I turned 66 on Thursday, October 17th, so on Friday I headed out to Cuba, MO for CubaFest! Last year there was a great presence of Route 66 notables, booths and of course the Missouri Route 66 Association. I was expecting to see all my fellow roadies and celebrate Route 66 along with the Mural City. However, after driving 427 miles I was disappointed to find no Route 66 presence at all. The Missouri Association I was looking forward to helping run their booth and collecting a few more members for them, were not there. No roadies, no fanfare whatsoever!

All was not wasted though, I got to spend two nights at The Wagon Wheel Motel! For me, there's nothing like catching a glimpse of America's past by sleeping in an authentic 66 motel! No ghosts like the ones described by Joyce (she helps Connie out at the motel). Joyce said sometimes the doors at the office will open and close all by themselves or stuff falls of the shelves at various times. I didn't find this spooky at all but rather intriguing when thinking about all the travelers who had visited the motel over the past 70 or so years. What a blast it was just to have been staying in this amazingly refurbished, historic place! 

Connie was gracious, sweet and welcoming in her historic spot on 66. She was replacing some floor tiles in one of her rooms while I was there inspite of her injured foot. You can't keep a good woman down. 

I did run into one roadie friend, Dean Kennedy on Saturday  morning and managed to invite myself to lunch with him, his girl Vicky and friends Mike and Janine. We had a good visit and got in some 66 talk in as well.

My sister Leah lives about 60 miles from there, so she came in on Saturday afternoon and we visited the rest of that evening. She's the best sister ever! I'm glad we got to hang out and have some brother/sister alone time!

On Sunday I traveled out west another 80 miles to visit Scot at Mr.C's RoutePost in Lebanon, MO. Had a wonderful visit with him and drove down 66 to The Munger Moss Motel for a visit with Ramona. 

Headed back to towards Saint Louis from there to wrap up my weekend with my son Jaime and his little family in Fenton. He and Kiley just celebrated their 11th anniversary. They have two beautiful daughters Lyla and Mya! Got to play with the grand-babies, Kiley prepared a nice dinner, baked me a pumpkin pie for my birthday and it was a wonderful visit!

Had a great meeting with a talent agent in Saint Louis on that Monday morning where I will be teaching voice over classes beginning in February. Had lunch with Jaime and then hit the road back to Nashville.

It's always good to go, but it's always good to get home! Lori was waiting for me at the door with Sofie, so now the pack is back together and I'm ready for the next adventure! Maybe next time Lori can go too!

The Road Crew - America's Route 66 Band!  Having been selected as the opening act for the International Route 66 Festival in Joplin, MO 2013 is a big deal to us! To be a part of America's past, celebrating The Mother Road the best way we know how, is a sincere blessing.

We look forward to playing our tri-state tour August 2nd, 3rd and 4th. You'll find us in Galena, KS on Firday evening from 6 to 8:30pm. On the Joplin main street stage Saturday 7 to 9:30pm and we'll wind up with a special concert at Afton Station in Afton, OK Sunday afternoon at 1pm! If you ask us, it just doesn't get any better than this!

The Road Crew is America's Route 66 Band! This was determined by the first time ever Bobby Troup award presented to the band by the International Route 66 Association in Amarillo, TX 2011. The Road Crew was claimed the musical ambassadors to The Mother Road! We thank all our roadie friends, associations and the peole who help keep the road alive every day of each year for your support and encouragement. We can't wait to play our new song for you! "Boppin' in Joplin!"

The Road Crew are active members of the Missouri Route 66 Association. We're looking forward to exploring some out of the way alignments during this trip.

Come see us in Joplin! - http://route66internationalfestival.com/

Springfield Missouri...what can we say? Great place, great people, great history! We had a blast headlining in this historic town square. We played our Songs From The Mother Road on The Mother Road itself, and what a privilege it was! The Road Crew 'America's Route 66 Band' thanks Springfield for a great experience! 

The Road Crew received the Bobby Troup Recognition of Artistic Achievement Award from the International Route 66 Association in June 2011 in Amarillo Texas. We can’t tell you how much this special award at that special moment meant to us. What an honor it was to be recognized by our Route 66 family as the official musical ambassadors to The Mother Road!

We love to promote America’s Main Street every chance we get! The band started gaining recognition for our efforts to promote Route 66 in 2003. Our CD “Songs From The Mother Road” tells the stories of The Mother Road and is available on CDbaby.com, iTunes, through Route 66 Magazine and on CD in the gift shops and museums all across Route 66. The romance for 66 was passed along from me to the rest of the band. And now, we are all true roadies in every since of the word.

My passion for Route 66 began when I was just a kid. In 1955 dad drove us across 66 from St. Louis to LA to attend the grand opening of Disneyland. That’s my earliest recollection of 66 and I have tell you the adventure of The Mother Road was every bit as exhilarating as that day at the (supposedly) happiest place on earth! I was as thrilled with The Meramec Caverns, The Buffalo Ranch, Frontier City and The Jack Rabbit Trading Post as any of those glitzy California attractions.

Living along Route 66 in Missouri and later in California, there wasn’t a day gone by that it was not seen or at least talked about. I learned to drive on 66! My buddies and I rode our motorcycles on 66! The Foothill Drive-In in Azusa was a weekend hangout and later a great place for dates!

Yes sir, Route 66 is a part of me, my very soul, and now my band, who dedicates a lot of its time to getting the message out to other generations to discover and hold on to this precious commodity. Preserve it…treasure it. Travel The Mother Road! Experience her heyday through the restored diners, drive-ins, gas stations, tourist courts and museums. Hold on to her past, learn from her and you just may see a better America in your future!

The Road Crew will be headlining the ‘Birthplace of Route 66 Festival’ in Springfield Missouri, August 11th, 2012. Then look for the band at CubaFest in Cuba Missouri on October 20th, 2012. Come meet The Road Crew and feel the heartbeat of Route 66 through our “Songs From The Mother Road” and our Rockabilly Beat!