Dale Watson (born October 7, 1962 in

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...

) is an American

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

Texas country Texas country music (more popularly known just as Texas country or Texas music) is a rapidly growing subgenre of country music from Texas. Texas country is a unique style of Western music and is often associated with other distinct neighboring s ...

singer, guitarist, songwriter, and self-published author based in Marshall, TX. He champions "Ameripolitan" as a new genre of original music and has positioned himself as a tattooed, stubbornly independent outsider who is interested in recording authentic country music. As a result, he has become a favorite of critics and alt-country fans.

Biography

Watson was born in Birmingham, Alabama and moved outside of Wilmington, NC when he was less than a year old. The family moved to Pasadena, Texas in 1977. He was one of four boys. Watson's father and his 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

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clubs and honky-tonks with Jim, in an aggregation called The Classic Country Band. 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 Records Curb Records (also known as Asylum-Curb and formerly known as MCG Curb) is an American record label started by Mike Curb, originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963. From 1969 to 1973, Curb merged with MGM Records where Curb served as President of ...

in 1990 and 1991, "One Tear at a Time" and "You Pour It On and I Pour It Down", and appeared on the third volume of the compilation series

A Town South of Bakersfield ''A Town South of Bakersfield'' was a series of three compilation CDs showcasing New Country musicians in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first album came out in 1986 and featured acts such as Dwight Yoakam, the Lonesome Strangers, and Candye ...

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, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...

, 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 album ''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 and soon after, his second daughter was born. Watson attended truck driving school about the time his first album came out and later obtained his commercial driver's license; he often drives the band bus when on tour. The singer is also featured in the

Zalman King Zalman King (born Zalman King Lefkowitz; May 23, 1941 – February 3, 2012) was an American film director, writer, actor and producer. His films are known for incorporating sexuality, and are often categorized as erotica. Early life Zalman Kin ...

documentary "Crazy Again", chronicling his (Watson's) breakdown after his girlfriend Terri Herbert died in a car accident in September 2000. ''Every Song I Write Is For You'' was released in 2001 as a tribute album. After going on hiatus from music in 2004, he moved to

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to be closer to his daughters, Raquel Cain and Dalynn Grace. Dalynn appeared alongside

Luke Wilson Luke Cunningham Wilson (born September 21, 1971) is an American actor known for his roles in films such as '' Bottle Rocket'' (1996), '' Rushmore'' (1998), ''My Dog Skip'' (2000), ''Legally Blonde'' (2001), ''The Royal Tenenbaums'' (2001), ''Id ...

Johnny Knoxville Philip John Clapp (born March 11, 1971), best known professionally as Johnny Knoxville, is an American stunt performer, actor, writer, producer, and professional wrestler. He is best known as a co-creator and star of the MTV reality stunt show ...

and Knoxville's daughter Madison in Watson's 2007 video for "Hollywood Hillbilly" . Both Daughters are in pursuit of acting careers as both have attended UT Austin for theatre. 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 The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...

. He also was the focus of a 2007 bio-picture, "Austin Angel". In 2011 Watson released a music video about

Tiger Airways Australia Tiger Airways Australia Pty Ltd, operating as Tigerair Australia, was an Australian low-cost carrier, low-cost airline. Founded by Tiger Airways Holdings, it commenced services in the domestic airline market on 23 November 2007 as Tiger Airway ...

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 starred in

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...

and

John Mellencamp John J. Mellencamp (born October 7, 1951), previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his catchy brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrument ...

's musical, "

Ghost Brothers of Darkland County ''Ghost Brothers of Darkland County'' is a musical by John Mellencamp, Stephen King, and T Bone Burnett. It debuted at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2012. A touring production began in late 2013 through the South and Midwest. A ...

" and released ''The Sun Sessions'' (

Red House Records Red House Records is an independent folk and Americana record label in St. Paul, Minnesota. The label was founded in 1983 by Bob Feldman after seeing a performance by Iowa folk singer Greg Brown. Origin The label is named for a farmhouse in ...

). In 2013 he released ''El Rancho Azul'' via

, which featured the single, "I Lie When I Drink" (which has become his signature song), helped launch Ameripolitan Music, made his first appearance on

Austin City Limits ''Austin City Limits'' is an American live music television program recorded and produced by Austin PBS. The show helped Austin become widely known in the United States as the "Live Music Capital of the World", and is the only television show t ...

(

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

), and he bought his first little honky-tonk, "The Little Longhorn Saloon" in Austin, TX (home of "Chicken $#!+ Bingo"). In February 2014, his segment on "The Sun Sessions" aired on PBS nationally. He appeared on the ''

Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...

'', performing "I Lie When I Drink" in early February. In mid-February he took part in the 1st Annual Ameripolitan Awards Show. In July, ''The Truckin' Sessions Trilogy'' was released by Red River Entertainment, and he bought his second small honky-tonk, "The Big T Roadhouse" in

St. Hedwig, TX St. Hedwig is a rural town in Bexar County, Texas, Bexar County, Texas, United States founded by German and Polish emigrants in 1852. The population was 2,227 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is part of the San Antonio, Texas, San ...

