Category Archives: Texas Music

Red’s Best Truck Driving Songs

For some inexplicable reason, Red was thinking about the 70’s and the heyday of truck driving music.  Red fondly remembers seeing the top truck driving music band of the 70’s (see No. 5) several times at the Armadillo World Headquarters and elsewhere.   Here’s Red’s list of the best truck driving songs around.  Warning, after No. 5 or so, Red is having to stretch a bit.

  1. Willin’ – Little Feat (Linda Rondstadt version is also excellent)
  2. Six Days on the Road – Dave Dudley (Sawyer Brown also hit the charts with this one)
  3. Truck Drivin’ Man – Terry Fell (recorded by countless others)
  4. I’ve Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash version (Hank Snow’s first U.S. version is not bad either but few know that this was originally written by Australian Geoff Mack and referenced Australian towns)
  5. Mama Hated Diesels – Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen (written by Blackie Farrell – Red remembers lead singer Billy C. asking the audience at the Armadillo – “We got any truck drivers here tonight?”)
  6. White Line Fever – Merle Haggard (redefines plaintive)
  7. East Bound and Down – Jerry Reed (better song than the movie)
  8. Truck Driver’s Sweetheart – Kitty Wells (What can he say? Red likes Kitty Wells.)
  9. Drivin’ My Life Away – Eddie Rabbit (you must admit it’s catchy)
  10. Phantom 309 – Red Sovine (pure schmaltz served with sugar, but sung by a guy named Red)

Adele!

Adele is coming to Texas.

  • November 1 – American Airlines Center Dallas, TX
  • November 2 – American Airlines Center Dallas, TX
  • November 4 – Frank Erwin Center Austin, TX
  • November 5 – Frank Erwin Center Austin, TX
  • November 8 – Toyota Center Houston, TX
  • November 9 – Toyota Center Houston, TX

Tickets go on sale this Thursday.

Now Red is not much of a pop music – arena concert fan, but he would go see Adele.

Featured Artist of the Day

Julia Hatfield

Red watched Julia Hatfield for over an hour on Friday performing at Reba’s in Warrenton and was very impressed with her voice and completely surprised by the quality of her original songs.  Not many female singers can get away with singing Folsom Prison, but she pulled it off.  And she loves Dolly!  Watch out for this young lady from Navasota, Red thinks she is going places.

Accordion Kings and Queens Rocks

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One of the best free music performances of the year is almost always the Accordion Kings and Queens show at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Houston.  This year the featured performers were Los Texmaniacs from San Antonio.  These guys are incredible performers and tremendous musicians and go see them if you get the chance.  The show would have been great with just them, but they brought in David Hidalgo and Steve Berlin from Los Lobos to really get things rocking.  If that wasn’t enough, Flaco Jimenez and Augie Meyers of Texas Tornados fame pumped it up another notch.  There is nothing like going from Volver Volver Volver to Hey Baby, Que Paso.   Red has seen some incredible acts at the annual festival, but this year’s lineup was the best yet.

The undercard featured Jerome Baptiste and the ZydeKo Players from Crosby.  Red liked them good enough to buy a CD.