Bakersfield...Merle...and a truckstop

[Orange Andy]

I dont think todays country stars know a truck from a trailer. But the old schoolers sure did.

Thought you drivers with a hi speed connection would enjoy this clip. Have a listen at about 3:20 mark of the interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv0nPXRfKmo

[GMAN]

When I first started driving, most every driver would listen to country music. I think one reason country was so popular back then is because they told a good story about real life experiences that most could relate.

[Orange Andy]

Gman I know what you mean. Outlaw country music seemed to be the choice of all truckers, it didnt matter what part of the country they came from. It was a soundtrack that fit the trucking life well.

Some of the old dance halls are still there. I remember as a kid, 4 of us going down to Bakersfield doduble-datin' (haulin doubles) to the 'Lucky Spot' on Edison highway east of 99 to dance on a saturday night when Billy Mize played. The bar was filled with truckers and oil drilling roughnecks who worked for Standard Oil (now Chevron USA) But it was all changing by the late 60's.

Vietnam, the Beatles, and network television seemed to alter the national mood and the nation's entertainment tastes. By 1970, if you wanted country music on tv, they turned to Glen Campbell or Johnny Cash, or like us, went down to Bakersfield to see the greats play in those small clubs for a $2.00 bill.




The entertainment industry changed soonafter, and turned-off most of the real good old artists. Guys like Merle Haggard wouldnt go through the crap required to become a star today. Very few of todays stars write their own material, or do their own sound engineering......but ALL the old-timers did. You couldnt perform if you didn't.

Here is one more trucker song that you may like, by some unknown.

"My butt hurts, my back aches ,and my body's tired"..........LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur5JK0T56XM[/url]

In the Clint Eastwood movie "Any Which Way You Can" in the beginning there is a fight scene and all the truckers come from the truck stop in Bakersfield.

[Jackrabbit379]

Merle Haggard's life is quite a story, itself. I've always liked his songs, as well as Buck Owens. I sure loved watching Hee Haw.

I noticed, somewhere, that Porter Waggoner has a new album.

Hey Andy, get some Red Sovine CDs. Red Sovine had some fun trucking songs. Remember him, GMAN?

It seems like the ballads are a thing of the past.

[RostyC]

When I first started driving, most every driver would listen to country music. I think one reason country was so popular back then is because they told a good story about real life experiences that most could relate.

You mean like THIS one.
oh yeah. I need a beer.

[Jackrabbit379]

A lot of Waylon's band members were kinda scroungy lookin, but they were some of the best musicians.

[srytrucker]

off topic..... how do you get a picture linked to the post pls let me know thanks

[RostyC]

off topic..... how do you get a picture linked to the post pls let me know thanks

Next time you reply to a post, look just below and to the left of the text box and you'll see BB code in blue letters, click on that, it'll tell you how to do various things.

[GMAN]

When I first started driving, most every driver would listen to country music. I think one reason country was so popular back then is because they told a good story about real life experiences that most could relate.

You mean like THIS one.
oh yeah. I need a beer.

Yep, RostyC, that was pretty typical of those days. I miss some of the old tunes. Some of the new ones are good, but miss the mark on their emotion and story telling. The older entertainers actually experienced a lot of life and wrote about it. Most of them started in smoked filled honky tonks until they hit it big.

[geomon]

My intro to Merle Haggard was thru the side door....Grateful Dead's rendition of "Mama Tried". Great song tho I can't say it was a smoky honky tonk where I heard that tune back in the late 70's :wink: