Traditionalist Daryle Singletary Dies at 46

K.F. Raizor, author of the website Raizor's Edge and the book We Can't Sing and We Ain't Funny: The World of Homer and Jethro is our guest writer today on That Nashville Sound. She's ever so gracious to provide wonderful tributes to honor those to whom the music we treasure just wouldn't be the same without. Thank you, K.F.

Daryle Singletary, a "maverick" in that he dared to be true to country music in an era when most were moving toward a pop/rock feel in the 90s, has died.

Singletary died unexpectedly (2/12) at his home in suburban Nashville. He had performed in Louisiana over the weekend.

Born in Georgia in 1971, Daryle Singletary held fast to the traditions of country music at a time when it was difficult to do so. In 2002 he released an album titled That's Why I Sing This Way, paying tribute to (and featuring) many of his music heroes such as Johnny Paycheck, George Jones, and Merle Haggard.

After years of struggling Singletary finally scored a hit in the mid-90s with "I Let Her Lie," which was a throwback to the more traditional country songs that had been swept aside. Singletary didn't change his style once he became successful, continuing with other hits such as "Amen Kind of Love" (his highest-charting single) and "The Note," echoing greats of the past such as Lefty Frizzell and Keith Whitley.

Although he hadn't had a charted record since 2002 Singletary continued to record and perform, remaining a favorite with traditionalists and fans. Last year he recorded a duet album with bluegrass queen Rhonda Vincent, American Grandstand. Vincent told No Depression in an interview about the collaboration, "Daryle is one of the greatest singers, and I love to sing with him whenever I have the opportunity."

Survivors include Singletary's wife, four children, and his parents. Plus, a lot of country music fans.

Daryle Singletary was just 46.

 

New Music City Roots Performance Music Video From Rhonda Vincent and Daryle Singletary - "Above and Beyond"

Rhonda Vincent and Daryle Singletary To Collaborate On July Release Of Traditional Country Record

Artist: Rhonda Vincent and Daryle Singletary
Album: American Grandstand
Label: Upper Management
Release date: July 7, 2017

There's not much more American and patriotic than bluegrass and traditional country music so it seems only fitting that the long-awaited collaboration between Rhonda Vincent and Daryle Singletary should be coming out the week of the 4th of July.

In an interview with the West Virginia Herald-Dispatch:

"I love singing with Daryle," she said. "Our voices have a very special magic when we sing together. We sing a lot alike when we turn a note, and I think more than anything that we challenge each other. We will get a little crazy when we're in the studio. There is no other way for me to describe this project other than it is very special."
 

Vincent is happy with the upcoming album with Singletary for a lot of reasons, one in particular being that they both recorded their vocals in the studio at the same time. That can be a rarity in this day and age of digital recording.
 

"Because Daryle has a little kid at home, at first we said, 'OK, you come into the studio and sing your parts,'" Vincent said. "Daryle did that for about 30 minutes and he said, 'This is really not going to work like this. We have got to sing together.' So, after that, we never sang apart. We always sang at the very same time on this album."
 

"Traditional country music is a whole different genre," Vincent said. "A lot of people will say that there is not a market for traditional country music, but I know that is not true as it has its own niche. I did that traditional country album with Gene Watson not long ago, and I found out that there is a tremendous audience out there for traditional country music. Daryle and I have been doing shows together, and he is so much fun. When everybody hears this new album, they will know how special it is."

If you should be local to Nashville, the duo will be having an album release party on July 8 at the Nashville Palace as well as performing on Music City Roots together on July 7.

Daryle Singletary and Rhonda Vincent Recording New Album Of Duets

Crystal Shawanda, Wade Bowen, Daryle Singletary and Ray Wylie Hubbard All Ready New Projects

Crystal Shawanda

Crystal Shawanda, Wade Bowen, Daryle Singletary and Ray Wylie Hubbard all announced various stages of new projects this week.

