SANTA MONICA TRAVEL & TOURISM AND BROADSTAGE ANNOUNCE ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL SONG CONTEST WINNER
Route 66 Centennial Celebration Featured a Performance by Song Contest
Winner Bart Blackburn
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (November 5, 2026) — Santa Monica Travel & Tourism (SMTT), world-class performing arts venue BroadStage and an esteemed panel of judges are proud to announce Bart Blackburn as the winner of the Route 66 Centennial Song Contest.
The beachside community celebrated with a special centennial event at BroadStage on Thursday, November 5 presenting Bart Blackburn with the $10,000 grand prize, recognizing his induction into a longstanding musical legacy of nostalgic tunes and enduring popular songs with ties to Route 66. Attendees enjoyed a special listening experience of the winning song, “I Know the Way.”
Bart’s original song, produced by Nate Morgan, expresses Route 66 as a road where explorers will find new opportunities, beautiful sights and communities they can call home. With an uplifting melody and anthemic lyrics, the song inspires listeners to hit the road and experience all that awaits along Route 66.
“Much like a journey down Route 66 that ends in Santa Monica, the making of this song was an adventure into new territory that ended in a beautiful place. I hope you enjoy it,” said Bart Blackburn, the contest winner.
As part of the Mother Road’s year of centennial celebrations, this creative competition invited global songwriters and musicians over the age of 18 to submit an original song capturing the spirit of Santa Monica and its ties to the historic road. Route 66’s impact on pop culture is largely in part to world-famous musical works inspiring a nostalgic outlook on the Americana road trip experience.
“Santa Monica is proud to stand as the western terminus of Route 66, welcoming travelers from around the globe to experience new discoveries and unforgettable memories on the Mother Road,” said Misti Kerns, President/CEO of Santa Monica Travel & Tourism.
“We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate Bart Blackburn’s moving piece about the highway that’s part of our beloved community. Serendipitously a Santa Monica local, Bart beautifully expresses Route 66 as a path that will always guide him home. We cannot wait for the world to hear ‘I Know the Way’ inspiring all to plan a visit and experience the beauty of Route 66.”
Entries were evaluated based on adherence to the theme, creativity and musical proficiency, with Bart Blackburn thoughtfully selected as the winner of the $10,000 prize by an expert lineup of judges including:
- Rob Bailis – Artistic and Executive Director at BroadStage
- Perla Batalla – Artist
- Caroline Beteta – President of Brand USA
- Alejandro Cohen – Director of Music Content at KCRW
- Karen Kennedy – Founder/President of 24/Seven Artist Development
- Misti Kerns – President/CEO of Santa Monica Travel & Tourism
- Robert Kraft – Producer and Former President of Fox Music
- Alycia Mack – Owner/Western US & Canada Agent at International Music Network
- Caroline Torosis – Mayor of the City of Santa Monica
A livestream of the event is available for viewing on YouTube. To learn more about the Route 66 centennial, visit santamonica.com/route66.
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About Santa Monica Travel & Tourism
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism (SMTT) is a non-profit organization designed to increase visitor expenditures, tourism revenues and local employment opportunities through the promotion of Santa Monica as a travel destination. For more information visit santamonica.com, email [email protected], or follow SMTT on Instagram (@SeeSantaMonica), X (@GoSantaMonica) or Facebook (@VisitSantaMonica).
Media Contact
Lauren Salisbury
Vice President of Communications
