See Trucker Talent Search’s William Penny perform original song ‘Gettin’

Over-the-road trucker William Penny drives his 2009 Kenworth T660 — “Large Marge” — throughout the lower 48 states. “Howling at the moon after a long day of driving and little interaction is very therapeutic.” He submitted a video of his original “Gettin’” for this year’s Overdrive-Red Eye Radio Trucker Talent Search. “I wrote it about a girl I was engaged to,” he says. “She moved on and married. Now I’m just gettin’ along now that she’s gone.”

As an owner-operator, Summerville, South Carolina-based Penny has some flexibility with his schedule, so he makes an effort to see fellow musicians along his routes. “The guitar goes with me on all my runs and when inspiration strikes, she’s not far away.”

Judges will pick three finalists this month. The Trucker Talent Search culminates in late August with an online broadcast of each finalist performing an additional song to compete for the top prize: a day’s recording session at a Nashville studio. The winner also will be profiled in Overdrive.

The online event will be part of Overdrive’s GATS Week, when major events that had been scheduled for the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas will be held as virtual evening events Aug. 24-28. More details will be announced.