Singer/songwriter Jerry Reed took country music — and trucking — to the big screen
Once in a great while, a country music performer comes along who’s an entire entertainment package. These artists don’t just sing, although that’s certainly an
Kris Rutherford
- About Kris Rutherford
- Since retiring from a career as an outdoor recreation professional from the State of Arkansas, Kris Rutherford has worked as a freelance writer and, with his wife, owns and publishes a small Northeast Texas newspaper, The Roxton Progress. Kris has worked as a ghostwriter and editor and has authored seven books of his own. He became interested in the trucking industry as a child in the 1970s when his family traveled the interstates twice a year between their home in Maine and their native Texas. He has been a classic country music enthusiast since the age of nine when he developed a special interest in trucking songs.
Posts by Kris Rutherford
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has long history of toe-tapping country success
In their 1985 autobiographical country hit song “Partners, Brothers and Friends,” the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (NGDB) asked, “Is it folk or rock or country;
Stabilization ahead? Following a year of ‘barrel rolls,’ M&A cycle seeks normalization during 2026
A year ago, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) analysts in the trucking industry expected 2025 to be a year of normalization after three consecutive years of
Top 10 AI trends: Strides in artificial intelligence bring numerous benefits to the trucking industry
Whether the world was ready for it nor not, AI (artificial intelligence) came into its own in 2025, on both personal and business levels. During
Red Sovine finds his musical niche in ‘Trucker Country’ genre, Part 2
This story is Part 2 of a series. To read Part 1, click here. By the mid-1960s, with songs like Dave Dudley’s “Six Days on
For truckers, fuel taxes could be seen as ‘necessary evil’ in infrastructure funding
Do you feel like you’re paying too much at the gas pump? Fuel prices have been relatively stable lately, but there’s no denying that the
Red Sovine finds his musical niche in ‘Trucker Country’ genre, Part 1
When one considers the career of Dave Dudley, the arguable “King of Trucker Country,” it might appear that the genre reached its stride in the
More than a century in the making: How a 1919 cross-country convoy inspired the modern interstate system
This story is the final installment of a four-part series. To read Part 1, click here. To read Part 2, click here. To read Part
Gary P. Nunn: How an Oklahoma native became an icon in Texas country music
How does an Oklahoma native become an icon of Texas country music? For answers, we need look no further than the life and career of
It took a century for Eisenhower’s interstate vision to come true — and the system is still growing
This story is Part 3 of a series. To read Part 1, click here. To read Part 2, click here. The 1919 transcontinental convoy changed
Is your fleet future-proof? Tariff uncertainty gives carriers reason to pause fleet replacement cycle
In times of economic uncertainty business owners in all sectors tend to think long and hard before investing their money in capital expenses. In the
‘Trucker Country’ aptly describes genre of music to travel by
Trucking songs, truck driving songs, road songs, songs to travel by — these terms apply to the music the stereotypical truck driver tends to listen
The 1919 transcontinental convoy changed freight movement in America (Part 2)
This story is Part 2 of a series. To read Part 1, click here. When Lt. Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower documented the trek of
Tackling the issues: TCA provides tools to help carriers clarify rules regarding English proficiency and contractor classification
Legal aspects of the trucking industry are in a constant state of flux. Whether it’s executive level decision-making, broker concerns, or safety compliance, trends in
Storyteller Jim Croce played give and take with country music
When folk-soft rock singer Jim Croce died in a plane crash in 1973, his career as a musician had barely started. Since embarking on a
Greening your fleet: Fuel efficiency has strong impact on vehicle emissions
In the trucking industry, the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) comes down to one primary factor — fuel efficiency. Unfortunately, no “one size
The 1919 transcontinental convoy changed freight movement in America (Part 1)
By 1919, America’s troops had returned from World War I having experienced the first significant use of mechanized warfare. During the war, trucks played a
Janie Fricke went from background singer to center stage
In the 1970s, Janie Fricke basked in the glow of stardom as an anonymous entertainer, making a living as a backup singer. During the decade,
New York’s Tappan Zee: How a failed expedition led to a major traffic corridor
In 1609, as explorer Henry Hudson ventured up the river that would one day bear his name in New York state, he must have been
Bring on the biofuels: RINs can help carriers plot course to reduced emissions
The use of biofuels, such as renewable diesel to power commercial vehicles has become increasingly common in the U.S. as the trucking industry works to