The public will get its first look at a Route 66 display for the Jasper County Courthouse on April 16, reports the Carthage (Mo.) Press. The person in charge of the Route 66 display is Brad Belk, executive director of the nearby Joplin Museum Complex. The cost of the museum is being partially paid for … Continue reading First look of Carthage museum coming up
Hello from the Netherlands
The Magic Strangers is reputedly one of the Netherlands' oldest rock bands, and the group is still playing old-time rock 'n' roll on the festival circuit. Kudos to the piano player during this version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66."
Harley & Annabelle documentary planned
A filmmaker is planning a documentary about the story of Harley & Annabelle Russell, aka the Mediocre Music Makers, of Erick, Okla. Joe Summars of Fluxfaze Creative Enterprises told the Route 66 yahoogroup yesterday: Harley and Annabelle Russell [...] have given me exclusive rights to create a documentary about their personal experiences providing their brand … Continue reading Harley & Annabelle documentary planned
Surf time
This is a band called The Route 66 Killers, based in the Mother Road town of Flagstaff, Ariz. It's doing something a little different and a little difficult musically -- a lot of 1960s-era instrumental surf music -- and by my ears it's doing it well. It sounds like something Quentin Tarantino would have used … Continue reading Surf time
Riding tall
A few days ago, there was a story about the world's largest rocking chair on Route 66. Now there's the world's tallest motorcycle. The inaugural Berdoo Bikes & Blues Rendezvous, an offshoot of the Route 66 Rendezvous in San Bernardino, Calif., will have the "Dream Big" motorcycle at the event on May 2-3, reports the … Continue reading Riding tall
The Mill makes state’s most-endangered list
The Mill on old Route 66 in Lincoln, Ill., was named today to Landmarks Illinois' 10 Most Endangered Historic Places, according to the Lincoln Courier. It's ironic that The Mill makes the list now. It's much less endangered than it was 18 months ago, when the city was about to knock it down because of … Continue reading The Mill makes state’s most-endangered list
Neon highway
Here's a new video that shows many of the current neon icons of Route 66.
Route 66 historian’s book about Pete Seeger reissued
David King Dunaway, a professor at the University of New Mexico, has done a lot of historic research about Route 66 and helped others do the same with his oral history workshops. He also produced the excellent the "Across the Tracks: A Route 66 Story" for radio. We've met Dave at just about every significant … Continue reading Route 66 historian’s book about Pete Seeger reissued
World’s largest rocking chair set up in Missouri
First off, this is not an April Fools' Day joke. Today, a rocking chair that's 46 feet tall was set up on old Route 66 four miles west of Cuba, Mo. It's next to the Fanning U.S. 66 Outpost & General Store in the tiny settlement of Fanning. According to the news release, the big … Continue reading World’s largest rocking chair set up in Missouri
Vince Gill has new song set on Route 66
Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill performed an intimate concert in Oklahoma City on Thursday night, partly as a fundraiser to renovate the auditorium for the city's public schools and partly to receive the 2007 Oklahoman of the Year Award from Oklahoma Today magazine. Here's the interesting item about the show, straight from Gill's … Continue reading Vince Gill has new song set on Route 66