burritos Chris Hillman and Al Perkins.
Al Yankovic - The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
20 states left, or thereabouts.
Arkansas
Connecticut
Kansas (I dont’ think Kansas City counts)
Maine
Maryland
Missouri
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Carolina (Does James Taylor count?)
North Dakota
Oregon
Pennsylvania (Unless Glenn Miller counts)
Rhode Island
South Carolina (James Taylor again)
South Dakota
Utah
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
Should probably increase the scope, not limit it just to Rock. I doubt you can get all 50 that way.
It’s kind of a cheat, but the UW team song is On, Wisconsin.
According to this, Springstein wrote a song called Mary Queen of Arkansas.
I’ve never heard it.
You could take care of some of them with songs from John Linnell’s State Songs album.
More instrumental guitar than rock, but Will Ackerman did “The Second Great Torsion Bar Overland Of West Townshend, Vermont, Jose Pepsi Attending.”
Oh man, I wish I never had. It’s from his first album, and possibly the worst song he ever recorded. The tune doesn’t rock, but it’s Springsteen so that has to count.
I once heard a bar band do a damn good rockin’ cover of “Waltz Across Texas”.
It’s definitely toward the bottom for me too, but I like how
I don’t understand how you can hold me so tight and love me so damn loose
sounds.
The Jayhawks did a song called “Nevada, California”. I consider them to be a rock band (broadly defined).
If we’re branching out from rock, Kinky Friedman has a song called “Rapid City, South Dakota”.
Some of them name New York, New York which I choose to parse as New York City in New York State.
The most famous two:
Billy Joel has the song “Stop In Nevada” on his Piano Man album.
(Thank you, Jeopardy!)
Perhaps in Maryland by Frank Zappa
Pennsylvania Is… by Everclear
“Hotel Arizona”-Wilco
Blues Traveller - “Carolina Blues”
The first line mentions Charlotte, so that counts for North Carolina.
Wisconsin by The Crucifucks. It’s also the name of the album.
Emperor of Wyoming - Neil Young
I…can’t believe you know the Crucifucks.