Shame on Zero to 180 for not celebrating Red Simpson‘s musical legacy as a pioneer of the “Bakersfield Sound” until now – after his spirit has already left this mortal plane.
I’m afraid Simpson’s passing might have gotten overlooked in all the media attention given to the unexpected loss of David Bowie. In a playful nod to both artists, Zero to 180 thought it would be fun to feature Simpson’s last charting hit, “The Flying Saucer Man and the Truck Driver” (#99) from 1979:
“The Flying Saucer Man and the Truck Driver”
Red Simpson (1979)
“The Flying Saucer Man and the Truck Driver” would first be released in 1976 on Vancouver label, Portland Records, and then again three years later to much greater commercial acclaim on Nashville-based K.E.Y. Records.
1976 release
1979 re-boot
I just saw the trailer for the 2014 documentary, Billy Mize and the Bakersfield Sound, and one key point really hit home: 1960s Nashville-based country was primarily “sit down” music, while the principal aim of the ‘Bakersfield Sound’ was about getting folks to dance. Red Simpson is one of the principal architects of the Bakersfield Sound – although he does not always get proper recognition in this regard.
Worth noting that (1) Red’s professional songwriting career goes back to the Korean War era, and (2) Simpson did not actually write his biggest hit “I’m a Truck” but did, in fact, write tons of even better tunes — see special Red Simpson feature below.
1966 Capitol debut
1966 follow-up LP
Red Simpson tributes from Rolling Stone, CMT, Billboard & The Bakersfield Californian. Red Simpson’s own website is also a great source for chart and songwriting info.
Red Simpson –
Songwriter
- Wilf Carter (Montana Slim) “Goodbye Maria (I’m Off to Korea)” 1952
- Glen Ayers Featuring Red Simpson & the Keynotes “Sweet Love” 1957
- Gary Dean “Old Standby” 1962
- Lavinia Lee “Last Night in Town” 1962
- Buck Owens “King of Fools” 1962
- Red Simpson “Big Bank Robbery (pts. 1 & 2)” 1962
- Red Simpson “Dippy Daddle Love” 1963
- Merle Haggard “You Don’t Have Far to Go” 1964
- Bobby Durham “Queen of Snob Hill” 1964
- Ferlin Husky “I’m Not Me Without You Anymore” 1965
- Don Bowman “Dear Harlan Howard” 1965
- Buck Owens & the Buckaroos “Blue Christmas Lights” 1965
- Buck Owens & the Buckaroos “Santa’s Gonna Come in a Stagecoach” 1965
- Buck Owens & the Buckaroos “Cadillac Lane” 1966
- Red Simpson “Johnny Law” 1966
- Red Simpson “Rules of the Road” 1966
- Red Simpson “Happy Go Lucky Truck Driver” 1966
- Red Simpson “Runaway Truck” 1966
- Dick Curless & Kay Adams “A Devil Like Me Needs an Angel Like You” 1966
- Kay Adams “Trapped” 1967
- Buck Owens & the Buckaroos “Sam’s Place” 1967
- Red Simpson “I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Cadillac” 1967
- Red Simpson “Mini-Skirt Minnie” 1967
- Red Simpson “Truck Drivin’ Fool” 1967
- Wynn Stewart “Yours Forever” 1969
- Buck Owens & the Buckaroos “The Kansas City Song” 1970
- Johnnie Allan “Somewhere on Skid Row” 1971
- Dave Dudley “Bullshippers” 1972
- Maria Dallas “We Split the Blanket” 1972
- Stoney Edwards “I Bought the Shoes That Walked Out on Me” 1972
- Merle Haggard “Bill Woods from Bakersfield” 1972
- Red Simpson “Country Western Truck Driving Singer” 1972
- Red Simpson “Truckin’ Trees for Christmas” 1973
- Red Simpson “Inflation” 197?
- Lorraine Walden “I’m a Truck Driver’s Wife” 1974
- Red Simpson & Lorraine Walden “Bill-Shippers” 1975
- Red Simpson “Truck Driver’s Heaven” 1976
- Junior Brown “Highway Patrol” 1995
- Junior Brown & Red Simpson “Nitro Express” 1995
- The Cornell Hurd Band “Black Smoke a-Blowin’ Over 18 Wheels” 2006
- Gene Thome & the Bakersfield Sound “Mighty Hag” 2015