Rock 'N' Roll Highway 67 : Legislator sees road as 'seed' for tourism

A style of rock 'n' roll mixed with rowdy country music that had its heyday along U.S. 67 in northeastern Arkansas 50 years ago is making an encore performance.

[southern chick 27]

what???? is it me or does that make any sense.

[hopinforthebest]

Well what it seems like to me is that the legislators are trying to get more business to the highway 67 area, which was a large part of our musical heritage in the 50s and 60s. It seems like that if businesses themed for that era, along that stretch of highway, might help bring some much needed business to the area.

[hmm]

More business....musical heritage....thats rich....I guess this will be a good bump for King of Clubs....morons

[southern chick 27]

lol thats what i was thinking. thats retarded

[unknowned]

I think this is the most stupist thing I have ever heard. Don't plan on changing my address to rock and roll highway. Why give that club anything. I could care less who what played there. I think it is wrong.

[taxee]

our tax dollars at work. govt has to find a way to spend your money - that's how they justify their existence.

i can't wait til they decide to restore/rebuild the Skylark Drive-In concession stand! lets place signs, info centers, and monuments up and down the hwy. we need to trap them tourists and sell them a soda and milk duds.

anyone know when can we expect a 4lane to dalton for all the tourists to go see the new/old half million dollar restored house?

that new 5 lane hwy62 with 2 sidewalks will be another real winner! we getting a new factory out that way? or is it a Field of dreams thing - build it and they will come?

[blinkdog186]

Actually, Rock n Roll 67 is a great idea to increase tourism and interest in our community. People gripe about wanting Pocahontas to grow, for more jobs to come in, for there to be more things to do in town and so forth. Where do you think the money for all those things comes from? Tourism plays a major role in it. When a business looks for an area to set up a new location in, one of the main things that they look at is why should we set up in this location? What do they have to offer? What is there for our employees to do when they are not at work. If the tourism association just set back and said "I don't care" then Pocahontas would shrivel up because there would be no revenue from tourism to help support the economy. It's more than just being a bump for the King of Clubs, it's about trying to grow and better our portion of the state. Take a little pride in the fact that there are people, myself included, who are willing to donate their time and their efforts to try and improve the conditions here in our area instead of standing back with your arms folded and saying that it's a stupid idea and that the government has something to gain from it. As a matter of fact, the whole concept for Rock n Roll 67 started right here in our little town of Pocahontas because we were proud that we had an artist that recorded on Sun Records back in the late 1950's who was born in our town. It was not only a thought to honor him, but to honor all his fellow musicians that rebelled against the system back in the day, did their own thing, and brought a new style of music around that is still around today, even though it has gone through several changes. I'm proud to say that Billy Lee Riley is a personal friend of mine and that I am also proud that he was born in my community and made something of himself. Had it not been for Sam Phillips decision to push Jerry Lee Lewis instead of Mr. Riley, then he would be as big of a name as Elvis or Cash. I know this for a fact because it was told to me personally. Now, you can get mad at me and flame me all you want to, but I am proud of the hard work that our tourism association has put forth and I stand behind them and support them 100 percent. Take a little pride in your community, geez!

[Guest]

blinkdog186 wrote:

Actually, Rock n Roll 67 is a great idea to increase tourism and interest in our community. People gripe about wanting Pocahontas to grow, for more jobs to come in, for there to be more things to do in town and so forth. Where do you think the money for all those things comes from? Tourism plays a major role in it. When a business looks for an area to set up a new location in, one of the main things that they look at is why should we set up in this location? What do they have to offer? What is there for our employees to do when they are not at work. If the tourism association just set back and said "I don't care" then Pocahontas would shrivel up because there would be no revenue from tourism to help support the economy. It's more than just being a bump for the King of Clubs, it's about trying to grow and better our portion of the state. Take a little pride in the fact that there are people, myself included, who are willing to donate their time and their efforts to try and improve the conditions here in our area instead of standing back with your arms folded and saying that it's a stupid idea and that the government has something to gain from it. As a matter of fact, the whole concept for Rock n Roll 67 started right here in our little town of Pocahontas because we were proud that we had an artist that recorded on Sun Records back in the late 1950's who was born in our town. It was not only a thought to honor him, but to honor all his fellow musicians that rebelled against the system back in the day, did their own thing, and brought a new style of music around that is still around today, even though it has gone through several changes. I'm proud to say that Billy Lee Riley is a personal friend of mine and that I am also proud that he was born in my community and made something of himself. Had it not been for Sam Phillips decision to push Jerry Lee Lewis instead of Mr. Riley, then he would be as big of a name as Elvis or Cash. I know this for a fact because it was told to me personally. Now, you can get mad at me and flame me all you want to, but I am proud of the hard work that our tourism association has put forth and I stand behind them and support them 100 percent. Take a little pride in your community, geez!

