The eighth annual Overdrive-Red Eye Radio Trucker Talent Search concluded with a virtual concert Thursday evening, and finalist Guy Archer, a Dayton, Ohio-based company driver for Airgas USA, was declared this year’s winner. He performed a song he wrote about the challenges truck drivers face, “Heavy Load.”
Guy Archer is the 2021 Overdrive-Red Eye Radio Trucker Talent Search winner.
For winning the competition, Archer earns a trip to Jay's Place Recording studio in Nashville for a full day of recording sessions complete with the backing of professional studio musicians, mixers, and producers. One or more recordings from Jay’s Place, as well as a more detailed personal profile, will be published in Overdrive.
Scripps is a driver for Grassmid Transport, and Sheffield drives for VV Logistics.
Emceed this year by Red Eye Radio‘s Eric Harley, the finale featured one song each from Archer, Scripps and Sheffield.
A panel of judges reviewed all entries into the contest, and Overdrive featured 10 semi-finalists before selecting the three finalists.
The judges were professional musicians Jayne Denham and Bill "Watermelon Slim" Homans; Tim Walker, an executive vice president with Red Eye Radio owner Westwood One; and Max Heine, recently retired Overdrive editorial director.
Find Archer's winning performance in the replay of the event up top. Here was Archer’s original entry into the contest this spring: