Today, I got a comment from a reader that stopped me in my tracks.

Dennis chimed in with a post about Del Reeves‘ million-selling 1965 hit, “Girl on the Billboard”:

I lived in Edwardsville Illinois and remember that billboard on a curve about where Esic housing entrance is right now. They call that road 157 now instead of 66. Anyway I use to have a picture of that girl but it got lost when I entered the U.S. Marines in 1963.

Alas, Dennis didn’t leave his e-mail or any other information. But the detail about Route 66 in Edwardsville later becoming Illinois Highway 157 is dead-on accurate. And that stretch of road does have a couple of curves that would be ideal for placing a billboard. And “Girl on the Billboard’s” lyrics does mention that the billboard in question is on Route 66 between Chicago and St. Louis.

Please, get back to me, Dennis!

According to AllMusic.com, “Girl on the Billboard” was written by Walter Haynes and Harry Mills. I’ve be unable to uncover any more information about the song or its inspiration.

I always assumed that “Girl on the Billboard” was from the songwriters’ imagination. But Dennis’ comment is tantalizing. Does his recollection jog any other memories out there about such a billboard near Edwardsville, Ill.? What product was being advertised? And was the image of that “girl wearing nothin’ but a smile and a towel” as alluring as the song describes?

Comments and memories are welcome.

UPDATE: I spoke on the phone to Cindy Haynes, wife of “Girl on the Billboard” co-writer Walter Haynes. She explained that Walter was inspired to write it when he became stuck in traffic in Nashville and saw a pretty girl in a swimsuit on a Coca-Cola billboard. He wrote much of “Girl on the Billboard” in the dust that had collected on his car’s dashboard before he got it down on paper.

Later, in a follow-up e-mail, Walter Haynes told me this about the song’s evolution:

… Hank Mills put in a few lines, the one about Route 66 and two or three more. I wrote it in 1965 and I had Del do the demo and he put in the ‘Doo Doo Doo.’ That one kinda got Del Reeves up and running. Of course a million seller will do that for you. Wish I could write one every year.

So the inspiration for the song apparently didn’t come from a Route 66 billboard near Edwardsville after all. But, based on Haynes’ story, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Coca-Cola billboard image was this one from the 1950s.