5 Rockin’ Songs To Fuel Your Summer Road Trip.

Clark Griswold did it. Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters did it too. So did Hunter Thomson, Kermit the Frog, and tens of millions of Americans in 2014. And, I’m doing it right now. What the heck am I talking about? The great American road trip, of course.

Yesterday, I got in my rented Toyota Corolla and head south to Virginia via the Pennsylvania Turnpike with my grandparents and mom. Sadly, Beth and Chachy couldn’t join us as she’s back home in Boston waiting for the arrival of her nephew; however, they’ll be with us in spirit, as they are truly the best road trip companions a guy could ask for.

Like apple pie and rock n’ roll, road trips are part of the American experience. Forget the bald eagle, the open road is, in my opinion, the ultimate symbol of freedom. Highways have become legends in their own right, among the most famous are Route 66, the 101 and Highway 61. And these days, no good road trip is complete without a rock solid playlist.

When AT&T wrote and asked if I’d be interested in sharing my favorite summer road trip songs, it was an easy yes. Beth and I grew up road tripping. My family would head to Virginia Beach each summer, while Beth’s would take on the American west, real Griswold family vacation stuff. As I started thinking about my ultimate playlist, my mind shifted to the songs that made up past road trips. Some songs I knew, some I didn’t, but all are now forever linked to a particular trip or route. I’m a firm believer in the idea that if you don’t know your past, then you don’t know your future. So, for my summer road trip playlist, I’m going to highlight five of my favorite songs from road trips past that still move me today.

Bad Company: Bad Company
This is the first song off of Bad Company’s 1974 debut album of the same name and rocked a 1989 summer road trip I took with my aunt to Cape Hatteras. Really, I could pick any song from that album, as my aunt blasted the tape on rotation the whole time, but that song in particular was a real riot on my virgin classic rock ears. On a side note, wikipedia reports that the song “Bad Company” actually uses the same chords and piano figures that Joni Mitchell laid down for the song “Woodstock.”

Gerry Rafferty: Baker Street
“Baker Street” is one of our go to road trip songs. I’m not sure when we first discovered our mutual love of the song, but I have a feeling it was during our cross-country road trip in 2010, as it was in heavy rotation on that adventure. And really, does it get any better that slinky, sexy sax solo? I think not.

Led Zeppelin: Stairway to Heaven
A good road trip song can come in all shapes and sizes, but none are more epic than Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” I love how the song builds and grows into a rocking beast, unfolding in front of you like the open highway.

Stone Temple Pilots: Plush
I picked up this CD in the summer of 1994 right before our summer road trip to Virginia Beach. The album is a driving force, no pun intended, from start to finish, and there is no finer example of this than the song “Plush.” I remember putting the CD into my Discman just outside of Breezewood, Pa. and thinking, I only have to listen to nine times before we’ll be at the beach.

The Eagles: Hotel California
Living in San Diego me made our fair share of Las Vegas runs, usually at night on a whim. And, personally, I can’t think of a better song than “Hotel California” to play while barreling through the desert on Highway 15.

Alright, those are my favorite songs from past road trips. Now, I’d love to hear your favorite highway songs. Whether it’s your go to song or your ultimate playlist, I’m all ears. And before you embark on your next road trip check out what AT&T is doing to make staying connected on the road easier than ever. From connected cars to digital home protection and the latest smartphones, they’ve got all kinds of cool tech to enhance your road trip. Plus, you can follow the hashtag #RoadTripATT on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for tricks and tips for your summer road trip adventure.

Remember, we’d love to hear what your favorite highway songs are, so feel free to share away in the comments below. You can also use #RoadTripATT as well to share your best summer road trip photos, experiences, and tips with us.

This post is part of AT&T’s Summer Road Trip campaign; however, our thoughts and opinions are entirely our own.