In life, it’s sometimes “pure chance” that dictates a career path. For Chip Warterfield, growing up with the son of Alabama’s band manager paid dividends. “I was 18 and the tour needed someone to drive a van with T-shirts and other merchandise to a concert venue, so I volunteered,” he recalled. “I saw all the excitement and energy and said to myself, ‘I need to be a part of this.’ And, who would have thought at the time, but it led me to a career in the truck/bus and entertainment industry.”
In the beginning with Alabama, he made himself useful and did all the little things for the band. He moved up to driving a bus for the crew; then he got a bigger opportunity – driving one of the four Kenworth T600s used for the tour. “Using four trucks was huge at the time – Alabama was the most popular country group around, and staging wasn’t nearly what it is today. Back then, it was just about the music. We sold out everywhere we went and the attention we got from other truckers while driving down the road was really something. They were always waving and there was a lot of chatter on the CB.”
Chip recalled the relationship the band and drivers had with Kenworth. “It was special,” he said. “We always loved going to Louisville and the truck show. The enthusiasm of the crowds and the line to get tickets to the Alabama concert at the Kenworth booth – that’s something I’ll never forget. Working with Kenworth and Alabama was a fantastic experience. I was pleased to be a part of it all.”
