I thought the dozens of bottle trees erected by Elmer Long along Route 66 in Oro Grande, Calif., were a one-of-a-kind. But apparently not, according to an article by Virginia Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer: Bottle trees are a long-standing Southern thing, embedded in the life tapestries of African Americans, especially in the Mississippi Delta. … Continue reading A history of bottle trees
Hello from Oregon
The Mixers Band, based in Oregon, says its sound is a bit hard to define, although I hear jazz, blues and soul. This arrangement of "Route 66" owes a bit to the arrangement of the Brian Setzer Orchestra's version. But The Mixer Band's piano player is pretty special. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPIE2E2zsDg
New stage production: “Tucumcari”
In the LA Weekly newspaper, I found this little item in the stage listings: TUCUMCARI Riley Steiner's story of "love, choices, tough times, and Western music on Route 66.". Theatre 40 at the Reuben Cordova Theater, 241 Moreno Dr., Beverly Hills; opens Feb. 2; Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; thru Feb. 27. (310) 364-0535. … Continue reading New stage production: “Tucumcari”
Help paint Bob Waldmire’s mural
The city of Pontiac, Ill., will be dedicating the Red Carpet Corridor Festival in May to the memory of prominent Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire. Festivities will include the public being invited to help paint a mural that Waldmire designed before his death from abdominal cancer in December 2009. The festival is set for May … Continue reading Help paint Bob Waldmire’s mural
Bad news, good news at Bird Creek Bridge hearing
Those attending a public hearing Thursday night at the Catoosa Community Center in Catoosa, Okla., heard bad news and good news regarding the historic but decrepit Bird Creek Bridge that carried Route 66. The bad news is the westbound 1936 bridge will be gone in a matter of months and replaced by a nondescript $5.4 million … Continue reading Bad news, good news at Bird Creek Bridge hearing
Hello from Bali
This is Bob N Friends, performing Bobby Troup's best-known song at a studio in the Indonesian island of Bali. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWaHsINVOJE
Indie filmmakers claim they put piano in Miami bay
In the past few days, national media outlets have latched on to the story of a grand piano that mysteriously appeared on a sandbar in the middle of Miami's Biscayne Bay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OmLGN-SiUs It appears independent filmmakers Billy and Anais Yeager, who spent time on Route 66 in Two Guns, Ariz., shooting footage for their upcoming film … Continue reading Indie filmmakers claim they put piano in Miami bay
Swing time
Here's a swinging version of "Route 66" by 83-year-old pianist Eddie Tigner. Tigner is an artist with the Music Maker Relief Foundation, which "helps the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition and meet their day to day needs." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1CLvc0vR4Y
Historic Santa Rosa theater has closed
The historic Pecos Theater in downtown Santa Rosa, N.M., closed for the winter in October and won't reopen, it was reported in the current print edition of the Guadalupe County Communicator. After a screening of "Lending of the Guardians," owner Rudy "Spider" Sanchez on Oct. 9 closed the doors of the theater, which has been … Continue reading Historic Santa Rosa theater has closed
Eagle Hotel in Wilmington put up for sale
The historic Eagle Hotel along Route 66 in Wilmington, Ill., has been put up for sale, according to a story in the Chicago Sun-Times. The item was tucked into a story about the Launching Pad Drive-In restaurant in Wilmington also being put up for sale, which Route 66 News reported a few weeks ago. The … Continue reading Eagle Hotel in Wilmington put up for sale