I've known about this song for 15 years, but country-music artist Marty Stuart revealed in a recent story in American Songwriter magazine that his 1999 song "The Observations of a Crow" drew its inspiration during a stop on Route 66. Stuart explained how the song happened: It was when I was writing "The Pilgrim." My … Continue reading Marty Stuart song inspired by Route 66 stop
Category: Music
A night at the opera at the pier
The Santa Monica Pier on Sept. 17 is hosting a free big-screen broadcast of LA Opera's production of Verdi's famed "La Traviata." It's not like seeing an opera live at the venue, but the idyllic scene of a setting sun, ocean breezes and the surf will be a nice compensation, I'm sure. More about the production: … Continue reading A night at the opera at the pier
Annabelle Russell soon will move into hospice care
Annabelle Russell, one-half of the Mediocre Music Makers in the Sandhills Curiosity Shop near Route 66 in Erick, Oklahoma, soon will be moved into a hospice in Oklahoma City after a 3 1/2-year battle with ovarian cancer, according to the couple's Facebook account. Harley Russell posted this message this morning: Dear friends, I have called … Continue reading Annabelle Russell soon will move into hospice care
Another tune from the garage
The Beatles' invasion of America in early 1964 and later rush of British acts spawned a lot of rock bands in the United States. Here's one in the seemingly endless list, The Fabulous Pharaohs of Newark, Delaware. The band's take on Bobby Troup's "Route 66" is notable in the lyrics are about as butchered as any version … Continue reading Another tune from the garage
Take a cruise with Snookum
Here's an old jazz version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" you probably haven't heard. It's by pianist Isaac "Snookum" Russell and his All Reet Orchestra. https://youtu.be/u3ADEN8Q5jw Russell's band on the recording features Justin Adams on guitar, Artie "Weasel" Langston on bass, Frank Parker on drums, Wallace Davenport on trumpet and Hollis Carmouche on clarinet. Details on Russell are sketchy, although it's reported he and his band … Continue reading Take a cruise with Snookum
A look at Route 66 in 1985
This 1-hour, 42-minute documentary film from 1985, "Route 66," has been making the rounds on the Internet since it was uploaded it on YouTube a few days ago and Route 66 yahoogroup creator Greg Laxton posted it on Facebook. Roadies praise it because it provides the Mother Road's most comprehensive look just before U.S. 66 was … Continue reading A look at Route 66 in 1985
“Return to Route 66”
A reader tipped me off about Kingman, Arizona, resident Chris Commisso, who wrote this song and shot the video on the Mother Road in Kingman. https://youtu.be/wL0eWO_19c0 It seems to be a mix of jazz, hip-hop and 1960s lounge. I like it a lot. Commisso has his own YouTube channel here. His official website is here.
Los Angeles and Woody Guthrie
Folk singer Woody Guthrie's many links to Route 66 have been long documented. However, this excellent clip by filmmaker Aric Allen shows that Los Angeles played a crucial role in Guthrie's road to fame in 1937. Amazingly, many of the places where Guthrie hung around in L.A. still exist, as this film shows. https://youtu.be/FCh4O9nv0mo (Image … Continue reading Los Angeles and Woody Guthrie
Cow Bop gets its kicks
The western swing and jazz collective Cow Bop recently completed another edition of its Route 66 music tour, this one called the Linear Music Festival. You can follow what they did here with blog posts, audio and a lot of other goodies. But here's a performance of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" at Cars on the … Continue reading Cow Bop gets its kicks
“The Mother Road”
Country-music singer Jess McEntire, who's spent the last few years using his music to promote Route 66, apparently has produced a new video for one of his songs, "The Mother Road." https://youtu.be/hTU_o3og4G4 McEntire will be at the International Route 66 Festival in Kingman, Arizona, on Aug. 14-16. Later this year, he's also selling raffle tickets for … Continue reading “The Mother Road”