Black Bear Road (album)
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.
Black Bear Road | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 1975 | |||
Recorded | 1975 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 28:49 | |||
Label | MGM Records | |||
Producer | Chip Davis, Don Sears | |||
C. W. McCall chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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" (Bill Fries, Chip Davis) – 2:00
- "The Silverton" (Fries, Davis) – 2:50
- "Lewis and Clark" (Fries, Davis) - 2:23
- "Oregon Trail" (Fries, Davis) - 2:54
- "Ghost Town" (Fries, Davis) – 3:42
- "Convoy" (Fries, Davis) – 3:48
- "Long Lonesome Road" (Fries, Davis) – 2:10
- "Green River" (Fries, Davis) – 3:10
- "Write Me a Song" (Fries, Davis) - 2:20
- "Mountains on My Mind" (Fries, Davis) - 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
Album - Billboard (North America)
Year | Chart | Position |
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1975 | Country Albums | 1 |
1975 | Pop Albums | 12 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
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1975 | "Black Bear Road" | Country Singles | 24 |
1975 | "Convoy" | Hot 100 Singles | 1 |
1975 | "Convoy" | Country Singles | 1 |