Big Wheel Cannonball
"Big Wheel Cannonball" (title sometimes given as Big Wheel Cannon Ball) is a song written by Vaughn Horton. It follows the same notes as the folk song "Wabash Cannonball" by The Carter Family, but its lyrics eulogise trucks and truckers rather than trains.
| "Big Wheel Cannonball" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Dick Curless | ||||
| from the album Hard, Hard Traveling Man | ||||
| B-side | "I Miss a Lot of Trains" | |||
| Released | March 1970 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:28 | |||
| Label | Capitol 2780 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Vaughn Horton | |||
| Producer(s) | George Richey | |||
| Dick Curless singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
It was originally released in 1967 by veteran Canadian singer Dick Todd, backed by the Appalachian Wildcats, on the small Peer-Southern Records label; this was shortly afterwards re-released on a national basis by Decca, and the Decca release rose to number 52 on the Billboard US Country charts, making it Todd's final chart entry.
In 1970 a cover version by American country music artist Dick Curless was released. This made a better chart showing than Todd's original, and also made the Canadian country charts.
Lawton Williams released a further cover in 1971 on his album Between Truck Stops.
Chart performance (Curless's version)
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 27 |
| Cash Box | 30 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 18 |