The Harley & Annabelle Experience

If you can't get to Erick, Okla., to see Harley and Annabelle Russell, aka the Mediocre Music Makers, here's the next-best thing, posted just a couple weeks ago. It must've been hot when this video was shot. You can usually tell what the weather is like by what Harley wears with his overalls. If he's … Continue reading The Harley & Annabelle Experience

Which town truly earns the “Redneck” title?

Harley Russell, during the course of his entertaining and sometimes eccentric Mediocre Music Makers shows with wife Annabelle, will tell his audience, "Welcome to Erick, Oklahoma, the Redneck Capital of the World." But the Oklahoman newspaper, in a lighthearted article, reports that East Dublin, Ga., was bestowed the "redneck capital" title by the "Jeopardy" game … Continue reading Which town truly earns the “Redneck” title?

Popularity of road trips strong despite gas prices

Voice of America reports: Surveys show that half of all Americans still prefer the car for summertime vacation travel — instead of a plane, bus, or train — despite rising gasoline prices. There appears to be a resurgent nostalgia for the great American road trip, a motorized odyssey that’s long been part of the popular … Continue reading Popularity of road trips strong despite gas prices

“Route 66” musical to be at KC festival

A musical that aims to eventually get itself to Broadway, "Route 66," will be staged today at the Kansas City Crossroads Musical Theater Festival. Here's the plot, according to Lower Hudson Online in New York: A hard-charging, ambitious free-lance writer, Liz Mitchell, is assigned to write a magazine piece about Route 66, a road that … Continue reading “Route 66” musical to be at KC festival

Love the Luna Cafe

I started missing the Luna Cafe in the Route 66 settlement of Mitchell, Ill., as soon as I read this first paragraph from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch story: Any time you walk into a bar with Bob Seger playing on the jukebox, you have a pretty good idea of the ambience. Luna Cafe doesn't disappoint, … Continue reading Love the Luna Cafe

Roller Rapper news

The Carthage (Mo.) Press shot a photo of Robby Love, aka the Roller Rapper, during his Route 66 tour as he skated in front of the historic Jasper County Courthouse this past weekend. UPDATE: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has a long, well-done story about Love's visit to the Gateway City.

Roller Rapper at the Rock

Talk about life's strange coincidences: Emily, aka Red Fork Hippie Chick, and I were capping a road trip Sunday with bread pudding at the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla., when Robby Love, aka the Roller Rapper, in a big RV stopped by during his Route 66 tour. Love stopped in Sand Springs, Okla., the night … Continue reading Roller Rapper at the Rock

Keith Olbermann gets the Harley & Annabelle Experience

Harley and Annabelle Russell, aka the Mediocre Music Makers, of Erick, Okla., are featured on MSNBC's "Keith Olbermann's Countdown" show. The link to the video is on the upper right, along with the New York Shakespeare item. (Note: Internet Explorer 7 is required; guess it doesn't support Firefox.)