Dale Watson (born 1962, Birmingham, Alabama) is an American alternative country singer, guitarist and songwriter based in Austin, Texas. He's positioned himself as a tattooed, stubbornly independent outsider who is interested in recording authentic country music. As a result, his record sales have been slow, but he's become a favorite of critics and Alt-Country fans.
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.
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 also was the focus of a 2007 bio-picture, Austin Angel. Championed "Ameripolitan" as a new genre of original music with prominent roots influence.
After going on hiatus from music in 2004, he moved to Baltimore, Maryland to be closer to his daughters, he returned to Austin in July 2006 and resumed playing regular gigs in Austin, including Sunday nights 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.
From Wikipedia:Dale Watson (born October 7 1962 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an American alternative country/Texas Country singer, guitarist, songwriter, and self-published author based in Austin, Texas. He's championed "Ameripolitan" as a new genre of original music and positioned himself as a tattooed, stubbornly independent outsider who is interested in recording authentic country music. As a result, his record sales have been slow, but he's become a favorite of critics and alt-country fans.
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.