Category: Music

A Real Trouper Caught in the Webb

Today’s Google Doodle features a famous song that was written by Bobby Troup.

Originally treated as a Jazz tune, “Route 66” was made famous by Nat King Cole, who was an unknown studio musician playing piano before he was known as a singer.

Route 66 was the inspiration for a TV series with Martin Milner and George Maharis.

Milner later got behind the wheel again, as co-star of Webb’s series Adam-12. He had first worked with Webb in the original 1950’s Dragnet TV series.

With Milner in the above picture is Allene Roberts, who passed away a few years ago.

A Sweet Southern Belle

The Rolling Stones turned “Route 66” into a Rock and Roll number.

Bobby Troup also wrote the title tune to the Rock and Roll movie The Girl Can’t Help It, that Little Richard made famous. The movie was directed by Frank Tashlin, who was known as Tish Tash when he was a Warner Brothers cartoon director.

For Troup, Route 66 doubled-back to Jack Webb. Bobby married Jack’s ex-wife, singer and actress Julie London. No hard feelings, Webb hired Bobby and Julie to appear in his Adam-12 follow-up, Emergency! With Troup’s songwriting royalties, I wonder if he really needed the work?

If you look at the link above to my post about Allene, you will see Julie is there as well. And finally, let’s give a nod to Boss Radio 66, which you will always find over in the Links section.

What a crazy Tish Tash mish-mash of a post this is, inspired by a Google Doodle.

I’m A Massachusetts Man

It’s not often that I need cash on hand anymore, but today I probably will at a social gathering. While standing at the ATM in the alcove of my bank, the background music played Cheap Trick’s super cover of Roy Wood’s “California Man.”

This is the original by the Move. Jeff Lynne was in the lineup with Roy, when they were also the creative team behind ELO.

https://youtu.be/Upce8udOVnA