Dale Watson

The Truckin’ Sessions Vol. 2 (Hyena)

The warm baritone of Dale Watson booms authentic on just about any country song, but on the The Truckin’ Sessions Vol. 2, it’s as high-octane as a big rig. Watson’s sophomore take on highway sturm und twang tailgates his 1998 journey on the highways with mostly traditional themes. Neon’s lure in the darkness (“Jack’s Truck Stop and Cafe”), unemployment (“No Help Wanted”), female drivers (“Yankee Doodle Jean”), CB talk (“Hey Driver”), and even an instrumental (“10-4”) map out Watson’s 18 wheels (“Truckin’ Man”) and a decidedly nontraditional paean to a cross-dressing trucker (“Truckin’ Queen”). Trucking songs are largely overlooked country turf, with Dave Dudley and Red Sovine as kings of the road in the 1960s, but when Watson sings, “Now the road’s callin’ me like a sailor to the sea,” in “I Got to Drive,” he leaves everyone to eat his dust.

**.5

This article appears in May 22 • 2009.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US