A country music legend has passed away. William Dale Fries Jr., better known as C. W. McCall, died on Friday at the age of 93. Because he was best known under his “stage name”, I’ll use it to refer to him here.
McCall got his start in advertising, and used his music skills to make a humorous advertisement for a brand of bread. It went viral, and started his music career.
His comic persona of a truck-driving country singer was so successful that he parlayed it into five successful albums in the 1970’s. His hit single “Convoy” attracted the interest of director Sam Peckinpah, who adapted its storyline into a hit film in 1978 under the same title. The song had to be given new lyrics to fit the plot of the movie, and became best known in that second version.
McCall’s first album, “Wolf Creek Pass”, released in 1975, received air time in many countries. As far away as South Africa, I recall hearing the title track that same year, and laughing at it. That country also had its fair share of tricky mountain passes, where trucks and lighter vehicles alike often came to grief, so it found a ready audience there.
Here are a couple of other songs from McCall. The first is about a train, for a change, rather than a truck.
And finally, here’s the short but amusing “Black Bear Road”.
You’ll find more of McCall’s songs on YouTube and elsewhere. His wit and self-deprecating humor will be missed.
Peter
He had some great throw away lines in his songs. I always liked Classified.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wmhOFvMiOM
I'm not which song was overplayed more, Convoy ot Afternoon Delight. Both are iconic of the era.
Interesting that he started off in advertising. I'm now wondering if The Silverton was actually meant to promote the actual Durango and Silverton Train which my parents took a number of years ago.
Beware the Wolf
Met him once during his tenure as mayor of Ouray, nice man. RIP
I can listen to "Classified" a million times and the line "dogs name was Frank" cracks me up every single time.
I lived, for a time, near his hometown of Audubon, Iowa. His song about "Lewis and Clark" still makes me giggle.
The Silverton was meant to be about the actual Silverton train and I want to ride it just because of that song.
Spook should remember the Old Home Bread ads then too….
That ad agency was out of Omaha and run by a guy named Chip Davis…you might not remember him – but his group Mannheim Steamroller might ring a bell…
'Wolf Creek Pass' is funny – but not quite historical…the snow sheds are on the wrong side of the pass in the song…
'Gallopin' Goose' was another nice little 3:00min history lesson…
Will have to check the arrangements and see if I can get to the service
Man I hate getting older and seeing the icons of my youth die.
RIP C.W.
I grew up on his music. Also nice to see the infamous Mavis Davis.
Definitely built like a burlap bag full of bobcats.
Also the two in one sounds delicious.