Mention the city of Amarillo, Texas and most Brits will probably make a mental leap back to Red Nose Day 2005 and the sight of Lancashire lad Peter Kay parading through BBC Television Centre in West London, dressed in a rather garish purple suit miming along to the words of Tony Christie’s classic (Is This The Way To) Amarillo.
Reading Tracy L. Barnett’s travel article in the Houston Chronicle it’s obvious that Amarillo, in the Texas Panhandle, should be better known as a destination for fans of the Old West. After her visit to the World Champion Chuck Wagon Roundup - could this take place anywhere else but Texas - she rolls out an amazing list of cowboy-related tourist attractions including:
- the Texas Panhandle Plains Museum
- the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum
- Palo Duro Canyon, site of a major battle of the Red River War
- and the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame (although this is actually further south in Fort Worth)
When I drove this way in 1999 my favourite stopping point had to be Cadillac Ranch, just off I-40. This wonderful outdoor sculpture was constructed in 1974 and features 10 buried Cadillacs dating from 1949 to 1963 that represent the “Golden Age” of American autos. It’s the brainchild of helium millionaire Stanley Marsh 3 and well worth visiting with a can of paint to add your own signature (if only for a week or two).
If you fancy a trip to Texas to take in any of the sights mentioned I’d highly recommend George Miller’s recent book This is the Way to Amarillo: A Musical Odyssey Across the USA. It’s a great read for music fans and travellers alike.
Having started this post with Peter Kay though it seems only right to include the video so you can sing along to the song whilst making plans to visit ‘the real Texas’.
Tony Christie/Peter Kay: (Is This The Way To) Amarillo:
