Birthplace to the musical legend Buddy Holly, and spotlighted in this line from Mac Davis' country classic: "I thought happiness was Lubbock, Texas in my rear view mirror," the city is a cultural Mecca for the surrounding counties. The Texas Musician's Hall of Fame is found here, as well as the Buddy Holly Center, which provides outreach programs and workshops in both music and the arts.
The City of Lubbock's population is 202,000 (census 2000 data), while the county of Lubbock has reached almost 250,000. Super-highways meet within the city and the Lubbock International Airport services the region. As the wholesale and distribution center of all of West Texas, Lubbock distributes goods well over a 200-mile radius. Major firms in almost every commercial field call Lubbock home. Ranching and farming still co-exist here, along with electronic manufacturing and earth equipment manufacturing.
Known as the 'Cotton Capital of Texas' (Texas was the leading cotton-producing state by 1880), Lubbock also harbors a rapidly growing wine industry. Llano Estacado, a local winery, recently gained international fame. The rich territory surrounding Lubbock also contains more than one-third of America's natural gas, one-fourth of its oil, one-fourth of its cotton and twenty-seven percent of its feed cattle.
Lubbock, TX is also a major financial center, with the largest banking resources from Dallas to El Paso, and Austin to Denver.
Major ski resorts are located within an easy drive of Lubbock, while beautiful Lake Alan Henry waits within the city limits to offer boating, camping and some of the best bass fishing around. The city boasts its own ballet as well as the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. Numerous theaters offer residents and visitors nightly entertainment.
It's easy to see why Lubbock, TX received Forbes' Magazine ranking for the best West Texas city, and why an older and wiser Mac Davis ended his song with: "I guess happiness was Lubbock Texas in my rear view mirror, but now happiness is Lubbock Texas growing nearer and dearer."
