The Teamsters Archive at The George
Washington University uncovers some great surprises—even to people steeped in
the popular culture of the Teamsters Union. For instance, did you know that the
classic song “Six Days on the Road” was written by a Teamster?
Here’s what the archives had to say about
it:
In August 1963 Teamster
magazine received a letter from James A. Watson, Secretary-Treasurer of
Teamsters Local 402, Muscle Shoals, Alabama, asking that the following item be
printed in the magazine: “Brother Earl Green, a member of Chauffeurs and Sales
Drivers Local Union No. 402, is the writer of the song ‘Six Days on the Road’
that is making the charts today.”
Earl Green’s day job was
transporting floor tiles from Alabama to Pittsburgh for Robbin’s Floor Products
of Tuscumbia, Alabama. He also moonlighted as a studio musician at the Muscle
Shoals Sound Studios. Another Muscle Shoals session man, Carl Montgomery,
shares the “Six Days” writing credit with Earl Green. (One source claims that
Carl was also Earl’s long-haul driving partner and that “Six Days on the Road”
is based on their over-the-road experiences.)
Teamster magazine ran Jim Watson’s item in the
September 1963 issue noting that “If the song ‘Six Days on the Road’ which is
currently making the charts has an authentic ring to the over-the-road truck
driver, it should have. It was written by a Teamster...”
Yep, the tune first made famous by Dave
Dudley in 1963 and kicked off a golden age of trucking songs was written by a
Teamster freight driver. A great live version of Dudley performing the song can
be found here.
Another popular version of the
song was performed by the Flying
Burrito Brothers. You can also catch their performance of “Six Days on the
Road” in the 1970 Rolling Stones documentary, “Gimme Shelter.”
Steve Earle released a
cover that was used in the “Planes,
Trains and Automobiles” soundtrack.
The late,
great George Jones
also released his own take of the song.
This video of Johnny Cash
performing the song has a great introduction by the Man in Black.
Taj Mahal recorded the
song in 1969 as only he can. That same year, Country Joe McDonald
recorded a version.
It has been covered by dozens
of other artists and, according to AllMusic.com,
“was a watershed single -- a country smash that
crossed over to the pop Top 40 and inspired the veritable subgenre of trucking
songs that reached full flower in the '70s.”
