Here's an old jazz version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" you probably haven't heard. It's by pianist Isaac "Snookum" Russell and his All Reet Orchestra. https://youtu.be/u3ADEN8Q5jw Russell's band on the recording features Justin Adams on guitar, Artie "Weasel" Langston on bass, Frank Parker on drums, Wallace Davenport on trumpet and Hollis Carmouche on clarinet. Details on Russell are sketchy, although it's reported he and his band … Continue reading Take a cruise with Snookum
Tag: Bobby Troup
Cow Bop gets its kicks
The western swing and jazz collective Cow Bop recently completed another edition of its Route 66 music tour, this one called the Linear Music Festival. You can follow what they did here with blog posts, audio and a lot of other goodies. But here's a performance of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" at Cars on the … Continue reading Cow Bop gets its kicks
One-man band in Seligman
Mark Di Giuseppe, aka The Straniero, performs Bobby Troup's "Route 66" outside, then inside Historic Seligman Sundries in Seligman, Arizona. https://youtu.be/n8E6pd8184A Di Giuseppe was born in the United States, but now calls Italy home. The performance in Seligman was stripped down to what he usually does. Check out all the instruments he can play at … Continue reading One-man band in Seligman
Tuxedo cruising
Here's Roy Gaines and His Orchestra playing a nice arrangement of Bobby Troup's "Route 66," from Gaines' 2009 album, "Tuxedo Blues." If you like a big horn section, this is for you: https://youtu.be/IbcQhWcBcTY The song may be downloaded for 99 cents here. Gaines has quite a biography. In addition to a long career in music, … Continue reading Tuxedo cruising
New Nat King Cole collection coming June 3
A new collection of Nat King Cole hits, including "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66," along with previously unreleased material, will arrive in stores June 3, according to a news release from Universal Music. The collection, titled "The Extraordinary Nat King Cole," includes the big hits "Mona Lisa," "Unforgettable," and "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66." "Route … Continue reading New Nat King Cole collection coming June 3
More about that Diet Mountain Dew commercial
Longtime readers of this site probably have seen a muddy-looking but still-invigorating Diet Mountain Dew commercial featuring an altered version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" by John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols. A high-quality version of the ad recently was uploaded by the AICP Show, which honors art and technique for those … Continue reading More about that Diet Mountain Dew commercial
Cruising with Asleep at the Wheel
Lord knows we've posted a lot of performances by western swing band Asleep At the Wheel on this site. But this is a well-produced video: The band playing "Route 66" at Billy Bob's Texas, the famous club in Fort Worth. https://youtu.be/OMWLl4KcELI The band always performs Bobby Troup’s “Route 66″ at every show, and bandleader Ray … Continue reading Cruising with Asleep at the Wheel
Hello from Poland
Here's a version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" by Lucky Band, based in Poland. https://youtu.be/46qMJMr5Ya8 It's amazing how this song is literally all over the globe. I need to count the number of countries have posted versions of "Route 66" on YouTube.
Hello from Germany
The Ron Evans Group, a rock and blues group based in Germany, gets people's feet moving with a version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" at a nightclub. https://youtu.be/-C4ogzMnOFk In case you're wondering how an American-sounding name such as Ron Evans ended up in Germany, he is the son of a German mother and an English … Continue reading Hello from Germany
A blues player’s take on “Route 66”
Frank Kocevar of Historic Seligman Sundries passed along this version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" performed by blues musician Paul J. Miles. https://youtu.be/GUrET77DjuA Yes, he messed up one of the lyrics. But, as Kocevar did, I found Miles' enthusiasm infectious.