6 classic trucker songs for summer road trips

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There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned song about trucking to set the mood for your next road trip. Even if you’re stuck behind the wheel of a boring sedan or SUV, these classic tunes about the romance – and brutal reality – of driving a semi-truck across the United States will soon have you sharing in the fun.

More songs for on the go: Neil Young’s best songs about cars and driving

Dave Dudley – “Six Days on the Road” (1963)

Dave Dudley has made his entire career singing country trucker songs in a strong baritone voice, but he’s never topped his first big hit. Accompanied by a strutting beat and a jangly guitar, Dudley delivers this song from the perspective of a tired driver who’s been on the road a little too long. His truck is old and his load is too heavy, but he’s “going to make it home tonight.”

Merle Haggard – “White Line Fever” (1969)

This thoughtful, melancholy song by country legend Merle Haggard highlights the loneliness and boredom of life as a truck driver. “I’ve driven coast to coast a hundred times,” he sings, but “I haven’t found a place I haven’t been.”

Little Feat – “Willin’” (1972)

The band Little Feat recorded this easy-going rock song for their debut album in 1971, and it became a fan favorite when they re-recorded it for their 1972 album. Sailing shoes To be continued. The song’s narrator has traveled all over the Southwest in his truck — “from Tucson to Tucumcari/Tehachapi to Tonopah” — and as long as he’s well-supplied with the right tranquilizers and stimulants, he’s not slowing down anytime soon.

Kathy Mattea – “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses” (1988)

This poignant, feel-good song was a No. 1 country hit for country/bluegrass legend Kathy Mattea. It’s about a truck driver making his final trip and heading home to his wife. After 30 years on the job, he’s more than ready to retire and “spend the rest of his life with the person he loves.”

Jerry Reed – “East Bound and Down” (1977)

A successful trucker movie needs a successful trucker song, and that’s exactly what Jerry Reed delivered. Smokey and the Bandit. The lyrics sum up the plot of the film, and the biting guitar riffs, down-to-earth banjo, and thumping beat make the song an entertaining listen whether or not you watch Burt Reynolds’ bootlegging escapades.

Hank Snow – “I’ve Been Everywhere” (1962)

At a rapid pace, the truck-driving narrator of this song lists the names of all the places he’s visited over the years. His conclusion? “I’ve been everywhere, man.” Fun fact: This song was originally written by Australian country singer Geoff Mack and lists Australian place names. Mack eventually reworked it for the North American market, and this version made Hank Snow a hit. In the 1990s, Johnny Cash released a cover of the song, which you’ve probably heard in numerous TV commercials over the years.

Caleb Cook, a longtime editor/writer and recent Hoosier transplant to Indiana, lives in Xenia, Ohio. His favorite pastimes are reading and listening to music, though he occasionally emerges from the stack of books and records in his basement to stand squinting in the sunlight. After he’s fully acclimated to the outside world again, he can be found hanging out with his wife, trying out a new recipe in the kitchen, going to a movie, walking the dog, or strolling into a local brewery to inquire about the draft beer. More articles by Caleb.