I thought Billy Lee Riley was a house painter. Yeah, I've heard that sour grapes story from him before about Sam Phillips and him. If he was as good as Elvis or Johnny Cash then he would have definitely been picked up by another record label for sure. It is hilarious that you would even mention him and Elvis Presley or Johnny Cash in the same sentence!

[southern chick 27]

where is the drive in

[blinkdog186]

Actually, he was a house decorator in the 1970's. He also was picked up by Fernwood, Sun, Rita, Jaro, Dodge, Myrl, Mercury, GNP Crescendo, Crown, Era, and Entrance record labels. Billy Lee is just a man who has had a long run of bad luck. And I did say that and I will say it again that Billy Lee ranks right up there with Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison or any other artist from the Sun golden era.

[unknowned]

I don't even know who these people are..lol of course heard of elvis could care less about him and of course I have heard of cash, but I just don't get it.. sorry.I live here too.

[Important]

blinkdog186 wrote:

Actually, Rock n Roll 67 is a great idea to increase tourism and interest in our community. People gripe about wanting Pocahontas to grow, for more jobs to come in, for there to be more things to do in town and so forth. Where do you think the money for all those things comes from? Tourism plays a major role in it. When a business looks for an area to set up a new location in, one of the main things that they look at is why should we set up in this location? What do they have to offer? What is there for our employees to do when they are not at work. If the tourism association just set back and said "I don't care" then Pocahontas would shrivel up because there would be no revenue from tourism to help support the economy. It's more than just being a bump for the King of Clubs, it's about trying to grow and better our portion of the state. Take a little pride in the fact that there are people, myself included, who are willing to donate their time and their efforts to try and improve the conditions here in our area instead of standing back with your arms folded and saying that it's a stupid idea and that the government has something to gain from it. As a matter of fact, the whole concept for Rock n Roll 67 started right here in our little town of Pocahontas because we were proud that we had an artist that recorded on Sun Records back in the late 1950's who was born in our town. It was not only a thought to honor him, but to honor all his fellow musicians that rebelled against the system back in the day, did their own thing, and brought a new style of music around that is still around today, even though it has gone through several changes. I'm proud to say that Billy Lee Riley is a personal friend of mine and that I am also proud that he was born in my community and made something of himself. Had it not been for Sam Phillips decision to push Jerry Lee Lewis instead of Mr. Riley, then he would be as big of a name as Elvis or Cash. I know this for a fact because it was told to me personally. Now, you can get mad at me and flame me all you want to, but I am proud of the hard work that our tourism association has put forth and I stand behind them and support them 100 percent. Take a little pride in your community, geez!

Stupid idea.....I wish those guys would focus on real issues instead of this kind of crap.

