Biography
Watson grew up in poverty outside of Pasadena, Texas as one of four boys. Watson's father (whom he is named after) and brother, Jim were both musically inclined and guided what have become his longstanding musical influences. Watson began writing his own songs at age 12, making his first recording two years later. Soon after, Watson became an emancipated minor. By day he went to school and by night he played local Houston clubs and Honky Tonks with Jim in an aggregation called the Classic Country Bandin.
He moved to Los Angeles in 1988 on the advice of Rosie Flores and soon joined the house band at North Hollywood's now-legendary alt-country venue the Palomino Club. He recorded two singles for Curb in 1990, "One Tear at a Time" and "You Pour It On," and appeared on the third volume of the compilation series, A Town South of Bakersfield, in 1992. Not long after, he moved to Nashville and spent some time writing songs for the Gary Morris publishing company where his first daughter was born.
Watson relocated to Austin, TX, where he formed a backing band called the Lone Stars. He scored a deal with Hightone and released his debut album, Cheatin' Heart Attack, in 1995. It was greeted with enormous acclaim for the vitality Watson brought to his vintage-style material and performances and also featured a dig at mainstream country in "Nashville Rash." Follow-up Blessed or Damned appeared in 1996 and continued in a similar vein, as did 1997's I Hate These Songs. His next release, The Truckin' Sessions, appeared on Koch in 1998 and was devoted entirely to that distinct country subgenre of truck-driving songs. Soon after, his second daughter was born.
He has won the British Country Music Awards Best International Artist on an Independent Label, and country music awards in the Netherlands and Spain. Watson tours Europe annually, and has a large growing fan base there. Also, winner of the 9th Annual Independent Music Awards: Best Country Album "The Truckin' Sessions, Vol 2".
The singer is also featured in the Zalman King documentary Crazy Again, chronicling his (Watson's) breakdown after his girlfriend Terri Herbert died in a fatal car accident in September 2000. He also was the focus of a 2007 bio-picture, Austin Angel.
After going on hiatus from music in 2004, he moved to Baltimore, Maryland to be closer to his daughters, Raquel and Grace. Grace appeared alongside Luke Wilson, Johnny Knoxville and Knoxville's daughter Madison in Watson's 2007 video for, "Hollywood Hillbilly". Raquel is a stage and film actress based in Austin.
Watson returned to Austin in July 2006 and resumed playing regular gigs, including Sundays at Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon and a Monday night residence at The Continental Club. He is also a regular performer on the Grand Ole Opry.
In 2008 Watson released "To Terri With Love," an album dedicated to his late girlfriend, with all proceeds going to the Teresa L. Herbert Memorial Foundation.
In 2011 Watson released a video song about Tiger Airways Australia after the company charged him $500 to transport a box of CDs which they then lost and initially refused to pay compensation.
In 2012 he is slated to star in Stephen King and John Mellencamp's musical, "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County".
Read more about this topic: Dale Watson (singer)
Famous quotes containing the word biography:
“The death of Irving, which at any other time would have attracted universal attention, having occurred while these things were transpiring, went almost unobserved. I shall have to read of it in the biography of authors.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“In how few words, for instance, the Greeks would have told the story of Abelard and Heloise, making but a sentence of our classical dictionary.... We moderns, on the other hand, collect only the raw materials of biography and history, “memoirs to serve for a history,” which is but materials to serve for a mythology.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Just how difficult it is to write biography can be reckoned by anybody who sits down and considers just how many people know the real truth about his or her love affairs.”
—Rebecca West (1892–1983)