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Black Bear Road (album)

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Untitled

Black Bear Road is an album by country musician C. W. McCall, released on MGM Records in 1975 (see 1975 in music). It is largely considered the album which gave him the most significant boost of his career, almost entirely due to the hit novelty song, "Convoy", that hit the number one spot on both Billboard's Country charts and its Pop charts. The song itself was largely responsible for starting a nationwide citizens' band radio craze. The song "Black Bear Road" in turn popularized the now-infamous road itself, along with its "You don't HAVE to be crazy to drive this road - but it helps" sign.

Track listing

  1. "Black Bear Road" (Bill Fries*, Chip Davis) – 2:00
  2. "The Silverton" (Fries, Davis) – 2:56
  3. "Lewis and Clark" (Fries, Davis)
  4. "Oregon Trail" (Fries, Davis)
  5. "Ghost Town" (Fries, Davis) – 4:01
  6. "Convoy" (Fries, Davis) – 3:48
  7. "Long Lonesome Road" (Fries, Davis) – 2:10
  8. "Green River" (Fries, Davis) – 3:10
  9. "Write Me a Song" (Fries, Davis)
  10. "Mountains on My Mind" (Fries, Davis)

* "Bill Fries" is C.W. McCall's legal name.

Personnel

  • C. W. McCall - Vocals, Design
  • Sarah Westphalen, Carol Rogers (The Puffys), Dick Solowicz, Milt Bailey, Dick Ronelle, Tom Sinclair - Background Vocals
  • Ron Cooley - Guitar
  • Bobbie Thomas - Guitar, 5-String Banjo, 4-String Banjo, Pedal Steel Guitar
  • Ron Steele - Guitar, 4-String Banjo
  • Steve Hanson - Mandolin, 5-String Banjo
  • Jackson Berkey - Keyboards, Timpani, Percussion
  • Eric Hansen, Jimmy Johnson, Brian Sampson - Bass
  • Chip Davis - Drums, Producer, Arranger
  • Bill Berg, Don Simmons - Drums
  • Gene Badgett - Trumpet
  • Dave Kappy - French Horn
  • Bill Buntain - Bass Trombone
  • Jim Schanilec - Tuba
  • Hugh Brown, Dorothy Brown, Merton Shatzkin, Martin Pearson, Alex Sokol, Joe Landes, Beth McCollum, Miriam Duffelmeyer - Strings

Additional personnel

  • Don Sears - Producer, Engineer, Design, Photography
  • John Boyd - Engineer
  • Sheri Leverich - Art Director
  • Dudycha, Schirck & Assoc., Inc. - Art/Production

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1975 Country Albums 1
1975 Pop Albums 12

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1975 "Black Bear Road" Country Singles 24
1975 "Convoy" Hot 100 Singles 1
1975 "Convoy" Country Singles 1