[Guest]

Amen. Tourism is the second largest industry in the state. People don't realize just how much money comes to Arkanas, and Pocahontas, from other states.

blinkdog186 wrote:

Actually, Rock n Roll 67 is a great idea to increase tourism and interest in our community. People gripe about wanting Pocahontas to grow, for more jobs to come in, for there to be more things to do in town and so forth. Where do you think the money for all those things comes from? Tourism plays a major role in it. When a business looks for an area to set up a new location in, one of the main things that they look at is why should we set up in this location? What do they have to offer? What is there for our employees to do when they are not at work. If the tourism association just set back and said "I don't care" then Pocahontas would shrivel up because there would be no revenue from tourism to help support the economy. It's more than just being a bump for the King of Clubs, it's about trying to grow and better our portion of the state. Take a little pride in the fact that there are people, myself included, who are willing to donate their time and their efforts to try and improve the conditions here in our area instead of standing back with your arms folded and saying that it's a stupid idea and that the government has something to gain from it. As a matter of fact, the whole concept for Rock n Roll 67 started right here in our little town of Pocahontas because we were proud that we had an artist that recorded on Sun Records back in the late 1950's who was born in our town. It was not only a thought to honor him, but to honor all his fellow musicians that rebelled against the system back in the day, did their own thing, and brought a new style of music around that is still around today, even though it has gone through several changes. I'm proud to say that Billy Lee Riley is a personal friend of mine and that I am also proud that he was born in my community and made something of himself. Had it not been for Sam Phillips decision to push Jerry Lee Lewis instead of Mr. Riley, then he would be as big of a name as Elvis or Cash. I know this for a fact because it was told to me personally. Now, you can get mad at me and flame me all you want to, but I am proud of the hard work that our tourism association has put forth and I stand behind them and support them 100 percent. Take a little pride in your community, geez!

[Ray]

unknowned wrote:

I don't even know who these people are..lol of course heard of elvis could care less about him and of course I have heard of cash, but I just don't get it.. sorry.I live here too.

This may come as a shock to you but there was a world before heavy metal, rap, and hip hop in music. This area of the Southland produced some great talent, Cash, Elvis, Jerry Lee, Bobby Trammel, Charlie Rich, Jim Dandy, if you never heard of these people it ok, it just means you are younger or you have lived in a cave. History can teach a lot of life lessons, of course most may not be interested, and some chose to stroll through life being dumb as a rock, thats the great thing about America , we still get to chose.

[taxee]

the country is flat broke and trillions in debt -
we're in a recession - unemployment, foreclosures and bankruptcies are rising.
we earn our money, it's ours. i'm tired of govt spending my money at all levels on history, pork projects, monuments, and fancy buildings. it's time to reduce spending. tighten up on the govt spending like the taxpayers are forced to do.

[wondering]

taxee wrote:

the country is flat broke and trillions in debt -
we're in a recession - unemployment, foreclosures and bankruptcies are rising.
we earn our money, it's ours. i'm tired of govt spending my money at all levels on history, pork projects, monuments, and fancy buildings. it's time to reduce spending. tighten up on the govt spending like the taxpayers are forced to do.

What has this to do with Rock'N'Roll Highway 64.

[wondering]

or is it Highway 67???. Don't remember

[taxee]

wondering wrote:

<quoted text>
What has this to do with Rock'N'Roll Highway 64.

"tighten up on the govt spending like the taxpayers are forced to do."

we going to spend a million or 10 million on this project?

[Obamas My Daddy]

blinkdog186 wrote:

Actually, he was a house decorator in the 1970's. He also was picked up by Fernwood, Sun, Rita, Jaro, Dodge, Myrl, Mercury, GNP Crescendo, Crown, Era, and Entrance record labels. Billy Lee is just a man who has had a long run of bad luck. And I did say that and I will say it again that Billy Lee ranks right up there with Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison or any other artist from the Sun golden era.

Actually Billy Lee Riley's string of Bad Luck started a young age. It started with not being able to Sing or play the Guitar.

[Whatsup]

taxee wrote:

<quoted text>"tighten up on the govt spending like the taxpayers are forced to do."
we going to spend a million or 10 million on this project?

Rock and Roll Highway isn't a bad idea. It won't cost that much. If you want to see a real waste of money go out to Dalton and see the old log house on the left being restored. So far it's cost a million dollars and still going. The Star Herald had an article today that said another
$ 500,000.00 had been recieved for an old bar accross the street to be restored. This is a real crock of s#it. This money could have been spent for more important projects.