RIP politician, musician + arts supporter 'Tower' Mike Briggs

Plus, Aesop gets a Living Legends tribute at Fulton 55 and 'get-well' thoughts for John Clifton.

Sep 07, 2025

It’s been a rough few weeks for Tower District community/arts/music scene.

First, there was the death of Derrick McElroy, who was well known in indie-rap circles, but also around the neighborhood.

And now, there’s Mike Briggs, who died a week ago “after a brief but courageous battle with an aggressive cancer,” according his family. “He spent his final months surrounded by family and friends, making the most of every moment with those he loved.”

Briggs, 66, was different things to different people.

He was a politician, who represented the Tower District on city council in the mid-1990s. He parlayed that into a spot of the State Assembly where he served two terms before running for Congress, where he faced off against former Fresno mayor Jim Patterson and a young Devin Nunes (he did not win that race).

But he was also an accomplished musician with a degree in classical guitar and years worth of experience as a performer and instructor. Prior to his election to city council Brigg’s listed profession was “guitarist.”

I knew Briggs from CentralValleyTalk.com, the internet TV station he set up in the back room/garage of a house on Van Ness and Olive Avenues in 2008. It was eventually picked up for air by Cocola Broadcasting and is still operating.

There’s no word yet on how Brigg’s death my affect the station.

During its heyday in the early 20-teens, the station had a strong community access vibes and was a heavy showcase for local musicians, authors and artists. Here’s a full list of shows to get a sense of the magnitude of what Briggs created.

I remember being a guest on a number of those shows, most notably, Central Valley Buzz with Chuck Leonard. Side note: A producer at KMPH caught one of those segments and thought it was funny enough for me to try with Kim and Kopi on Great Day.

Mostly, I remember sitting in the “studio audience” waiting for my spot on Leonard’s show. It was always this mix of artists and musicians and random Fresnans stopped in on their walks through the neighborhood. It was a true community hub and I met a lot of people face-to-face for the first time, while doing those shows.

And Briggs was always there. You got the sense that he was the boss and that he ran things somehow. But also, he was in for whatever randomness was about to unfold. Often, he was a part of it himself, which could be great to watch. To quote Leonard: “He let me be the star, when really, he was the star.”

A public memorial is being planned by the Briggs family with details to come.

SOLD OUT: Aesop The Black Wolf Celebration of Life

That didn’t take long.

On Friday, Fulton 55 announced it will hosting a celebration of life for Derrick McElroy. The free, ticketed event was billed with live performances from Living Legends, Planet Asia, Fashawn and more.

As of this morning, that event is sold out.

McElroy, a Fresno native who helped pioneer the indie-hip-hop scene as an emcee in the Bay Area in the 1990s, died late last month.

It was major shock for both the hip-hop community and the Tower District, where McElroy had become a fixture following his move back to Fresno in the 2000s.

Those who missed out on tickets can still grab a commemoration of life t-shirt through the Living Legends website. The shirts are being sold with proceeds supporting Fresno students, county churches and families in need, as a way “to continue Derrick Aesop McElroy’s legacy of giving to others with his time and talents.”

Get well, John Clifton

John Clifton could use some prayers, well-wishes or just good vibes, if you have any of that to send.

The blues singer/harmonica player and Valley Music Hall of Famer has been dealing with some health issues that have put him out of commission of late.

Over the last week, he shared some details with his followers on social media, “to prevent the rumor mill from spreading a bunch of misinformation.” For sake of privacy, I won’t share much here, other than to say he is in the hospital and has been for two-weeks or so. It sounds like he’s hanging in there, despite some rather serious moments.

Bandgeeeek!

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