Back in the 1980s, if you loved country music, you likely were a fan of Alabama. And, if you were a trucker, that fandom was almost guaranteed. The song Roll On (18-Wheeler) became a trucker classic in 1984. It was just one of the more than 27 hits the band created during that decade.
Alabama’s music and connection with truckers also made those at Kenworth big fans. So much so that an idea was spawned to talk to the group to see if they could somehow partner up. After all, Alabama was considered the world’s best country band and so who better to provide tour trucks than Kenworth – The World’s Best truck manufacturer.
“That’s what we were thinking,” recalled Wendy Leavitt, who was Kenworth’s Ad/PR manager at the time. “We were looking for a new way to acknowledge and continue strengthening the special bond that the company has always had with truck drivers. Alabama was constantly at the top of the country charts and many drivers loved (and still love) country music, so we started thinking: ‘Was there a way we could work together with Alabama that would benefit everyone – truck drivers, the band, Kenworth dealers, the Mid-America Trucking Show, and Kenworth?’”
Kenworth approached management for Alabama and there was interest. The Kenworth marketing team flew to Nashville and met with Dale Morris – Alabama’s manager at the time. “From our very first meeting in Nashville, it was like magic – like it was meant to be,” said Wendy.
That meeting got the proverbial ball rolling. At the time, Alabama’s 1988 tour needs were big – requiring three Kenworth T600As, and a Kenworth cabover, for the concert tour. That would grow to five trucks later in the relationship. Believe it or not, five trucks were about the most needed for any top band in the 80s and 90s. Today, elaborate staging can require close to 100 trucks.
“We needed trucks to haul lighting, sound equipment, concessions, plus our musical equipment,” recalled Teddy Gentry, bassist and one of the founding members of Alabama, along with cousins Randy Owen and Jeff Cook. “Working with Kenworth gave us dependable trucks – we never missed a show because of an equipment breakdown, and it was a good feeling that we had Kenworth behind us. It was, and still is, a great relationship.”
While the Alabama drivers of yesteryear – Bobby Mince, Sammy Terrell, Steve Nelson, and Roy Kirby – got to navigate the roads (often driving 300-500 miles per day between concert venues) in their new Kenworths, Alabama repaid the favor by providing music to truckers.
A special cassette was produced and given away to truckers free of charge at Kenworth dealerships. Called, Kenworth: One for the Road, the music featured nine of the band’s top hits including Roll On, 40 Hour Week and Mountain Music. It proved to be a big hit, and cassettes were quickly snapped up by eager truckers. A few years later, Alabama and Kenworth collaborated on a special Christmas cassette tape, with songs of the season. Those, too, were given away free at Kenworth dealerships.
Making Memories at the Mid-America Trucking Show
In 1989, Kenworth began hosting Alabama at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) — a concert series that lasted 13 years. “It was the perfect venue for a driver-focused concert hosted by Kenworth,” recalled Wendy. “To make it work for everyone involved, we came to another agreement: Tickets for half the seating in the arena would still be available for sale to local Alabama fans, and half would be offered free from Kenworth to drivers attending MATS. Paul Young, then the owner/manager of MATS, understood how the concert could help attract even more drivers to the event and grow MATS, and he became an enthusiastic supporter. He helped to promote the concert and provided space in the entrance area for a ‘ticket booth,’ where drivers lined up by the hundreds across the lobby to wait for tickets as soon as the doors opened in the morning.”
A few years later, Kenworth and Alabama extended the MATS concert even further. They teamed up to do something special for Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, which provided free care to critically ill children. “Both Kenworth and Alabama had strong ties with the city and the community, and it just seemed like the right thing to do,” said Wendy. “Kenworth provided free concert tickets to children who were outpatients at the hospital and well enough to attend the shows. They always had premier seats right up front. And band members and members of the Kenworth team visited the hospital to say hello to the kids not well enough to attend. I can still see the looks on little faces when Randy Owen came into their hospital rooms just to see them. We left behind presents from the band and from Kenworth. Drivers also became very involved in this part of the program. As they picked up their own free concert tickets, many of them made personal donations through Kenworth to help the hospital.”
As the concerts continued, Kenworth and Alabama found more things to do together, “the way friends will,” said Wendy. “For example, Kenworth participated in an enormous annual outdoor concert called ‘June Jam’ in Alabama’s hometown of Fort Payne, Alabama. It featured the band and other country music guest stars.”
The truck drivers for the tour also became prominent. “The people who drove the Kenworth trucks for Alabama were treated like stars themselves by other drivers on the road,” said Wendy. “They graciously showed off their Kenworth trucks and custom-painted trailers parked at the show site, answered questions about their lives, and signed autographs. Friendships formed then are still going all these years later.”
All told, the relationship between Kenworth and Alabama lasted 16 years…only ceasing when the band decided to spend time at home working on other projects – giving the road a rest.
“You often hear people in business say that something was ‘just business, nothing personal,’” said Wendy. “With Kenworth and Alabama, it was certainly good business, but it was also always intensely personal in the most positive of ways. The entire group of people from both organizations who were directly involved gave it their very best and knew they could expect the same in return. That level of trust and camaraderie made everything easy, everything a pleasure to do, everything work.”
On the Road Again with Alabama
While Wendy said her “Alabama days” were a special memory from her Kenworth career, she was delighted when she heard that Kenworth and Alabama reignited the relationship many years later for the Roll On II Tour that began in 2023. “It’s wonderful,” she said. “How many business relationships can you name that have endured like this one has? It is something to be proud of and grateful for.”
Teddy said he and the rest of Alabama are grateful too. “Our relationship with Kenworth and truckers is something special,” he said. “We know trucks keep America rolling and we see that for ourselves on our farms, as well as when we cross the country during our tours. You’ll often see us at trucks stops — that’s where we like to hang out when we’re on the road. Looking back, when Roll On came about we were very excited. It fit with us because we too were away from our families – just like truckers. We have a lot in common with the trucking community. And, with my son Josh a trucker too – driving for us – that connection is that much stronger.”
“We’ve come full circle with Alabama. It’s been great to be a part of their tour like in the old days,” concluded Kevin Haygood, Kenworth’s assistant sales and marketing manager. “They’re a band that has stood the test of time and their music has made an impact. It’s why they’re in the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Musicians Hall of Fame. They also recently received the highest honor the Country Music Association gives out — the Pinnacle Award. We want to continue the association that has benefited us both.”
