Bobby Troup - The Distinctive Style Of Bobby Troup (1955/1986)

Robert Wesley Troup Jr. (October 18, 1918 – February 7, 1999), known as Bobby Troup, was an American actor, jazz pianist, singer and songwriter. He is best known for writing the popular standard "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66", and for his role as Dr. Joe Early, opposite his real-life wife Julie London's character, in the 1970s US TV series, Emergency!

Troup was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He graduated from The Hill School, a preparatory school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, in 1937. He went on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics. He was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ) fraternity and the Mask and Wig Club.

His earliest musical success came with the song "Daddy", written for a Mask and Wig production, which was a regional hit in 1941. Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra recorded "Daddy", which was number one for 8 weeks on the Billboard Best Seller chart and the number five record of 1941; other artists also recorded it in 1941, including Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, The Andrews Sisters, Bing Crosby and Kay Kyser. "Daddy" can be heard in the 1941 film Two Latins from Manhattan. In the same year, Troup's song "Snootie Little Cutie" was recorded by Frank Sinatra and Connie Haines with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and the Pied Pipers.

Upon graduating from college in 1941 he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, but did not receive orders until January 1942. After completing officer training, he was assigned as one of two dozen white officers to direct recruit training at Montford Point, recruit depot for the first Black Marines.

By spring of 1943 he became recreation officer, in which capacity he was able to spearhead improvements to the facilities at Montford, including building a recreation hall, basketball court, and outdoor boxing ring. He was able to get a friend to install a miniature golf course. At Montford Point, he also organized the first African-American band of U.S.Marines.

During this time he composed "Take Me Away From Jacksonville", which was to become an anthem of sorts for the Marines at Montford Point, even extending to other areas of Camp Lejeune. By numerous accounts Troup was the most popular officer among the Montford recruits. In October 1944 he was promoted to Captain, given command of a depot company, and eventually deployed to Saipan where he served to the end of the war.

Troup's first marriage was to Cynthia Hare. They were married in May 1942 and had two daughters, Cynnie Troup (born 1943) and Ronne Troup (born 1945), both of whom had careers in the entertainment industry. The marriage ended in divorce in 1955.

In 1946, Nat King Cole had a hit with Troup's best known song "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66". It became a popular standard recorded by many artists, including Chuck Berry (1961) and The Rolling Stones (1964). In 1987, Depeche Mode combined the tune with their own composition, "Behind the Wheel", released it as the B-side of "Behind the Wheel" and it became a radio hit on KROQ 106.7 FM in Los Angeles. In 2006, "Route 66" was featured in the animated movie Cars, and the movie RV with Robin Williams.

Troup met his second wife, torch singer/actress Julie London, at the Celebrity Room, where he was singing. Troup encouraged London to pursue her singing career, and in 1955 he produced her million selling hit record "Cry Me a River". London, previously married to actor Jack Webb (1947 to 1953), married Troup in 1959. They remained married until Troup's death in 1999. They had one daughter, Kelly Troup, who died in 2002, and twin sons, Jody and Reese Troup. Jody Troup died in 2010.

Troup's own recordings in the 1950s and 1960s were not commercially successful. He made recordings for Liberty Records and Capitol Records, many with musicians from the West Coast jazz scene. He wrote the title song (sung by Little Richard) in the classic 1950s rock and roll movie The Girl Can't Help It. An instrumental rendition of his song "The Meaning of the Blues" appeared on the Miles Davis album, Miles Ahead. Troup's hipster interpretation of the fairy tale "The Three Bears" is often erroneously credited to "anonymous" and re-titled "Three Bears Rap", "Three Bears with a Beat", etc.

This song was first recorded by the Page Cavanaugh Trio and later by Western Swing bandleader Leon McAuliffe. Around 1969 Troup collaborated with entertainer Tommy Leonetti, penning the lyrics for Leonetti's song "My City of Sydney". Leonetti's original recording was used for many years in the close-down sequence for TV station ATN-7 in Sydney, and was also covered by Sydney punk band XL Capris.

Bobby Troup - p, vo
Howard Roberts - g
Bob Enevoldsen - b
Don Heath - d

Rec.: Hollywood, CA, August 1955.

Track List:
01. Mountain Greenery (2:19)
02. I Still Suits Me (2:33)
03. Little Girl Blue (4:03)
04. Manhattan (2:45)
05. You Are Too Beautiful (3:16)
06. They Can't Take That Away From Me (3:06)
07. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (2:42)
08. Gypsy In My Soul (2:44)
09. The Boy Next Door (3:34)
10. Love Is Here To Stay (2:28)
11. Have You Met Miss Jones (2:31)
12. The Lady Is A Tramp (3:45)



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