Most people would call Moe Bandy somewhat of a novelty act. He was only popular on the Nashville circuit for a few years, before becoming a truck driver favorite by playing trucking conventions and state fairs later in his years. However, for a short time in the 70s, Bandy had a steady stream of hits that garnered him comparisons to Hank Williams and many admirers. But it was his partnership with Joe Stampley that began putting him in the novelty bins at truck stops and record stores all over America.
Who knows, it may have seemed like a good alternate route back to success to Moe, given that many floundering country acts found their claim to fame again by creating novelty songs, like Convoy helped C.W. McCall regain his chart standings. But like many novelty acts, once the hit loses its luster, the career soon follows.
Ever being the entrepreneur though, Bandy sidestepped obscurity by investing in popular Missouri tourist destination Branson. There he owns and plays in his theater with a nightly country music review for thousands of visitors a year. It’s not exactly the Nashville stadium circuit, but it’s provided Bandy a steady stream of revenue and a modicum of country chart hits through the 80s and on.
This week we’re featuring one of Moe’s earlier popular songs that took the truck driver crowd by storm in 1975. The country was in the middle of a trucking and CB Radio frenzy and Moe capitalized on it with this traditional country arrangement. Enjoy, truck drivers!
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