Welcome to another episode of our popular series Truck Driver Songs. This series features a collection of videos that play hits from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and on. The only thing that makes them similar is that they all sing the praises of the American truck driver and all the hard work they do for us.
This week, the track we’re featuring is a true trucker favorite by Alabama from the smash hit album of the same name “Roll On.” It was released in 1984 and netted the group an American Country Music Award for Album Of the Year.
The band is often credited with bringing country music groups (as opposed to solo vocalists) into the mainstream, paving the way for the success of today’s top country groups. The band has over 30 number one country records on the Billboard Magazine charts to their credit and have sold over 73 million records to date.
Buy the music of Alabama on CD and mp3 at Amazon.
They haven’t let this massive windfall of success go to their heads, however. The band has always made an effort to reach out to disadvantaged people and men and women of the armed forces who have been injured in combat.
From 1982 until 1997, Alabama held an annual “Alabama June Jam” in Fort Payne, Alabama. Proceeds from these events were distributed to various charities and school organizations and have also been used to set up an escrow account which continues to distribute money to worthy causes. Each of the band members is also active in fundraising for a charity of his choice, and several of them have set up their own charitable foundations.
In honor of their good works, the group has been the recipient of the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, Country Radio Broadcasters’ Humanitarian Award, and the Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award. They were also the inaugural recipients of the “Spirit of Alabama” medal awarded by Governor Bob Riley.
So let’s all take a listen to one of the long-running favorites of truck drivers rolling through the night. Enjoy, truckers!
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