4 Country Songs That Perfected the “Truckin’ Life” Narrative (1975-1996)

The truckin’ life never slows down for anyone who drives an 18-wheeler across the great North American landscape. This line of work is such a big deal that an entire subgenre of country music was invented to sing odes to it, best known as truck-driving country music. That unique subgenre came to be in the 1960s but found significant prominence in the 1970s.

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The occasional truck-driving country tune pops up now and again in the 21st century, but for the most part, the genre’s “boom” occurred between the 1970s and 1990s. Let’s take a look at a few truckin’ life songs from that era that sing the praises of truck drivers!

“Convoy” by C. W. McCall (1975)

We just had to start with a classic. “Convoy” by C. W. McCall was released in 1975 and is one of the most notable truck-driving country songs of the 1970s flavor. It was a hefty hit, too, peaking at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and the Hot 100 in the US.

“East Bound And Down” by Jerry Reed (1977)

Another classic from the 1970s, “East Bound And Down” by Jerry Reed has enjoyed quite a bit of pop culture attention over the years. After peaking at No. 2 on the Hot Country Singles chart, this jam was included on the Smokey And The Bandit soundtrack and used in multiple advertisements for Ford trucks.

“Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)” by Alabama (1984)

The beloved band behind “Tennessee River” and “Mountain Music” also put out a great little truck song at one point. “Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)” was released in 1984 and became the band’s 12th straight No. 1 song on the Hot Country Singles chart. It’s quite the narrative-driven tune, too.

“I’ve Been Everywhere” by Johnny Cash (1996)

It’s a good thing Johnny Cash revived his career in the 1990s. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have jams like this legendary cover of Geoff Mack and Hank Snow’s “I’ve Been Everywhere”. Cash’s aged, gravelly voice suits this song beautifully. And it remains one of the most memorable truckin’ life songs out there. The popularity of this 1996 cover was also bolstered by its use in commercials over the years.

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