On the heels of trucker/singer-songwriter Tony Justice’s big show Friday night at the Great American Trucking Show, likewise stellar performances by this year’s three finalists in the Overdrive/Red Eye Radio Trucker Talent Search, Saturday brought this round of performances from those three plus two more.
Truckers Bill Weaver and Paul Marhoefer, both past participants in the TTS competition, spent Thursday and Friday night out at the hospitality area at Dallas’ Fair Park with a couple open-mic rounds. Saturday, they joined Trucker Talent Search winner Jason Lee Wilson and fellow finalists Keith Snyder and Will Perry for this hour-long show at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center featuring brief performances from each among the diverse group.
It’s clear a great time was had by all. Catch each of the performances via the playlist above or in succession via the podcast player below. More great “Music to Truck By,” without a doubt.
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Following find links to more about each of the songwriters featured:
Knoxville, Tenn.-area-based Jason Lee Wilson delivered a live rendition of his own “Truck Stop Betty,” about proprietor Betty Thomas of the former Monteagle Truck Plaza at the top of mountain in Wilson’s hometown, the day prior to the all-stars show during the Overdrive/Red Eye Radio Trucker Talent Search competition, which he won. Also played here is his “From Lynchburg to Nashville” original, included on his 2010 “Big Gun” record, available via this link.
Bill Weaver’s “Every Mile I Drive” record turned heads in early 2016 for its strong Southern-rock flavor backing an honest approach to songwriting that tracks heavily in themes of the hazmat-hauling driver’s day-to-day on the road. At the all-stars show, Weaver delivered renditions of some of those songs and dedicates the Leon Everette-recorded “Hurricane” to flood-stricken residents of Louisiana.
Keith Snyder’s performance built on his prior-day run through his original “Walkin’ the Alligators” in the Trucker Talent Search competition. Read more about the Minn.-based reefer-hauling independent owner-operator and songwriter via this link to the Eric Harley’s Red Eye Radio interview with him.
Paul Marhoefer’s performance came on the heels of release of his “Old Black Epiphone” record. Read more about the album and part of its recording at Muscle Shoals Music with Alabama session players via this report and podcast from this past Spring.
Will Perry’s “Coast to Coast” was the first trucking-related song the Wayne Transportation driver ever wrote, and here he well delivers it. Blessed with a dynamic tenor voice honed over many years, Perry’s got a record under his belt and, as of this performance, was at work on another. Find more about him via his website.