(where "Chicken $#!+ Bingo" is now a tradition, as well). In November he appeared on the

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

show '' Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!'' In 2015 he toured in January with The

Reverend Horton Heat The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician James C. Heath (born 1959) as well as the name of his Dallas, Texas-based psychobilly trio. Heath is a singer, songwriter and guitarist. A ''Prick'' magazine reviewer called Heath ...

as part of The BADDEST of The BAD Tour, in February he took part in the 2nd Annual Ameripolitan Awards show at The Paramount Theater in Austin, TX. In March, he appeared on ''

Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, Los ...

'' (

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) sitting in with the house band on a night the show broadcast from Austin during

South by Southwest South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in m ...

. In early April, his first performance on Mountain Stage (NPR) aired nationally. In late May, ''The Truckin' Sessions, Vol. 3'' was released as a stand-alone mid-line title in the US via Red River Entertainment and in Europe via Continental Record Services/CRS. His new studio album, ''Call Me Insane'' was produced by

Lloyd Maines Lloyd Wayne Maines (born June 28, 1951) is an American country music record producer, musician and songwriter. He was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame as one of the first three members, the other two being Willie Nelson and Stev ...

(of The Flatlanders, etc.) and was released worldwide June 9 via Red House/Ameripolitan Records. The Call Me Insane Tour "officially" kicked off on June 13 at The Broken Spoke, in Austin, TX. Also in June, he appeared as part of a segment on

The Bachlorette ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

(

) on June 15. The following weekend he & His Lone Stars began touring nationally to support the album's release, selling out shows in

Wichita, KS Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had a population of 647,610 in 2020. It is located in ...

Lincoln, NE Lincoln is the capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers with a population of 292,657 in 2021. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 73rd-largest in the United Sta ...

Minneapolis, MN Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

Columbus, OH Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and ...

Cambridge, MA Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston ...

, etc. Segments/sessions for Daytrotter, Music City Roots, Music Fog, Sirius/XM Outlaw Country, and Texas Music Scene also aired in July. In August, he and His Lone Stars toured primarily in Texas, with highlights being The Lone Star Beer Texas Heritage Festival shows in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Austin. The film ''Two Step'' also opened in

New York, NY New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

and Los Angeles, CA - in which Dale played a bartender. In September and October, he & His Lone Stars performed at The National Folk Festival, the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Fest and some club dates including T Selma, NC before beginning a West Coast run in

Columbia, MO Columbia is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is the county seat of Boone County and home to the University of Missouri. Founded in 1821, it is the principal city of the five-county Columbia metropolitan area. It is Missouri's fourth ...

at Blues N Blues N BBQ Fest that included sold out shows in

Huntington Beach, CA Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 during the 2020 census, makin ...

;

Seattle, WA Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of ...

;

Bozeman, MT Bozeman is a city and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States. Located in southwest Montana, the 2020 census put Bozeman's population at 53,293, making it the fourth-largest city in Montana. It is the principal city of th ...

; and

Denver, CO Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United ...

. The film "Lazer Team" (Rooster Teeth) premiered in Austin, TX - Dale plays a sportscaster. In mid-October, the new album ''Call Me Insane'' reached #1 on the Roots Music Report's Top 50 True Country Album Chart. It peaked at #3 on the FAR Chart in early Summer, #4 on The '' Alternate Root Magazines Root 66 Chart in September, and #7 (twice) on the Americana airplay chart (in mid-August and again in mid-September). In October, he filmed a starring role in an independent short movie project called "Yellow Rose". In November he released a song, "The Bottle Never Let Me Down" on a "limited edition" Bloodshot Records vinyl-only 6-pack collection.

Personal life

In 2019, he opened the bar and restaurant 'Hernando's Hide-A-Way' in Memphis, Tennessee along with his fiancé, singer/songwriter Celine Lee. Celine and Dale began exclusively seeing each other while recording her album ''Cat-Eyes'' with friend and multimedia artist Kacie Marie. Celine and Dale also co-wrote her 2017 debut solo album of the same name ''Celine Lee''. Dale Watson married Celine Lee on June 13, 2020.

Discography

Albums

Singles

(Selective) * "Moments Passed Me By" (AM Pro) * "Nashville Rash" (Hightone) * "One Tear at a Time" (Curb) * "You Pour It On and I Pour It Down" (Curb) * "I Lie When I Drink" (Red House) * "The Bottle Never Let Me Down" (Bloodshot)

References

External links

Dale WatsonDale Watson
at HYENA Records * *

Dale Watson Dale Watson may refer to: * Dale Watson (FBI), former Assistant Director for the Counterterrorism Division of the FBI * Dale Watson (singer) (born 1962), American country singer, guitarist, songwriter and author * Dale Watson (Jamaican footballer) ...

on AllMusic Guide
Dale Watson
- Interview and music from his Sun Sessions CD * {{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Dale Living people 1962 births American male singer-songwriters American country singer-songwriters American alternative country singers American country guitarists American male guitarists Singer-songwriters from Texas Musicians from Birmingham, Alabama Independent Music Awards winners Guitarists from Alabama Guitarists from Texas 20th-century American guitarists Country musicians from Texas Country musicians from Alabama 20th-century American male musicians Singer-songwriters from Alabama