Gene Watson’s Peers within the country music industry believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas, so much so that Gene is regarded by many of them as ‘the singer’s singer’ – and rightly so!
All of Gene Watson’s Peers, who were contacted by The Gene Watson Fan Site, during 2005, were most gracious with their time and words.
It is here, within this special part of The Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Darrell Scott, which he submitted to this site on Tuesday 1 November 2005.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Darrell Scott who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Darrell Scott
This quote was submitted on Tuesday 1 November 2005.
‘In 1979, at age 19, I was in a house band in a honky tonk in San Bernardino, California where Gene Watson & The Farewell Party were once our Saturday night guests.
At the end of the night, he asked me to join his band (he had a great steel player Chris ‘Tiny’ Olson, I recall).
I think Gene meant for me to join right then, to get on the bus and go. While I was honoured to be asked, I didn’t do it.
I have often thought what in the world I would have seen from the windows of The Farewell Party bus.
Gene is a great country singer – a direct lineage of Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016) and George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013), but completely, his own voice’
Thank you, Darrell Scott, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Darrell Scott…
Darrell Scott has been, since 1992, a much sought after multi-instrumentalist and is an acclaimed performer and recording artist.
Darrell Scott was born on a tobacco farm in London, Kentucky in 1959 and was raised in East Gary, Indiana. Darrell Scott was part of a musical family; Darrell’s father Wayne, a steelworker by trade was a songwriter in his heart, who moved his clan to southern California when Darrell was eleven years old.
Soon Darrell and brothers Denny, Dale, Don and David were part of their Dad’s band, getting on-the-job training in country music as they played its hits on the stages of roadhouses and taverns as far north as Alaska.
Darrell Scott eventually left the band and California, paying some more musical dues in Toronto and in Boston and earning a degree in poetry from nearby Tufts University, where he also studied literature.
With his lyric skills sharpened and his abilities on guitars, banjo and other instruments already road-tested, Darrell Scott followed his muse to Nashville.
Darrell Scott’s key to entering Music Row’s inner circles was, at first, his string-slinging skills – starting in 1992, he appeared on albums by alt-country mavericks Guy Clark (Thursday 6 November 1941 – Tuesday 17 May 2016) (Darrell Scott later produced two albums for Guy Clark) and Steve Earle, Randy Travis, Patty Loveless and Brad Paisley.
Darrell Scott has also proved himself to be a songwriter of note and has had his songs recorded by an array of his fellow country music artists, including the following:
Doug Stone recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Honky Tonk Mona Lisa’ (co-written with Marcus Hummon) and included the track on ‘Faith In Me, Faith In You’ (Columbia Records, 1995).
Suzy Bogguss recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘No Way Out’ (co-written with Marcus Hummon) and included the track on ‘Give Me Some Wheels’ (Liberty Records, 1996); the track reached No.53 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1996.
Darrell Scott, along with Deborah Allen, Gerald Boyd, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Lisa Greg, Steve Hornbeak, Marcus Hummon, Karen Staley and Harry Stinson, provided backing vocals on Suzy Bogguss’ ‘Give Me Some Wheels’ (Liberty Records, 1996).
Guy Clark (Thursday 6 November 1941 – Tuesday 17 May 2016) recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Out In The Parking Lot’ (co-written with Guy Clark) and included the track on ‘Keepers’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1997).
Garth Brooks recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘When There’s No-One Around’ (co-written with Tim O’Brien) and included the track on ‘Sevens’ (Capitol Records, 1997).
Kevin Sharp (Thursday 10 December 1970 – Saturday 19 April 2014) recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘I’m Trying’ (co-written with Tia Sillers) and included the track on ‘Love Is’ (Asylum Records, 1998).
The Chicks recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Heartbreak Town’ and included the track on ‘Fly’ (Monument Records, 1999).
Trace Adkins recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Someday’ and included the track on ‘More’ (Capitol Records, 1999).
Travis Tritt recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘It’s A Great Day To Be Alive’ and included the track on ‘Down The Road I Go’ (Columbia Records, 2000); the track reached No.2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 2000.
Lee Greenwood recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘I’m Trying’ (co-written with Tia Sillers) and included the track on ‘Same River, Different Bridge’ (Free Falls Entertainment, 2000).
Sara Evans recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Born To Fly’ (co-written with Sara Evans and Marcus Hummon) and included the track on ‘Born To Fly’ (RCA Nashville Records, 2000); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for one week in January 2001.
Patty Loveless recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive’ and included the track on ‘Mountain Soul’ (Epic Records, 2001); Darrell Scott also played banjo and Dobro on the album.
