Joe Cecil "Red" Simpson, born on March 6, 1934, in Higley, Arizona, and raised in Bakersfield, California, was a prominent American country music singer-songwriter renowned for his trucker-themed songs. The youngest of 12 children, Simpson began his musical journey at the age of 14 when he wrote his first song. Influenced by the likes of Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Bill Woods, he initially worked as a piano player at the Clover Club and later replaced Buck Owens at the Blackboard Club on weekends.

Simpson's career took a significant turn in 1965 when Capitol Records producer Ken Nelson sought someone to record trucking songs. Although Merle Haggard was the first choice, he declined, and Simpson stepped in, recording Tommy Collins' "Roll, Truck, Roll," which became a Top 40 country hit. This success led to an album of the same name and established Simpson as a key figure in the truck-driving country genre.

Throughout his career, Simpson collaborated with Buck Owens, co-writing the Top Ten hit "Gonna Have Love" and scoring his first number one hit with "Sam's Place," recorded by Owens. In 1971, he returned to performing with the Top Five hit "I'm a Truck," penned by Bob Staunton. Simpson made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry in 1972 and continued to release trucking hits, including "Truck Driver's Heaven" in 1976 and a series of duets with Lorraine Walden.

Despite a diagnosis of skin cancer in 1988, Simpson recovered and continued his musical endeavors, performing regularly in the Bakersfield area and recording duets with Junior Brown in 1995. His contributions to the Bakersfield sound were celebrated, and he was set to release a new album, "Soda Pops and Saturdays," in 2016.

Red Simpson passed away on January 8, 2016, in Bakersfield, California, following complications from a heart attack. His legacy as a pioneer of the Bakersfield sound and a beloved figure in country music endures.