I did an interview with Crystal Shawanda earlier this year where she announced that she'd be going a little different direction with her new album this year, veering from straight-up country to a little more blues inspired fare. This week, she announced on her Facebook wall that The Whole World's Got the Blues will be coming out on 9/30:  "So freakin happy we have an official release date for my new blues album "The Whole World's Got The Blues" it will be in stores September 30th! Yesterday I sat on my parent's porch, back on the Rez, writing my thank yous for the album, and it just made it for real! We've picked the single, video plans are in the works, and it's all really happening! I've been preparing for the release for months, performing the new songs, listening to mixes from the road, sneaking in a studio every chance, and now I'm rushing to Nashville to put the finishing touches! This has been such an amazing summer, beautiful friendships were born, and nurtured, and I was even blessed to have down time with my family! My nieces and nephews are growing too fast, and I can never spend enough time with my parents, who are literally my best friends! Being back home in Wikwemikong always feeds my soul, I love my community, and how we always just pick up here we left off! Have a beautiful day lovely people xoxo." Shawanda's debut album “Dawn of a New Day” was released in 2008, was Billboard’s highest charting album by a Native American, and sold 400,000 copies that year. A CMT six-part documentary also aired in Canada called “Crystal: Living the Dream”, giving fans an inside look at Crystal’s life in Nashville.  In 2009, after five hit singles in Canada including the title track, “Try”, and “My Roots are Showing”, and a massive tour with Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley, Crystal was named the Canadian Country Music Association’s Female Artist of the Year.

Texan Wade Bowen will be releasing a self-titled album on 10/28. Wade Bowen marks a new beginning, the turning of the page to a place where the music becomes a little bit freer, a little bit looser, and a lot more intimate. This is the sound of catharsis, of Bowen released from major label bonds to find himself on his own again. A staple of the Texas Music charts, and a notorious road warrior, Bowen has sold over half a million album in his short career, sung duets with the likes of Will Hoge and Brandy Clark, and been featured on compilations alongside the likes of Charlie Daniels, Old Crow Medicine Show, Eli Young Band and The Blind Boys from Alabama. His Wade Bowen Classic golf tournament has raised over 1 million dollars to benefit children’s charities across central Texas. “The focus was to talk about what I’ve been through. – to get personal,” Bowen says of writing these new tracks, “everything I’ve been through lead me to this.” Wade remarks, “I just started analyzing the road and my passion to put up with so much to “make a dream fly!” I’m still here! It’s like I tell people, the road has tried to get rid of me but I’m still here!”

It sounds as if traditional country will be alive and well as country veteran Daryle Singletary is back in the studio putting together a yet-to-be-named and yet-to-be-given-a-release-date project. This came from Wes Hightower, a musician friend of Singletary: "For my diehard country music friends... I just got to sing bgvs on a new record being recorded by Daryle Singletary. My thoughts???? Anyone who thinks country music is dead should search this record out the day it becomes available. One of the most gifted country singers alive today... #TooLateToSaveTheWorld."

Texan legend and near-philosopher and sage Ray Wylie Hubbard has been in the studio as of late and while he doesn't have a name or a release date as of yet, he does have this to say about the new forthcoming project, "Went in and listened to what we recorded a few weeks ago..it stands up on its hind legs and makes a fist. You may not like the singer or the songs but you will like the way it sounds... I really don't know where these gnawed off pieces of obscureness come from and sometimes I even wonder why I can't write somewhat remotely close to mainstream commercial popular type songs that maybe somebody else ...might record some day but then..I get a headache thinking about that and I quit and get grateful that as an old cat at least my songs aren't metaphor deficient and I still can lay down a groove that make the hip bones wanna do the shaka shaka boom boom ugha ugha whomp whomp. Hmmm...ego or self esteem talking there.. whatever. make no dif. its said and done. I believe it."

Rhonda Vincent To Be A Little Bit Country and A Little Bit Bluegrass On New January 2014 Album

Rhonda Vincent will be releasing a double disc project that will promises to be a mixture of bluegrass and country- in addition to including collaborations with Willie Nelson and Daryle Singletary. The project, appropriately titled Only Me, will be a slight departure for Rhonda Vincent & The Rage.  It will include a disc of bluegrass songs but then another disc of classic country songs. Only Me will be available where all music is sold on January 28, 2014.

Rhonda is joined by Daryle Singletary on “We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds,” while Willie Nelson adds vocals and a guitar solo to the title track. “The Bluegrass pickers on this song are some of the best that I have ever heard. When I think of Bluegrass, this is the sound that I hear,” says Willie Nelson. “Rhonda’s voice is beautiful. I am thankful for her letting me be a part of it all.”

Track Listing:

Disc One/Bluegrass
1. Busy City
 2. I’d Rather Hear I Don’t Love You (Than Nothing At All)
3. Only Me (Featuring Willie Nelson)
4. I Need Somebody Bad Tonight
5. We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds (Featuring Daryle Singletary)
6. It’s Never Too Late Musician

Disc Two/Country
1. Teardrops Over You
 2. Once A Day
3. Beneath Still Waters
4. Bright Lights & Country Music
5. When The Grass Grows Over Me
6. Drivin’ Nails
 

TNS Video History- Daryle Singletary- "I Let Her Lie"

TNS Video History- Daryle Singletary- "Too Much Fun"

