“Just hearing there was a world out there that we didn’t hear much about.”
In 1971, WWL hit upon an underserved niche and ended up creating an entire genre of radio programs: trucking radio. And it was thanks to a man named Charlie Douglas.
Douglas and his “Road Gang” brought a mix of country music, weather reports, and Douglas’s own brand of down-home wit to the station’s overnight hours. And because of WWL’s huge clear-channel signal, the show cultivated a following of truck drivers who were making long drives across the country in the middle of the night.
Douglas’s program would span 7 ½ hours and air six nights a week.
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Author and historian Errol Laborde joined The Scoot Show on WWL Radio to reminisce about the show’s importance.
“I enjoyed hearing what was going on out there when they were talking about the conditions of the highways in Butte, Mont. I loved hearing that kind of stuff,” Laborde said.
He said the show offered a window into a life most people knew nothing about, making it an interesting listen even if you weren’t making a long haul drive in the wee hours of the morning.
“Hearing how important truck stops were around the country.
And the things they offered besides gas and 24-hour café. Some had showers, and some had bunk beds… Just hearing there was a world out there that we didn’t hear much about.”