Dave Dudley
| Dave Dudley | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | David Darwin Pedruska |
| Born |
May 3, 1928 Spencer, Wisconsin |
| Died | December 22, 2003 (aged 75) Danbury, Wisconsin |
| Genres | Country music |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1956–2003 |
| Labels | National Recording Corporation, Golden Wing Records, Mercury Records |
| Associated acts | Dick Curless, Del Reeves, Tom T. Hall, Red Simpson |
Dave Dudley (born David Darwin Pedruska; May 3, 1928 – December 22, 2003) was an American country music singer best known for his truck-driving country anthems of the 1960s and 1970s and his semi-slurred bass. His signature song was "Six Days on the Road," and he is also remembered for "Vietnam Blues," "Truck Drivin' Son-of-a-Gun," and "Me and ol' C.B.". Other recordings included Dudley's duet with Tom T. Hall, "Day Drinking," and his own Top 10 hit, "Fireball Rolled A Seven," supposedly based on the career and death of Edward Glenn "Fireball" Roberts.
Born in Spencer, Wisconsin, Dudley had a short career as a semi-professional baseball player. After he suffered an arm injury, he was no longer able to play baseball. He then decided to pursue a career in country music. He was one of the earliest artists to record for the National Recording Corporation, with "Where's There's A Will" (1959).
Dudley was injured once again in 1960, this time in a car accident, setting back his career in music. He first appeared on the Country charts in 1961 with "Maybe I Do," released by Vee Records. He later moved to Golden Wing Records.
In 1963, "Six Days on the Road" became a hit for Dudley. The song was written by Earl Green and Peanutt Montgomery. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.
In the original version of the song as recorded by Dudley the lyrics include the words "...I'm taking little white pills and my eyes are open wide..." a reference to the stimulants some truckers used to keep driving (and make their delivery times) when they needed sleep. Some remakes of the song replace these words with a reference to looking at the white lines on the road. Dudley can be heard and seen singing the correct original lyrics in a 1971 performance currently available at YouTube.
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Wikipedia