Brad Paisley recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive’ and included the track on ‘Part II’ (Arista Records, 2001).
Diamond Rio recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘I’m Trying’ (co-written with Tia Sillers) and included the track on ‘One More Day’ (Arista Records, 2001); the track featured guest vocals from Chely Wright.
On Tuesday 25 September 2001, Chely Wright saw the release of ‘Never Love You Enough’ (MCA Nashville Records, 2001), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Never Love You Enough’ (written by Brett James, Angelo Petraglia and Dann Huff) (No.26, 2001)
‘Jezebel’ (written by Marcus Hummon, Jay DeMarcus – bass guitarist for the group Rascal Flatts – Paul Worley and Chely Wright) (No.23, 2001)
Chely Wright’s ‘Never Love You Enough’ (MCA Nashville Records, 2001) also included the following tracks:
‘One Night In Las Vegas’ (written by Chely Wright and Brad Paisley) / this track featured background vocals from Brad Paisley
‘While I Was Waiting’ (written by Roxie Dean and Gordon Bradberry)
‘What If We Fly’ (written by Mark Selby and Tia Sillers)
‘Wouldn’t It Be Cool’ (written by Chely Wright and Dean Brown) / this track featured background vocals from Trisha Yearwood
‘Her’ (written by Leslie Satcher)
‘Love Didn’t Listen’ (written by Wendell Mobley and Stephany Delray)
‘For The Long Run’, which was written by Pat Alger and Bat McGrath (Wednesday 17 October 1945 – Tuesday 1 October 2019) / this track featured background vocals from Phil Vassar
‘Horoscope’ (written by Chely Wright and Brad Paisley)
‘Not As In Love’ (written by Chely Wright, Brad Paisley and Tim Nichols) / this track featured background vocals from Brad Paisley
‘Deep Down Low’ (written by Chely Wright)
Personnel involved in the recording of Chely Wright‘s ‘Never Love You Enough’ (MCA Nashville Records, 2001) included the following:
‘Never Love You Enough’
Mike Brignardello (bass guitar)
Lisa Cochran (background vocals)
Dann Huff and Jerry McPherson (electric guitar)
Mike Johnson (steel guitar)
B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar)
Chris McHugh (drums)
Steve Nathan (keyboards)
Chris Rodriguez (background vocals)
‘Jezebel’
Barry Bales, Wes Hightower, Troy Johnson, Dan Tyminski and Chely Wright (background vocals)
J.T. Corenflos (Wednesday 6 November 1963 – Saturday 24 October 2020) (electric guitar)
Stuart Duncan (fiddle)
John A. Hobbs (Saturday 11 February 1928 – Wednesday 12 June 2019) (piano, Hammond B-3 organ)
David Huff (programming)
Marcus Hummon (acoustic guitar, background vocals)
Paul Leim (drums)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass guitar)
Darrell Scott (acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, background vocals)
‘One Night In Las Vegas’
Jim Brown (piano, keyboards, strings)
Kevin Grantt (bass guitar)
Wes Hightower and Troy Johnson (background vocals)
Mike Johnson (steel guitar)
Mitch McMichen (percussion)
Brad Paisley (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals)
Ben Sesar (drums)
Justin Williamson (fiddle, mandolin)
‘While I Was Waiting’
Chad Cromwell (drums)
Eric Darken (percussion)
Dan Dugmore (steel guitar)
Stuart Duncan (mandolin)
Steve Gibson (electric guitar)
Wes Hightower and Liana Manis (background vocals)
John A. Hobbs (Saturday 11 February 1928 – Wednesday 12 June 2019) and Matt Rollings (keyboards)
John Willis (acoustic guitar)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
‘What If We Fly’
J.T. Corenflos (Wednesday 6 November 1963 – Saturday 24 October 2020) and Paul Worley (electric guitar)
Stuart Duncan (fiddle)
Paul Franklin (steel guitar)
Wes Hightower and Troy Johnson (background vocals)
John A. Hobbs (Saturday 11 February 1928 – Wednesday 12 June 2019) (piano)
David Huff (programming)
Marcus Hummon and Darrell Scott (acoustic guitar)
Paul Leim (drums)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass guitar)
‘Wouldn’t It Be Cool’
Pat Buchanan and Steve Gibson (electric guitar)
Melonie Cannon, Garnet Imes and Trisha Yearwood (background vocals)
Chad Cromwell (drums)
Eric Darken (percussion)
Dan Dugmore (12-string electric guitar)
Stuart Duncan (fiddle)
John A. Hobbs (Saturday 11 February 1928 – Wednesday 12 June 2019) (piano)
Matt Rollings (keyboards)
John Willis (acoustic guitar)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
‘Her’
Chad Cromwell (drums)
Eric Darken (percussion)
Dan Dugmore (steel guitar)
Stuart Duncan (fiddle)
Steve Gibson (electric guitar)
Wes Hightower (background vocals)
