Village Theatre, a company based in the Seattle area that concentrates on performing new plays, will present a Mother Road-related production during the Village Originals' ninth annual Festival of New Musicals this week. Productions will be held at the Francis J. Gaudette Theatre in Issaquah, Wash. These will be staged readings -- no sets, but … Continue reading New musical features Route 66
Category: Music
Scenes from the “Route 66” musical revue
The Vermillion Players theater group in Pontiac, Ill., just finished its four-day run of the "Route 66" musical revue at the Chautauqua Park Pavilion in town. Here are a couple of scenes from the play: Ellie Alexander, director of Pontiac Tourism, said that crowds were good even with temperatures in the 90s during two of … Continue reading Scenes from the “Route 66” musical revue
“Our Town”
I've been told that this video is played in 4 Women on the Route in Galena, Kan., and that it moves a lot of Route 66 visitors. I'll let the creator, Jim DeGraff, explain it: My family has lived in or near Galena, KS, for over 100 years. Main Street of Galena is also the … Continue reading “Our Town”
Music box
You can buy your own cigar-box-style resonator guitar, with part of the body made from a Route 66 license plate. Back Porch Mojo sells it, with prices for cigar-box guitars ranging from $175 to $250, depending on the number of strings. Back Porch specializes in cigar-box guitars, with including parts and kits. Here's a demonstration … Continue reading Music box
Getting a lift from music
Among the many people who hitched a "Lift to the Rocker" fundraiser Saturday at the Fanning 66 Outpost near Cuba, Mo., was the bluegrass musical group The Lonesome Hill Gang. Jane Reed has the details about the group's little performance on the World's Largest Rocker: The family group showed up offering to play, and owners … Continue reading Getting a lift from music
Hello from Sweden
Here is Charlotte Strandberg and a band that that really starts cooking on Bobby Troup's most famous song after the first third or so. Nicely done.
Notes from the road
--- The bad news in Oklahoma is that the state's turnpike authority will raise toll-road prices an average of 16 percent. The good news is that this probably means more traffic on old Route 66 in the Sooner State. --- On Monday we briefly visited with Dawn Welch, owner of the Rock Cafe in Stroud, … Continue reading Notes from the road
Early heartbreaking
Here's an early clip of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performing Bobby Troup's most famous song. This 1977 video predates the band's breakout "Damn the Torpedos" album.
Hello from Austin
Here are the Jazz Pharaohs, doing a Dixieland number on Bobby Troup's most famous song.
“Oklahoma Hills”
Here's the late, great Hank Thompson performing a song that warms the hearts of Okies everywhere.