Artist Information
It is an approach that has helped to make Darryl a mainstay of modern country music. He has topped the charts with singles including "I Miss My Friend," "Awful, Beautiful Life" and "Have You Forgotten," which accomplished the feat for one, two and an incredible seven weeks, respectively. He hit the Top 20 with the first three singles from his impressive major-label debut, Hard Rain Don't Last —"When You Need My Love," "A Good Day to Run" and "Second Wind"–and followed with smashes like "If Something Should Happen," "I Just Came Back From a War" the iconic "Tennessee River Run," and "Sounds Like Life To Me." Along the way, he earned nominations for five major ACM and CMA awards, including "Song of the Year" and "Single of the Year," and wrote songs for other artists including George Jones.
Darryl grew up in Pyburn, Tenn., the son of a father who left his job at a local paper company to become a Methodist preacher and a mother who was a featured singer in the church choir. He became a hard-working yet rebellious young man, earning a degree in biology with a minor in organic chemistry while drinking bootlegged whiskey and partying at honky tonks. All the while, Darryl never gave up on making music his full-time pursuit.
While holding various jobs, including a stint as a teacher, Darryl played clubs on the weekends and occasional weeknights. He eventually landed a publishing deal with Fame in Muscle Shoals, Ala. He signed a recording deal with DreamWorks Nashville in 1999 and released his debut single "When You Need My Love."
Darryl made his Grand Ole Opry debut June 30, 2000. "It really is cool to come out here and play," says Darryl. "If you've never been to the Opry, you need to come check it out. It's one of the last real traditions in this country that means something to people."
