Black Bear Road is an album by country musician C. W. McCall, released on MGM Records in 1975. 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 reached number one on both the Billboard country and pop albums 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 All songs on the original LP release are credited as being written by "C.W. McCall - Bill Fries - Chip Davis". Bill Fries is the real name of C.W. McCall.
"Black Bear Road" – 2:00 "The Silverton" – 2:50 "Lewis and Clark" - 2:23 "Oregon Trail" - 2:54 "Ghost Town" – 3:42 "Convoy" – 3:48 "Long Lonesome Road" – 2:10 "Green River" – 3:10 "Write Me a Song" - 2:20 "Mountains on My Mind" - 3:56
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
Weekly charts Chart (1975–1976) Peakposition Australia Albums (Kent Music Report) 49
Year-end charts Chart (1976) Position US Top Country Albums (Billboard) 2
References
External links NarrowGauge.org album information for Black Bear Road