John A. Hobbs (Saturday 11 February 1928 – Wednesday 12 June 2019) and Matt Rollings (keyboards)
Nashville String Machine (strings)
John Willis (acoustic guitar)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
‘Love Didn’t Listen’
Chad Cromwell (drums)
Eric Darken (percussion)
Dan Dugmore (steel guitar)
Larry Franklin (fiddle)
Steve Gibson (acoustic guitar)
Wes Hightower and Wendell Mobley (background vocals)
John A. Hobbs (Saturday 11 February 1928 – Wednesday 12 June 2019) (piano)
John Jorgenson (electric guitar)
Steve Nathan (Hammond B-3 organ)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
‘For The Long Run’
Chad Cromwell (drums)
Dan Dugmore (steel guitar)
Larry Franklin (fiddle)
Steve Gibson and John Jorgenson (electric guitar)
Wes Hightower, Liana Manis and Phil Vassar (background vocals)
John Barlow Jarvis and Steve Nathan (keyboards)
Nashville String Machine (strings)
John Willis (acoustic guitar)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
‘Horoscope’
Jim Brown (piano, Hammond B-3 organ)
Shannon Brown, Wes Hightower, Troy Johnson, Kendal Marcy, Kris Marcy and Chely Wright (background vocals)
Kevin Grantt (bass guitar)
Mike Johnson (steel guitar)
Mitch McMichen (percussion)
Brad Paisley (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, resophonic guitar)
Ben Sesar (drums)
Justin Williamson (fiddle, mandolin)
‘Not As In Love’
Chad Cromwell (drums)
Dan Dugmore (steel guitar)
Larry Franklin (fiddle)
Steve Gibson (electric guitar)
Wes Hightower and Brad Paisley (background vocals)
John Barlow Jarvis (piano)
John Jorgenson (acoustic guitar, mandocello)
Nashville String Machine (strings)
Steve Nathan (keyboards)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
‘Deep Down Low’
Chad Cromwell (drums)
Eric Darken (percussion)
Chip Davis (background vocals)
Dan Dugmore (steel guitar)
Larry Franklin (fiddle)
Steve Gibson (acoustic guitar)
John A. Hobbs (Saturday 11 February 1928 – Wednesday 12 June 2019) (piano)
John Jorgenson (electric guitar)
Steve Nathan (Hammond B-3 organ)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
The Chicks recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Long Time Gone’ and included the track on ‘Home’ (Open Wide Records / Monument Records / Columbia Nashville Records, 2002); the track, which reached No.2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2002, and No.7 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 2002, earned The Chicks a Grammy Award for ‘Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group’.
Darryl Worley recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Family Tree’ and included the track on ‘I Miss My Friend’ (Dreamworks Records, 2002); the track reached No.26 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2002.
Sara Evans recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Feel It Comin’ On’ (co-written with Marcus Hummon and Sara Evans) and included the track on ‘Restless’ (RCA Nashville Records, 2003).
Tim McGraw recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Old Town New’ (co-written with Bruce Robison) and included the track on ‘Live Like You Were Dying’ (Curb Records, 2004).
Julie Roberts recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘No Way Out’ (co-written with Marcus Hummon) and included the track on ‘Julie Roberts’ (Mercury Records, 2004).
Andy Griggs recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘My Kind of Beautiful’ (co-written with Marcus Hummon and Andy Griggs) and included the track on ‘This I Gotta See’ (RCA Records, 2004).
Mountain Heart recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘With A Memory Like Mine’ and included the track on ‘Force of Nature’ (Skaggs Family Records, 2004).
Brad Paisley recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Out In The Parking Lot’, which was co-written with Guy Clark (Thursday 6 November 1941 – Tuesday 17 May 2016), and included the track on ‘Time Well Wasted’ (Arista Records, 2005); the track was a duet with Alan Jackson.
Kathy Mattea recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Love’s Not Through With Me Yet’ and included the track on ‘Right Out of Nowhere’ (Narada Records / EMI Records, 2005); the track featured backing vocals from Darrell Scott and Suzy Bogguss.
Faith Hill recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘We’ve Got Nothing But Love To Prove’ and included the track on (the North American release only) of ‘Fireflies’ (Warner Bros. Records, 2005).
