The Joliet-based Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 recently announced its third class of inductees, and one of them made a key impact on Route 66 itself. That would be Nat King Cole, who was born in Alabama but spent his formative years in Chicago. He popularized “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” … Continue reading Nat King Cole among new inductees at Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66
The story behind the now-iconic song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” is Bobby Troup and his wife, Cynthia Troup, were traveling west on that highway to California in 1946 when she came up with the line “Get your kicks on Route 66.” Bobby Troup finished the rest of the song, pitched it to Nat … Continue reading Cynthia Troup’s role in “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66”
This remarkable 26-minute documentary, “Route 66, The Main Street of America,” from 1988 offers glimpses of the Mother Road from nearly a quarter-century ago. It’s dubbed in Dutch, but don’t let that stop you from watching. The interviewees all speak English, after all. The film is even more notable because it has footage of Gladys … Continue reading Route 66, circa 1988
You have to admire the nerve or foolishness of two pals who are so determined to travel old alignments of Route 66 that they get stuck not once, but twice, during their journey. That’s what happens in Rick Antonson’s “Route 66 Still Kicks” (Skyhorse Publishing, paperback, 336 pages, illustrated, e-book available). Although this book is … Continue reading Book review: “Route 66 Still Kicks”
David Dunaway’s acclaimed documentary radio program, “Across the Tracks: A Route 66 Story,” has been re-released as a three-CD set for just $14.95. The program was produced in 2001, heard across more than 200 radio stations, and was excerpted on NPR’s “Morning Edition.” Here’s more about it: ACROSS THE TRACKS: A ROUTE 66 STORY is … Continue reading “Across the Tracks” CD set is re-released
The historic Riviera Restaurant on Route 66 in Gardner, Ill., reopened on New Year’s Eve. Check out this story in the Batavia Sun about it. However, there is one potential snag that will be worth watching: The new owner is dealing with a request from the Gardner Fire Department to put in an expensive commercial … Continue reading Notes from the road
(This was originally posted four years ago. It’s appropriate to repost it for the holiday.) This is the full version of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. https://vimeo.com/14517748 So what does King have to do with Route 66? Well, there’s this passage: There are those who are asking the … Continue reading ‘I have a dream …’
NOTE: I posted this two years ago. Now, with a black man about to become president of the United States, it’s worth looking at again. This is the full version of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. So what does King have to do with Route 66? Well, there’s this … Continue reading “I have a dream”
