With the biggest artists in the world recently entering the country music scene with their crossovers and collaborations (*see Beyonce and Post Malone), there has been a renewed explosion of this new country music sound. It is great to draw new listeners in but some listeners and artists will stick with the classic sound of what Country Music has always been. That golden age sound hits hard on the most recent album by George Highfill, Thank A Trucker.
The real country and western traditionalist was born into it. The family of George Highfill included a grandfather who was a fiddle & guitar player in an early country western band, a grandmother who was a well-known local poet, and a mom who played piano in church. Music was a huge part of his childhood.
With this pedigree George Highfill headed to Music City, USA and quickly became a staff writer for Tree Publishing. Home was calling though and he returned to his native Oklahoma as the first director of the newly-opened Hank Thompson School of Country Music at Rogers State College to share his passion. When the Urban Cowboy boom hit 6 years later, he relocated again to Los Angeles and quickly became a staple of the hard core country scene there. Highfill grabbed the attention of major players leading to the Warner Bros release of his debut album and the hit “Waitin’ Up” which reached #69 on the Billboard Hot Country chart.
For his latest album, Thank A Trucker, George Highfill ditches the new chrome country sounds and hits his favorite dusty backroads. He embraces the grit and twang of classic country music, delivering a collection of songs that feel like they were written and sung on long stretches of highway, fueled by truck stop coffee and the camaraderie of the open road.
True Country Sounds With ‘Thank A Trucker’
The album title track, “If You Got It Thank A Trucker,” kicks things off with a foot-stomping shuffle beat and a storytelling style that shares what it is like to be a trucker. George Highfill’s vocals are smooth as polished steel, with just enough twang to remind you where his heart lies. He paints a vivid picture of the unsung heroes keeping America’s wheels turning.
The album isn’t all wide-open highways and romanticized road life though. Tracks like “Too Sad To Sing” and “Honky Tonk You, Heartbroken Me” delves into the lonely side of the traveling musician’s life. Highfill slows it down a little here but that classic country attitude is still fierce. His storytelling shines here, weaving tales of everyday people facing down everyday challenges with a healthy dose of resilience.
Musically, the album is a love letter to the golden age of country. Telecasters twang, pedal steel cries, and a tight rhythm section lays down a groove that’s impossible not to move to. Heartfelt emotion can be felt in the playing of the instruments as well as the lyrics.
Some fun tracks like “Ants In My Pants” and “Rowdy, Will and Me” keep the smile on the listener’s face. Hearing these stories help us get a deeper look into that classic midwest lifestyle that the modern country sound can not get close to.
Overall Thank A Trucker is a heartfelt and well-crafted tribute to the blue-collar backbone of America. George Highfill’s smooth vocals, relatable lyrics, and classic country sound make this a must-listen for any fan of down-home, honest music. (Or new country fans that want a taste of what true classic country really is.)