Sara Evans recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Momma’s Night Out’ (co-written with Marcus Hummon and Sara Evans) and included the track on ‘Real Fine Place’ (RCA Nashville Records, 2005).
Sam Bush recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘River Take Me’ and included the track on ‘Laps In Seven’ (Sugar Hill Records, 2006).
Guy Clark (Thursday 6 November 1941 – Tuesday 17 May 2016) recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Out In The Parking Lot’ (co-written with Guy Clark) and included the track on ‘Work Bench Songs’ (Sugar Hill Records, 2006).
John Corbett recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Simple Man’, which was co-written with Hal Ketchum (Thursday 9 April 1953 – Monday 23 November 2020), and included the track on ‘John Corbett’ (Funbone Records, 2006).
Tim McGraw recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘I’m Working’ (co-written with Lori McKenna) and included the track on ‘Let It Go’ (Curb Records, 2007).
Kathy Mattea recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive’ and included the track on ‘Coal’ (Captain Potato Records, 2008).
Hayes Carll recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Willing To Love Again’ (co-written with Hayes Carll) and included the track on ‘Trouble In Mind’ (Lost Highway Records, 2008); Darrell Scott also played Weisenborn slide guitar and provided harmony vocals on the album.
Hal Ketchum (Thursday 9 April 1953 – Monday 23 November 2020) recorded Darrel Scott’s ‘Ordinary Day’ (co-written with Hal Ketchum) and included the track on ‘Father Time’ (Asylum-Curb Records, 2008).
Reba McEntire recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Eight Crazy Hours (In The Story of Love)’ (co-written with Leslie Satcher) and included the track on ‘Keep On Loving You’ (United States: Starstruck / Valory Music Group Records, 2009 / England: Hump Head Country, 2009).
Maura O’Connell recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘This Beggar’s Heart’ and included the track on ‘Naked’ (Sugar Hill Records, 2009).
Martina McBride recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘I’m Trying’ (co-written with Tia Sillers) and included the track on ‘Shine’ (RCA Nashville Records, 2009).
Beth Nielsen Chapman recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Hallelujah’ (co-written with Beth Nielsen Chapman) and included the track on ‘Back To Love’ (BNC Records, 2010).
Beth Nielsen Chapman recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘I Can See Me Loving You’ (co-written with Beth Nielsen Chapman) and included the track on ‘Back To Love’ (BNC Records, 2010).
Sara Evans recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Born To Fly’ (co-written with Marcus Hummon and Sara Evans) and included the track on ‘Stronger’ (RCA Nashville Records, 2011); this track was a Bluegrass version.
As his ‘day job’ as a picker flourished, Darrell Scott channeled his other creative energies into his own song-writing and recordings.
Darrell Scott’s debut album, ‘Aloha From Nashville’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1997), was followed by ‘Family Tree’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1999) and ‘Real Time’ (Full Light Records, 2000), the latter a duet album with ‘new-grass’ trailblazer, Tim O’Brien.
The Chicks’ recording of Darrell Scott’s ‘Long Time Gone’ (Full Light Records, 2000) from ‘Real Time’ (Open Wide Records / Monument Records / Columbia Nashville Records, 2003) was not only a hit for The Chicks, but garnered a Grammy Award nomination for ‘Best Country Song’ in 2003.
‘The Second Mouse’, a Darrell Scott / Tim O’Brien tune from ‘Real Time’ (Full Light Records, 2000), was a Grammy Award finalist as ‘Best Country Instrumental Performance’ in 2001.
It was also in 2001 when Darrell Scott was named ‘Songwriter of The Year’ by The Nashville Songwriters Association International, an honour repeated by ASCAP in 2002.
Darrell Scott’s solo albums, session work, touring gigs with Steve Earle’s Bluegrass Dukes, Guy Clark (Thursday 6 November 1941 – Tuesday 17 May 2016), and New Grass Revival founder Sam Bush, and his own live shows, have steadily drawn excellent reviews.
In 2003, Darrell Scott launched his own record label, Full Light Records; his first move as owner was to produce a traditional, mountain country album for his father, ‘This Weary Way’, that finally showcased Wayne’s original songs.
Darrell Scott is a such a distinctive and creative force in contemporary music.
Sara Evans recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘I Need A River’ (co-written with Marcus Hummon and Sonya Isaacs) and included the track on ‘Words’ (Born To Fly Records, 2017).
Bobby Osborne (Monday 7 December 1931 – Tuesday 27 June 2023) recorded Darrell Scott’s ‘Kentucky Morning’ and included the track on ‘Original’ (Compass Records, 2017).
• Visit Darrell Scott’s official site at darrellscott.com