Montana Do You Remember CB Radios? Celebrate Them Today
President Jimmy Carter declared that every October 4 would be National CB Radio Day. And it's been that way since 1976.
A lot of younger folks may have never used a C.B. radio. But back in the 1970s, they were incredibly popular as 20 million of them had been sold across the country. And they were so popular because it put the owner of the C.B in charge of the broadcast.
Truck drivers used them to get road conditions from other drivers. And also maybe an occasional smokey report.
Movies, TV shows, and songs helped propel the craze.
Burt Reynolds had a C.B in his Trans Am in Smokey & The Bandit movie. Which was one of the top movies of 1977.
The show Movin' On about a couple of truck drivers and their adventures aired from 1974 - 1976. The show's theme song was sung by Merle Haggard.
C.W McCalls "Convoy" was a huge hit, staying on top of the country charts for six weeks. And kick-started the career of Mr. McCall. He also had trucking hits with "Wolf Creek Pass" and "Old Home Filler Up And Keep On A Truckin Cafe".
My first full-time radio job was playing trucking songs from midnight to 6 a.m. So I'm well versed in them. "Teddy Bare", "Truck Driving Man" "Give Me Forty Acres" and the one that I hated the most. Tom T. Halls's "Negatory Romance"...
"It's a real breaker maker when your heart is a taker. It's a negatory romance"
See what I mean?
But anyway, CB's were all the rage back then. Do you still have one to celebrate National CB Radio Day?