Every few years, John Denver’s iconic “Take Me Home, Country Roads” sparks debate in our area when its origin reappears in viral social media posts. Recently, Barstool’s DMV affiliate shared a post claiming, “The Road in Take Me Home, Country Roads, is Not in West Virginia, It’s Actually Clopper Road in Gaithersburg.” This stirred up discussions regarding the song’s true origin, prompting us to revisit the real story.
While “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is a cherished anthem for West Virginia, its famous chorus was actually born during a drive in Maryland. Co-writers Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert recount how a simple journey on Clopper Road, located primarily in Gaithersburg and Germantown, inspired one of American music’s most enduring folk songs, though the lyrics are based on West Virginia.
In 1970, Danoff and Nivert were traveling traveling through Maryland and found themselves on Clopper Road, a winding, rural path at the time. As Danoff played his guitar, he began repeating the phrase “country roads,” also drawing from his own rural New England roots. He later told NBC4 Washington that the road’s feel was the initial inspiration. In a WTOP interview, DC-area singer/songwriter Len Jaffe, who was present for the song’s debut at the Cellar Door, said, “The road they were actually on was Clopper Road, in Gaithersburg, a little two-lane blacktop.”…