Bill Mack, a songwriter who helped launch LeAnn Rimes' career and a radio deejay whose overnight show proved popular with long-haul truckers, died July 31 of COVID-19 complications. He was 88. Mack, whose real surname was Smith, remains the most famous native of the Route 66 town of Shamrock, Texas. The town even has an … Continue reading Bill Mack, R.I.P.
Category: Radio
Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 holding first induction March 29
The fledgling Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 in Joliet, Illinois, will hold its first induction class on March 29 at the Renaissance Center Ballroom in Joliet. If you want to vote on who goes into the Hall of Fame this year, you'll have to become a charter member by enrolling here for … Continue reading Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 holding first induction March 29
Paleontologist collects trash from old Route 66 at Petrified Forest National Park
Old bottles of 76 and Kist soda and a Crescent Creamery bottle found along old Route 66 in the Petrified Forest National Park. (NPS) KJZZ-FM radio, a public station based in Phoenix, recently conducted a fascinating interview with a paleontologist at the Petrified Forest National Park in eastern Arizona. William Parker, the paleontologist, collects trash … Continue reading Paleontologist collects trash from old Route 66 at Petrified Forest National Park
Enjoy the ruins of Two Guns, Arizona, while you can
Recently, KJZZ radio featured the long-abandoned Two Guns site -- best known for its stone structure inscribed with the words "Mountain Lions" near the entrance -- for its "Untold Arizona" series. You can hear the 4 1/2-minute segment below, or so to the station's website to see pictures of Two Guns, including an image of … Continue reading Enjoy the ruins of Two Guns, Arizona, while you can
Stories on Preserve Route 66 trip drew potential audience of 1.1 billion
The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership a few days ago issued its third-quarter report. Among the interesting nuggets is the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Preserve Route 66 road trip generated more than 1,000 news stories and drew a potential audience of 1.15 billion. Here are the tidbits from the report: --- The National Trust's … Continue reading Stories on Preserve Route 66 trip drew potential audience of 1.1 billion
Artist’s rendering unveiled for OKPOP museum in Tulsa
The Oklahoma Historical Society earlier this week unveiled an artist's rendering for the upcoming Oklahoma Museum of Pop Culture, aka OKPOP, in Tulsa, slated for a groundbreaking this fall. According to a news release: Nabholz Construction will construct OKPOP at 422 North Main Street in Tulsa, across the street from the Cain’s Ballroom, home of … Continue reading Artist’s rendering unveiled for OKPOP museum in Tulsa
Belgium TV, radio crew traveling Route 66 this summer
A television and radio crew from the Belgium-based VRT radio and television network will be traveling Route 66 later this summer. Producer Guy De Pre and singer Gunther Neefs will arrive in Chicago on July 30 and finish their journey Aug. 20 in Santa Monica, California, as part of “Roots 66. Music from Chicago to … Continue reading Belgium TV, radio crew traveling Route 66 this summer
Route 66 featured on NPR’s “Weekend Edition Saturday”
National Public Radio's "Weekend Edition Saturday" program spent about four minutes on Route 66 and the uncertain fate of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, which expires in 2019. The segment by NPR affiliate KNAU focuses on Holbrook, Arizona, which features Joe and Aggie's Cafe and the Wigwam Motel, both along the Mother Road. The … Continue reading Route 66 featured on NPR’s “Weekend Edition Saturday”
A radio interview with George Maharis
George Maharis, co-star of CBS-TV's "Route 66" drama of the early 1960s, was interviewed for 21 minutes a few days ago on "The Vintage Rock and Pop Shop" on WFDU radio in New Jersey. Maharis now is 85 years old. https://youtu.be/tJCRqOR4-VM In 2007, I interviewed Maharis for about a half-hour before "Route 66" episodes finally trickled … Continue reading A radio interview with George Maharis
Religious imagery and “The Grapes of Wrath”
Frank Gifford of rt66pix.com recently was interviewed by Susan Olasky of WORLD radio, which is part of a Christianity-based multimedia group. Gifford explained how he found Christian imagery in John Steinbeck's seminal novel, "The Grapes of Wrath," much of which takes place on Route 66 during the Depression: WORLD radio also linked to this University … Continue reading Religious imagery and “The Grapes of Wrath”