“Route 66” in the country

Pam Perry sings more of a country-music version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" at the Renfro Valley Barn Dance in Kentucky, which has a long history of its own.

Poolside kicks

This is a band of apparent high-schoolers called Just in Time 2, which according to the YouTube poster is based in Great Britain. The singer misses a cue, and a few sour notes are heard. But the piano player sounds like he's been taking lessons from Johnnie Johnson, and it's hard to resist the sense … Continue reading Poolside kicks

Winslow takes it easy

The Christian Science Monitor tells the story of how the Route 66 town of Winslow, Ariz., has capitalized on The Eagles' song "Take It Easy" and its mention of a certain corner. The Monitor says Winslow didn't start to cash in on the song until 1997. I'm surprised it waited that long, as "Take It … Continue reading Winslow takes it easy

Magazine names best road tunes

The folks at American Road magazine have just published their "Rhythm and Cruise" issue, in which they've listed the "Best American Road Songs" of the past century. Here are the Rules of the Road for the song listings: 1) The song must have been written about an American road, street, or destination. That is, songs … Continue reading Magazine names best road tunes

Okie Twist-off was a hot time

It's safe to say that the first annual Okie Twist-off at the 66 Bowl in Oklahoma City was a success. Reports the Daily Oklahoman: The result was the largest crowd to swell at 66 Bowl since it opened in 1959, owner Jim Haynes said. With 750 individual wristbands sold for the first-time event, Beck said, … Continue reading Okie Twist-off was a hot time

Images from the road

Here's a new slide show of art and photos from Route 66. I don't know what singer or band is doing that jazzy version of "Route 66." If you know who it is, chime in in the comments section.

Retro fest

A few Oklahoma City aficionados of rockabilly and punk music, hot rods and pinups have been going to festivals of such ilk for years. Now they've decided to organize an annual festival of their own -- at the 66 Bowl on Route 66 in OKC, reports the Daily Oklahoman. The Okie Twist-off Kustom Culture Extravaganza … Continue reading Retro fest

“RV” cast gets its kicks

The film "RV" was a critical bomb, but one of its bright spots was that its cast sang Bobby Troup's "Route 66" at the end. Co-star Kristin Chenoweth is from Oklahoma, so she does the yodeling thing pretty well.

“Easy Rider’s” opening credits

Many a road trip on Route 66 has been inspired by the opening credits of the 1969 movie, "Easy Rider," with its sweeping cinematography by Laszlo Kovacs (who died a few days ago) and Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild" pulsing over the soundtrack. Here it is: Longtime roadies will recognize a few Route 66 spots … Continue reading “Easy Rider’s” opening credits