Dale Watson Biography

Dale Watson Biography

Dale Watson (b. 1962, Birmingham, Alabama) is an American alternative country singer, guitarist and songwriter based in Austin, Texas. Watson prefers to march to his own beat, and rather then playing the more popular commercial country music, he instead prefers  old-style honky tonk and Bakersfield country. As a result, hehas yet to have a commercially succesful release, but his music was championed by numerous critics and alternative country fans. Playing music and writing his own songs fromt he age of twelve, Watson spent seven years playing  local clubs and honky talks after graduation. In 1988, Watson moved to Los Angelos and played in North-Hollywood's now legendary 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. Commercial music was not to Watsson's taste, so he relocated Austin, a more progressive and alternative scene where he formed a backing band called the Lonestars (not to be confused with modern country band Lonestar).

In 1995, Watson released his debut album "Cheatin' Heart Attack" to critical acclaim. In the next five years Watson released three more albums. Watson career took a turn for the wrose following the tragic death of his fiance in 200. Devastated, Watson self-medicated with alcohol and drugs and neearly died of overdose in December of the name year. Watson then checked himself into a mental institution to recover. His next album was the deeply mournful tribute "Every Song I Write Is For You" which was released by Koch in 2001. Watson's following three albumswere released in quick succession over the following three years.

After going on hiatus from music to move to Baltimore, Maryland to be closer to his daughters, he returned to Austin in July 2006 and resumed playing regular gigs, including Sunday nights at Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon and a Monday night residence at The Continental Club on South Congress. He is also a regular performer on the Grand Ole Opry. The singer is also featured in the Zalman King documentary Crazy Again, chronicling his (Watson's) mental breakdown after his girlfriend Terri Herbert died in a fatal car accident in September 2000. He is expected to star in King's next film, Austin Angel, due out in 2007. Championed "Ameripolitan" as a new genre of original music with prominent roots influence