Invoice Fries, the deep-voiced nation singer generally known as C.W. McCall, who turned an advert marketing campaign for an Iowa bread firm into the outlaw trucker anthem, “Convoy,” which reached No. 1 on the charts in 1976 and impressed a Sam Peckinpah film, died on Friday at his house in Ouray, Colo. He was 93.
His loss of life was confirmed by his son, Invoice Fries III, who mentioned his father had been in hospice look after about six months.
Mr. Fries was working as an advert govt at Bozell & Jacobs in Omaha within the Seventies, when he helped to create a collection of tv commercials for Metz Baking Firm a few trucker named C.W. McCall hauling Previous House bread in an eighteen-wheeler and a gum-snapping waitress named Mavis on the Previous House Filler-Up an’ Hold On A-Truckin’ Cafe.
The advertisements — together with one which ended with the tagline “Previous House is nice buns” — grew to become wildly in style and helped pump up Previous House bread gross sales as they instructed the story of a diesel-scented romance between Mavis and C.W., who spoke in a formidable twang voiced by Mr. Fries.
“It was simply superb,” Mr. Fries as soon as instructed Bozell. “Fan golf equipment have been arising and other people have been calling into TV and radio stations eager to know when the spots have been going to air.”
In 1974, the advertisements have been acknowledged by the Clio Awards because the nation’s finest general tv promoting marketing campaign.
“After I accepted the award, I may see the shock and horror on the faces of all these New York promoting executives,” Mr. Fries instructed The Omaha World-Herald in 2001. “I keep in mind saying, ‘I’ll guess y’all by no means thought one thing this good may come out of Omaha.’”
Mr. Fries helped to spin the advertisements right into a promotional report for Metz Baking Firm, referred to as “Previous House Filler-Up an’ Hold On A-Truckin’ Cafe,” which bought about 30,000 copies, in keeping with Bozell. Earlier than lengthy, MGM Data in Nashville was calling.
Crackling with CB radio lingo, the music tells the story of the truckers Rubber Duck and Pig Pen who’re “puttin’ the hammer down” as they thumb their noses at velocity limits, trade guidelines and legislation enforcement officers — “bears” and “smokies” in CB parlance. Alongside the way in which, they find yourself main 1,000 vehicles and “11 longhaired pals of Jesus in a chartreuse microbus.”
Initially recorded merely as an album filler, “Convoy” tapped into the surging recognition of trucker tradition and CB radio, which truckers used to speak throughout lengthy, lonely hours on the open street. It was a part of a growth in trucking-themed nation songs like “Roll On Huge Mama” by Joe Stampley and “Willin’” by Little Feat.
“Convoy” spent six weeks on the prime of the nation charts and crossed into the highest of the pop charts for every week, in keeping with The World-Herald. Greater than 20 million copies of the one have been bought, in keeping with Bozell. In 1978, Mr. Peckinpah turned the music right into a film, “Convoy,” starring Kris Kristofferson as Rubber Duck.
“It went farther than I might have ever dreamed,” Mr. Fries instructed The World-Herald. “I’ve acquired an entire scrapbook filled with articles individuals have written via the years about ‘Convoy’ and the ‘Previous House Filler-Up an’ Hold On A-Truckin’ Cafe.’”
Billie Dale Fries was born on Nov. 15, 1928, in Audubon, Iowa, and later modified his identify to William Dale Fries Jr. His father, Billie Fries, was a supervisor at a farm-equipment plant that manufactured hog pens. His mom, Margaret Fries, was a homemaker.
After graduating from highschool, Mr. Fries attended the College of Iowa for a 12 months after which got here again to Audubon and began a sign-painting enterprise.
Within the late Forties, he went to work for the NBC affiliate in Omaha as an artwork director, which led him into promoting and a job at Bozell & Jacobs.
Along with his son, Invoice Fries III, he’s survived by his spouse of 70 years, Rena Fries, two different kids, Mark Fries and Nancy Fries, 4 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson.
Mr. Fries mentioned he acquired the thought for “Convoy” whereas sitting in his Jeep listening to CB radio chatter.
“It seems like a conflict happening on the market,” he instructed Mr. Davis. “It could be an thought for the album.”
Mr. Fries, who in the end launched 9 albums, in keeping with his son, retired to Ouray, a metropolis about 300 miles southwest of Denver, in 1981. He was elected mayor in 1986 and served till 1992, his son mentioned.
Even after his nation music profession was over, Mr. Fries mentioned the runaway success of “Convoy” remained a permanent supply of delight.
“It’s a type of issues that may solely occur in America,” he instructed The World-Herald. “CBs have all light into the woodwork. Most younger individuals received’t even find out about CBs or truck convoys, however on the time it was the factor. That was fairly particular.”
Jack Begg contributed analysis.