Invoice Fries, Singer Recognized for Seventies Trucking Ballad ‘Convoy,’ Dies at 93

Invoice Fries, Singer Recognized for Seventies Trucking Ballad ‘Convoy,’ Dies at 93

Invoice Fries, the deep-voiced nation singer often called C.W. McCall, who turned an advert marketing campaign for an Iowa bread firm into the outlaw trucker anthem, “Convoy,” which reached No. 1 on the charts in 1976 and impressed a Sam Peckinpah film, died on Friday at his residence in Ouray, Colo. He was 93.

His dying was confirmed by his son, Invoice Fries III, who stated his father had been in hospice look after about six months.

Mr. Fries was working as an advert govt at Bozell & Jacobs in Omaha within the Seventies, when he helped to create a collection of tv commercials for Metz Baking Firm a couple of trucker named C.W. McCall hauling Outdated Dwelling bread in an eighteen-wheeler and a gum-snapping waitress named Mavis on the Outdated Dwelling Filler-Up an’ Hold On A-Truckin’ Cafe.

The adverts — together with one which ended with the tagline “Outdated Dwelling is sweet buns” — turned wildly fashionable and helped pump up Outdated Dwelling bread gross sales as they instructed the story of a diesel-scented romance between Mavis and C.W., who spoke in a formidable twang voiced by Mr. Fries.

“It was simply superb,” Mr. Fries as soon as instructed Bozell. “Fan golf equipment had been arising and other people had been calling into TV and radio stations desirous to know when the spots had been going to air.”

In 1974, the adverts had been acknowledged by the Clio Awards because the nation’s finest general tv promoting marketing campaign.

“Once I accepted the award, I might see the shock and horror on the faces of all these New York promoting executives,” Mr. Fries instructed The Omaha World-Herald in 2001. “I keep in mind saying, ‘I’ll guess y’all by no means thought one thing this good might come out of Omaha.’”

Mr. Fries helped to spin the adverts right into a promotional report for Metz Baking Firm, referred to as “Outdated Dwelling Filler-Up an’ Hold On A-Truckin’ Cafe,” which bought about 30,000 copies, in line with Bozell. Earlier than lengthy, MGM Data in Nashville was calling.

With a report deal from MGM, Mr. Fries spawned a cultural phenomenon with “Convoy,” an ode to renegade truckers driving throughout the nation, written with Chip Davis, who had additionally written the music for the Outdated Dwelling bread adverts and who went on to discovered the group Mannheim Steamroller, identified for its Christmas music.

Crackling with CB radio lingo, the track tells the story of the truckers Rubber Duck and Pig Pen who’re “puttin’ the hammer down” as they thumb their noses at pace limits, trade guidelines and legislation enforcement officers — “bears” and “smokies” in CB parlance. Alongside the way in which, they find yourself main 1,000 vans and “11 longhaired buddies of Jesus in a chartreuse microbus.”

Initially recorded merely as an album filler, “Convoy” tapped into the surging recognition of trucker tradition and CB radio, which truckers used to speak throughout lengthy, lonely hours on the open highway. It was a part of a growth in trucking-themed nation songs like “Roll On Huge Mama” by Joe Stampley and “Willin’” by Little Feat.

“Convoy” spent six weeks on the prime of the nation charts and crossed into the highest of the pop charts for every week, in line with The World-Herald. Greater than 20 million copies of the one have been bought, in line with Bozell. In 1978, Mr. Peckinpah turned the track right into a film, “Convoy,” starring Kris Kristofferson as Rubber Duck.

“It went farther than I’d have ever dreamed,” Mr. Fries instructed The World-Herald. “I’ve acquired a complete scrapbook stuffed with articles folks have written by the years about ‘Convoy’ and the ‘Outdated Dwelling Filler-Up an’ Hold On A-Truckin’ Cafe.’”

Billie Dale Fries was born on Nov. 15, 1928, in Audubon, Iowa, and later modified his identify to William Dale Fries Jr. His father, Billie Fries, was a supervisor at a farm-equipment plant that manufactured hog pens. His mom, Margaret Fries, was a homemaker.

After graduating from highschool, Mr. Fries attended the College of Iowa for a 12 months after which got here again to Audubon and began a sign-painting enterprise.

Within the late Nineteen Forties, he went to work for the NBC affiliate in Omaha as an artwork director, which led him into promoting and a job at Bozell & Jacobs.

Along with his son, Invoice Fries III, he’s survived by his spouse of 70 years, Rena Fries, two different kids, Mark Fries and Nancy Fries, 4 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson.

Mr. Fries stated he acquired the concept for “Convoy” whereas sitting in his Jeep listening to CB radio chatter.

“It seems like a battle occurring on the market,” he instructed Mr. Davis. “It is perhaps an thought for the album.”

Mr. Fries, who finally launched 9 albums, in line with his son, retired to Ouray, a metropolis about 300 miles southwest of Denver, in 1981. He was elected mayor in 1986 and served till 1992, his son stated.

Even after his nation music profession was over, Mr. Fries stated the runaway success of “Convoy” remained an everlasting supply of satisfaction.

“It’s a type of issues that may solely occur in America,” he instructed The World-Herald. “CBs have all light into the woodwork. Most younger folks gained’t even find out about CBs or truck convoys, however on the time it was the factor. That was fairly particular.”

Jack Begg contributed analysis.

Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *