Who composed the 1946 song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66”?

Bobby Troup composed the 1946 song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.”

Troup wrote the song after traveling west from Pennsylvania to California with his wife, Cynthia. Their journey used U.S. Route 40 before continuing along Route 66, and Cynthia suggested the title that became famous.

The song is a rhythm-and-blues standard whose lyrics name places along the route. Nat King Cole and the King Cole Trio recorded the first version in 1946, helping make the song widely known. Later recordings came from artists including Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones, and Depeche Mode.

The composer and the best-known early performer are often confused. Nat King Cole made the first recording, but Bobby Troup wrote the music and lyrics. The song’s popularity helped connect Route 66 with postwar popular culture as well as automobile travel.