Category: Music

“Welcome to the Future”

This terrific song by Brad Paisley, as I recently found, is also a very good tune for a road trip. And it's a doggone good celebration of American progress and optimism. This tune got me thinking about how ironic it is that modern technology has greatly helped spread the word about an old and even … Continue reading “Welcome to the Future”

The phantom musician

This is the restored Mighty Wurlitzer organ that you can hear when you tour the historic Coleman Theatre Beautiful in Miami, Okla. The medley of songs from "The Phantom of the Opera" musical comes from an electronic player-recording of a local musician when she performed it. The last part of this video is taken in … Continue reading The phantom musician

Hopping with the Time Jumpers

For years, a number of studio musicians in Nashville have been meeting every Monday night at the Station Inn, a nightclub that's been a haven for traditional country music and bluegrass for years. The musicians called themselves The Time Jumpers. As for what came next, I'll let Great American Country explain ... Started as a … Continue reading Hopping with the Time Jumpers

From one toke to one take

Jim Motavalli, a columnist for The Daily Green alternative-energy magazine, tells about the fascinating background of Tom Shipley. Shipley works as a video producer at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla. According to the article, among Shipley's favorite work is documenting students' efforts at building vehicles for the North American Solar Car … Continue reading From one toke to one take

Bootleg Stones

Here's a live-in-concert, bootleg recording in 1977 of the Rolling Stones performing "Route 66." Mick Jagger's slight change in a lyric might offend a few Oklahoma City residents (and make a few Tulsans snicker). The recording came from El Mocambo Club in Toronto, Canada. The gig became rather infamous, and not for the music, as … Continue reading Bootleg Stones

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.