In 1975, the lumber industry in Maine decided to transport freshly-fallen timbers on trucks down the highways, thereby ending the long-held tradition of floating the massive logs down the rivers.  In response, Billy Thibodeau's father and New England Bluegrass pioneer, Sam Tidwell, penned the song about the last log drive on the nearby, Kennebec River, not far from their home in Cambridge, Maine. Sam said the The Last Log Drive was a protest song.

Not long after, as the Associate Press was covering this momentous and historical event in Maine, the song gained similar attention.  Billy recalls as a young boy, watching his dad write the song at the family's kitchen table. A few months later, Sam Tidwell and the Kennebec Valley Boys performed the song live on Good Morning America.  Though Sam Tidwell passed away several years ago, this song still resonates with the locals in Maine and Rock Hearts wanted to pay homage to Sam Tidwell, to the other pioneers of New England Bluegrass with hopes of keeping this story alive.   You can find it on your favorite streaming platform.