Theme for a Trucker - Misplaced Pages

Theme for a Trucker is a limited edition double 7" vinyl EP by alternative country band Whiskeytown, released by Bloodshot Records in 1997. According to the Bloodshot Records website, only 2000 copies were pressed.

Music and lyrics

The song "Theme for a Trucker" was written by Ryan Adams as a tribute to his friend Jere McIlwean, who had recently died from a heroin overdose. McIlwean (who had also been a bandmate of Adams in his pre-Whiskeytown days) was in a band named Trucker; hence the title of the song. Said Adams of McIlwean: "He’d hate that song so bad; he hated country. Well, he didn’t hate country music, but he didn’t like my version of it, anyway.”

According to a 1997 article in No Depression magazine, Whiskeytown's cover of the True Believers' "The Rain Won't Help You When It's Over" almost made it onto this release. The song's inclusion was even lobbied for by its composer, Alejandro Escovedo.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Theme for a Trucker"	Adams	4:29
2.	"My Heart Is Broken"	Adams/Cary	3:05
3.	"Houses On The Hill"	Adams/Cary	2:26
4.	"The Strip"	Adams	4:28

Personnel and production credits

Ryan Adams — guitar, vocals
Caitlin Cary — violin, vocals
Phil Wandscher — guitar
Bill Ladd — pedal steel
Steve Terry — drums
Chris Stamey — bass, piano, percussion, producer, mixing, assistant engineer
Tim Harper — recording, mixing
Greg Elkins — assistant engineer
Larry Nix — mastering
Mixed at Modern Recording Service, Chapel Hill, NC, January 1997
Mastered at Ardent Studios, Memphis, TN

References

Blackstock, Peter (1997). "Whiskeytown - "Theme for a Trucker" / "Heart Is Broken" / "The Strip" / "Houses on the Hill"". No Depression. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
"Theme for a Trucker (Double 7"): Bloodshot Records". Bloodshot Records. Retrieved 2011-01-03.
Blackstock, Peter (1997). "Whiskeytown - Falling down, standing up: Americana and Roots Music - No Depression". No Depression. Retrieved Feb 24, 2018.
duBrowa, Corey (2001-12-01). "Ryan Adams: Saving Private Ryan". Magnet. Retrieved 2011-01-03.
Menconi, David (1997). "Whiskeytown - Adams and Escovedo". No Depression. Archived from the original on 2011-06-21. Retrieved 2011-02-04.

v t e Whiskeytown
Ryan Adams Caitlin Cary Ed Crawford Mike Daly Eric "Skillet" Gilmore Steve Grothmann James Iha Bill Ladd Chris Laney Nicholas Petti Brad Rice Jeff Rice Chris Riser Mike Santoro Jenni Snyder Steven Terry Phil Wandscher Jon Wurster
Studio albums	Faithless Street (1995) Strangers Almanac (1997) Pneumonia (2001)
EPs	Angels (1995) Theme for a Trucker (1997) Rural Free Delivery (1997) In Your Wildest Dreams (1997)
Unreleased albums	Those Weren't the Days (1996) The Freightwhaler Sessions (1996) Forever Valentine (1997)
Singles	"16 Days" (1997) "Yesterday's News" (1998) Car Songs (split 7" w/ Neko Case & The Sadies) (1998) "Don't Be Sad" (2001) "San Antone" / "The Great Divide" (2009)
Related articles	Alternative country
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