CD Reviews- Daryle Singletary- Rockin’ In The Country

The Background

Having played before millions of fans over the past 13 years, Daryle Singletary has evolved into being a country music star known for bringing fun, entertainment and great music to country music lovers everywhere. He now brings “Rockin’ In The Country” on his first E1 Records (formerly KOCH Records) release that comes out 6/16/09. After enjoying #1 hits "I Let Her Lie," "The Note" and other chart toppers like “Too Much Fun”, when asked about the new release, Daryle says; “I spent a lot of time on this project, because I wanted it to be the very best representation of who I am vocally and lyrically. I invited a few of my friends that I’ve always admired, to come into the studio with me." The combination of Daryle’s voice, with special guests Rhonda Vincent, and legendary award-winning fiddler and country-rock artist Charlie Daniels helps increase the album’s profile.

The Review

This could be very well Singletary’s last chance to remind country radio of what it’s been missing. Thirteen years after last hitting the charts with some successful singles, his deep voice and southern drawl hope to make another impact. Whether or not the country dial is kind to this good ole boy, he has done a terrific job of putting together a very complimentary album. The first three tracks are as good of an opening of any album we’ve heard thus far into 2009. It starts off with the dirt kickin’ southern rocker title track about a concert promoter farmer and features Charlie Daniels on background vocals and fiddle. Lead single “Love You With The Lights On” is a smooth bluesy track that reminds of James Otto and Jake Owen’s best. The third standout track comes in the form of the story song “That’s Why God Made Me” about the journey of two children who fall in love as children and then tell a great lesson of adoption and selflessness without hitting you over the head with a message. The rest of this strong album leans on its ballads like “Real Estate Hands” and “Going Through Hell” to showcase Singletary’s baritone, reminding us that outside of King George Strait, we’re really missing this style on the airwaves at the moment. Here’s hoping that this very strong effort engages enough audiences to hear some more efforts just like this one- it’s great classic country at some of its best.

Sounds Like

George Strait

Track Highlights (suggested iPod adds):
Rockin’ In The Country
Love You With The Lights On
That’s Why God Made Me
Going Through Hell
Real Estate Hands
She’s A Woman

The Verdict:
Four Stars Out Of Five

Hit "Listen" to hear a 30 second sample of each song:
1. Rockin' In The Country - (featuring Charlie Daniels) Listen
2. Love You With The Lights On Listen
3. That Why God Made Me Listen
4. How Can I Believe In You (When You'll Be Leaving Me) Listen
5. Going Through Hell (With You Again) Listen
6. Background Noise Listen
7. If I Ever Get Her Back Listen
8. Real Estate Hands Listen
9. She's A Woman Listen
10. She Sure Looks Good In Black Listen
11. They Know How To Grow Em' Listen
12. Take Me Home, Country Roads Listen

Happy Birthday To Daryle Singletary

That Nashville Sound wishes Daryle Singletary a big warm birthday wish today- he turns 38. Signed to Giant Records in 1995, he released his self-titled debut album that year. This album produced four hits on the Billboard country charts, including the #2 "I Let Her Lie" and #4 "Too Much Fun". His second album (1996's All Because of You) produced another #2 in "Amen Kind of Love."

We'll also take this moment to promote Daryle's new Koch Records album, Rockin' In The Country that will be coming out April 21. When asked about the new release, Daryle says; “I spent a lot of time on this project, because I wanted it to be the very best representation of who I am vocally and lyrically. I invited a few of my friends that I’ve always admired, to come into the studio with me." The combination of Daryle’s voice, with special guests Rhonda Vincent, and legendary award-winning fiddler and country-rock artist Charlie Daniels, produces a sound that will have listeners interested in hearing this album.

Celebrate his big day with a watch of his #2 chart hit, "I Let Her Lie" here...

Listen To Daryle Singletary's New Single 'Love You With The Lights On'

My favorite country website recently did a review on Daryle Singletary's new single to radio, "Love You With The Lights On." They've attached a link to stream and listen to the brand new song HERE.

Signed to Giant Records in 1995, he released his self-titled debut album that year. This album produced four hits on the Billboard country charts, including the #2 "I Let Her Lie" and #4 "Too Much Fun". Although his second album (1996's All Because of You) produced another #2 in "Amen Kind of Love", its second and third singles failed to make Top 40. A third album for Giant, 1998's Ain't It the Truth, was released before Singletary exited Giant's roster.
In 2000, Singletary switched to Audium Entertainment, where he released the albums Now and Again (2000) and That's Why I Sing This Way (2002), both of which were largely composed of cover songs. A third album of covers, 2007's Straight from the Heart, was issued on the independent Shanachie label.