I confess that I left off some pretty special tunes in my first and second recommendations for inspirational road music. I would like to make amends by adding just a few of my latter day favorites as I concluded the 2,400 mile plus journey:

1. “Take it Easy” ‚Äì Eagles. After actually ‚Äústanding on a corner in Winslow, Arizona‚Äù how could I do less than turn the volume up and let Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey, and the Eagles ‚Äúloosen my load‚Äù for a bit.

2. “Vehicle” ‚Äì Ides of March. Great tune from the rock ‚Äòn roll enlightenment. A brass section to die for, a lead singer equaled only by David Clayton Thomas of Blood Sweat and Tears, and Jim Peterik, who later co-wrote “Eye of the Tiger” and sang it with the band Survivor.

3. “Born to be Wild” ‚Äì Steppenwolf. ‚ÄúGet you motor runnin’” – it does just that, every time.

4. “Pretty Woman” ‚Äì Roy Orbison. The simple drum opening is one of the easiest song identifiers ever heard. I can name that song in two beats, maybe one.

5. Almost anything by Elvis

I tried Dave Matthews and John Mayer, but those guys are thinking too much. I tried a lot of new and nearly-new artists and while I like some of them very much (Rob Thomas comes quickly to mind) I doubt their staying power. To each his (or her) own.

Some of you have inquired about how the car did. The answer, in a word, is “great.” When I took off I had 500 miles on the Mustang and by the time I reached Chicago I had 2,500. I changed the oil and prepared for the trip home. Driving at a constant speed going out, I averaged 25.4 miles per gallon. On the 2,460 mile return trip (with more shifting, passing, and grades to address) I was still able to average 23.8 miles per gallon. Overall, after 4,500 miles, I averaged 56 miles per hour and had a flawless driving experience except for one blown speaker that I credit to Elvis during his “thin years.” A small price to pay.

I will post one more report after the Route 66 closing event at the pier in Santa Monica this evening.

Illinois to Missouri

Expanding on the list of musical artists joining me along the ride, I add Sam Cooke, one of the greatest soul singers who ever lived. I listened to his greatest hits album and was taken back several decades by the hit “You Send Me;” then “Wonderful World,” which Peter Noonan and Herman‚Äôs Hermits covered years later; and finally a song that I think The Beau Brummels covered in the 60s called “Bring It on Home to Me.” They are three selections by Sam Cooke for anyone who loves that great era of soul music.

It would be very hard to have a list of top road music selections without including Southern Rock, so I’ll add “Sweet Home Alabama,” and heaven help me, that rock anthem “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skinner to a list of songs that are good to listen to on high volume¬†while ripping along Route 66.

Van Morrison‚Äôs daughter Shana is a 1993 Pepperdine alumna, and I was interested to explore Van Morrison‚Äôs career all the way back to when Van was a lead singer with the group Them. No doubt any garage band in America has played “Gloria” many times. I find today that I enjoy Morrison‚Äôs more mystical or spiritual phase and I would commend to anyone Van Morrison singing “Into the Mystic” and “A Brand New Day.” There‚Äôs a lot of other great Van Morrison tunes but these are especially good.

Another of my musical heroes is a guy named Bill Bell – William Bell – who did an album titled The Soul of the Bell. The first two cuts are “Everybody Loves a Winner,” which I‚Äôve always loved, and “You Don‚Äôt Miss Your Water” – probably his greatest hit. Both were recorded after Bell had a pretty good music career and then went into the Army in the early 60s. He returned from the service and continued his career successfully. If you listen very carefully in those albums you‚Äôll hear Steve Cropper, Doug Dunn, Issac Hayes, and Booker T. Jones. Anyone who enjoys soul music can‚Äôt help but marvel at the collective talent, particularly on the first two selections – “Everybody Loves a Winner” and “You Don‚Äôt Miss Your Water.”

Today‚Äôs selections included influences of country music in the William Bell songs and gospel in the work of everyone‚Äôs favorite, Sam Cooke. I’m sure I’ll move into more rock and roll as the journey continues.

1. “Glad” – Traffic
   Great jazz and rock tune provided by Stevie Winwood and friends. Popular when I was in college. Can’t get over it.
2. “Layla” – Derek and the Dominoes
   Clapton post-Cream and a truly great power ballad of sweeping proportions. Great guitar leads, piano that resets the mood, and rhythms that move me today.
3. “Route 66″ – John Mayer, Bobby Short, or Asleep at the Wheel
   The anthem of the “mother road” and it doesn’t matter which version you prefer. There are a dozen out there.
4. The musical score from the movie Gettysburg
   A great way to start the day. Evocative music emerging from a movie about the American tragedy that scars our history. Beautiful music frames and jagged story from our past.
5. “Fanfare for Common Man” – Aaron Copland
   A great way to end the day. I first heard this performed live in London 21 years ago and I fell in love then. Today it is still one of my favorite pieces from an American composer, just next to John Williams in my list of heroes.
6. “Life Is a Highway” – Rascal Flatts
   Just plain, great music. It’s part of the score from Cars and such fun to sing along with on the road.
7. “America” – Simon and Garfunkel
   I am not so old that I have forgotten what it felt like to be young and searching. This is a wonderful, thoughtful ode to youth and the wonder of wandering toward the future.
8. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Simon and Garfunkel
   Of many songs that I love, this is the one I wish I had written. Simple and beautiful vocally, emotionally, and in its structure.
9. “Sunshine of Your Love” – Cream
   Can’t help it – these three guys (Clapton, Bruce, and Baker) just blew me away when I was young and still do today. This album is filled with great tunes.
10. “Questions 67 and 68″ – Chicago Transit Authority
    I have no idea what the lyrics mean, but the musical arrangement is spectacular. In the 70s there were a lot of bands who followed Chicago Transit Authority (now just Chicago) but few came close. The lead guitarist was Terry Kath back then, and he was as quick and lyrical on the guitar as anyone else. Too bad the excesses of the age got him. What a loss.