Yes, it’s true.
Believe it or not, Dale Earnhardt Sr. had some pipes on him.
We all know the North Carolina native and NASCAR legend was among the best of the best behind the wheel, but he could actually sing pretty good, too.
The seven-time championship winner (tied with Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson for most all-time) was known as “The Intimidator” for being an absolute beast on the race track, but his country song might be the greatest thing you’ll ever hear, fair warning.
Back in the mid-1980’s, several legendary names in NASCAR, like Kyle Petty, Richard Childress and Bill Elliott, among others, recorded an entire country album, which is beyond cool, in and of itself.
The album was an attempt to promote the sport and reach out to a wider demographic, and was called World Series Of Country Music Proudly Presents Stock Car Racing’s Entertainers Of The Year, Volume One.
The concept was to have twenty one Grand National drivers all sing a song about themselves. Dale’s was called “Hard Changer,” and the entire album was written by some of the best country music songwriters in Nashville at the time.
The Intimidator’s song tells the story of a simple man with a simple life who enjoys being the best at… hard changing, hence the title.
And in my very humble opinion, it should’ve been a hit number one single.
Who knew Sr. had another talent? If you wouldn’t have told me it was him, I would’ve thought it was some one-hit wonder from the world of ’80s country.
Whether that’s thanks to great production or he actually had the natural chops, I don’t really care. The song is a straight up honky-tonk heater.
I think we need a World Series Of Country Music Proudly Presents Stock Car Racing’s Entertainers Of The Year, Volume Two ASAP. Get Ryan Blaney in the mix, Corey LaJoie… they’re country music guys.
If nothing else, maybe we could get a cover of “Hard Charger” by someone in country music today. Maybe Riley Green? It would be damn near perfect…
Raise hell, praise Dale, forever.
“Hard Charger”
