William Shatner, best known for his role as Captain Kirk in the “Star Trek” television series and movies, recorded a version of Bobby Troup’s “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” for his new blues album. The song includes guitarist Steve Cropper, who played with Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Booker T & the MGs and … Continue reading William Shatner gets his kicks on “Route 66” song
The long-running PBS-TV music program “Austin City Limits” next month will broadcast a special retrospective on the western-swing band Asleep at the Wheel, both of which is marking its 50th anniversary. Asleep At the Wheel performed on the show’s first episode back in 1970. In total, the band has appeared on the show 11 times … Continue reading “Austin City Limits” will air Asleep At the Wheel retrospective Oct. 31
Officials in the Route 66 city of Kingman, Arizona, issued a penitent statement in the wake of Showtime’s “Who Is America?” episode Sunday in which the star, Sasha Baron Cohen (known for his “Borat” movie), showed several of its residents in an unflattering light. The episode showed several Kingman residents making controversial remarks about Muslims … Continue reading City of Kingman reacts to Sasha Baron Cohen’s ‘baiting’ of residents
The YouTube account that posted this today proclaims this 20-plus-year-old clip as “rare.” I see no reason to disbelieve that. It’s Ray Benson of the western swing band Asleep At the Wheel singing “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” with an early edition of the Dixie Chicks on the “American Music Shop” television show, which … Continue reading An oldie with the Dixie Chicks
Bobby Troup’s estate got another dose of cha-ching Friday. On a show called “Rising Star Indonesia,” contestant Reyna Qotrunnada performed his best-known song. https://youtu.be/cdgDKj131No Yes, her English during the song is a clumsy, but do remember it’s not her mother tongue. But it seemed a lot of people in the audience recognized it. It’s amazing … Continue reading “Route 66” performed on Indonesia TV
A collection of late singer Patti Page’s memorabilia will be on display through the rest of the year at the Oklahoma History Center and will later travel to several other Oklahoma sites, including the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton. According to The Oklahoman newspaper, the “Patti Page: Once Upon a Dream” exhibit from the … Continue reading Patti Page collection will be at Oklahoma museums
Longtime readers of this site probably have seen a muddy-looking but still-invigorating Diet Mountain Dew commercial featuring an altered version of Bobby Troup’s “Route 66” by John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols. A high-quality version of the ad recently was uploaded by the AICP Show, which honors art and technique for those … Continue reading More about that Diet Mountain Dew commercial
Here’s an interesting addition to a Route 66 fan’s library — a documentary shot so long ago and out of circulation for so long, it’s become a relic in its own right. That would be the DVD version of “The Spirit of 66” ($20, plus shipping), the 50-minute pilot for a proposed 10-part television series … Continue reading DVD review: “The Spirit of 66”
This is a version of Bobby Troup’s “Route 66” by an apparently long-gone band called Freak UK. The video was broadcast by the BBC in 1991. I suspect this was influenced by Depeche Mode’s version from 1987. https://youtu.be/fLgS9_GTumg Freak UK’s frontman was Mik Scarlet, who found later fame as a TV and radio broadcaster, journalist, and actor. … Continue reading One from the BBC vault
Here’s a performance of Bobby Troup’s “Route 66” by Dick Dale with Kenny Trimble and Charlie Perlato, along with Bobby Burgess, Arthur Duncan, and Jack Imel in their tap shoes in a 1973 episode of “The Lawrence Welk Show.” https://youtu.be/rCrX_DwwbcM It’s so square it’s almost cool. Almost. I admit to being disappointed the performance didn’t feature the … Continue reading No, he’s not that Dick Dale
