Arts and 66 in Oklahoma is a For Profit company dedicated to helping the area of Oklahoma and surrounding areas including Route 66 to benefiting the Arts and music by enriching culture in music concerts, lectures, photography, media and art exhibits and in YouTube programs. It is both Arts and Education focused.
Arts and 66 in Oklahoma and Rising Stars Route 66 Revival got its early start when Michael Anthamatten who had started the Tina Turner Museum and originated the legislation to create the Tina Turner Highway was asked by Cultural Czar Ken Busby to create an organization for Route 66 dedicated to music. Michael decided to meld his parent organization out of Muskogee, Oklahoma, Rising Star Productions (an Oklahoma young talent agency) into a Route 66 platform. Michael brought in James Ruggles as VP and it was decided that Rising Stars Route 66 Revival should be a new flagship. James had experience as President of Tulsa Friends of Chamber Music and as Violinist, had led this organization (from 2000 on) as older and young ensembles as well as (in his younger years) playing fiddle with members of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys!
Michael Anthamatten's young talent (Country, Rock. Blues and other genres) were able to meld with Jame's small groups (Classical, Jazz, Swing and Western Swing and Broadway). The fusion of elements provided for an eclectic interesting stage experience for concert goers.
The experience of Rising Stars Route 66 had already played off the stages of The Route 66 Festival in Clinton Oklahoma in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2018 they had played at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (in Muskogee) a few times, and 2019 various churches in Bartlesville and Claremore. The 2019 season was wrapped with a concert at the beautiful Coleman Theatre in Miami Oklahoma with special guest Brenda Cline and "Queen of Country Fiddle", Jana Jae.
Over time, recordings in top Nashville studios have been made by Rising Stars Route 66 Artists, such as Winnie Cooper, Jana Cox and others. As the future moves forward, new artists are emerging as well as other Recording Studios including both Tulsa (new!) and Nashville.
In 2020 because of Covid-19, James decided to eventually start an eclectic program of Oklahoma Arts/Humanities entitled "The James Ruggles Show". He was advise to call it this in order to be able to have a variety of programming to include both the Fine Arts and Route 66, which of course, goes beyond the confines of Oklahoma. The website was changed to "Artsand66inOklahoma.com" as a For Profit organization and Michael Anthamatten retained Rising Stars (Route 66 Revival) Productions.
