Kicks with King of the Jukebox

Here's a sizzling version of "Route 66" by jump blues artist Louis "King of the Jukebox" Jordan in 1958. Singing is Dorothy Smith, who does some swell improvisation with the lyrics. https://www.louisjordan.com/

More Harley & Annabelle

Here's a new video of Harley and Annabelle Russell at the Sandhills Curiosity Shop in Erick, Okla., performing "Route 66." Save for Harley half-doing the splits during the song's conclusion, it's mostly the same schtick during the song that the two have been doing for years. But it still brings a smile to my face.

Dew it to it

Here's a blast from the past: an altered version of "Route 66" (for reasons that will be apparent) by John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols, for a Mountain Dew ad in 1996.

Feeling chippy

Here's Alvin and the Chipmunks' version of "Route 66" by Depeche Mode. Yech. I suppose Alvin and the Chipmunks were amusing for five minutes or so when their "The Christmas Song" became a hit in 1958. But taking hit pop songs and simply speeding up the vocals in an attempt to amuse is just lazy. … Continue reading Feeling chippy

Weekly “Route 66” radio show begins Saturday in Joplin

Radio host Terry Hester is debuting a new weekly music show, "Route 66," at KZRG in Joplin, Mo., on Saturday. In an e-mail, Hester said he would be playing the top pop hits from 1957 to 1972 to "relive the music of the Mother Road," along with "bits of audio from that time frame ... … Continue reading Weekly “Route 66” radio show begins Saturday in Joplin