Singletary celebrates traditional country

By Brenda Neugent

Published: April 24, 2008

From staff reports
A traditionalist in a world of contemporary country artists, Daryle Singletary was 9 years old when he first put a voice to his dreams.
He always knew he wanted to sing, and although his early roots are gospel, the Georgia-born musician naturally turned to country, thanks to inspiration from the likes of traditionalists like George Jones, Lefty Frizzell and Buck Owens.
“This is the music that moved me to Nashville,” said Singletary in an online biography. “I grew up singing gospel music, but always was a big fan of traditional country music. And these are the singers that made me move here.”
His upcoming album, “Rockin’ in the Country,” celebrates those roots through a collection of new songs that reflect Singletary’s love of country music.
“I spent a lot of time on this project, because I wanted it to be the very best representation of who I am vocally and lyrically,” he said on his Web site. “I invited a few of my friends that I’ve always admired to come into the studio with me.”
Guests include Charlie Daniels and Singletary favorite Rhonda Vincent, who performed along with a host of others on Singletary’s 2001 album “That’s Why I Sing This Way.”
That album was one of several that Singletary — playing Sunday as part of the Providence Fire & Rescue’s Spring Fling Festival — has released over the years paying tribute to his musical mentors. Other guests included George Jones, Merle Haggard and Dwight Yoakam.
Singletary released his second tribute album, last year’s “Straight From the Heart,” an album of covers along with some originals that again paid tribute to pure country.
“Man, I’ve been so fortunate,” he said in an interview with http://www.countrystandtime.com. “I’ve talked many times about being true to myself and just being who I am and not trying to chase radio and not trying to chase the industry. Just be who I am as an artist and a person. And fortunately, it’s paid off. I think people can see through the smoke and the lights and see the real thing there.”
He credits his values for much of his success, which began after he moved to Nashville in 1990 and landed his first record deal just four years later.
“My priorities are first, the Lord, then my family, and then, my career,” he told Mountain West Music in a 1998 interview. “If I keep that in sight, everything else will be fine. If I can continue, a long time from now, to sing country music and be happy, that’s all I’d ask for. I’d like to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry, that’s a dream of anybody that’s a country singer, but I am definitely loving what I do, I could be out here 365 days a year.”
For more information, visit http://www.darylesingletary.net.

What’s on tap at Spring Fling
PROVIDENCE, N.C. — Providence Fire & Rescue’s annual Spring Fling Festival features a wide array
of musical events, along with tractor pulls, a car show and other performances.
Events scheduled as part of the two-day festival
include:

Saturday
* Local school groups including the George Washington High School Chorus, the Bartlett Yancey High School Band and NJROTC, the Dillard Middle School Band and a parade featuring Caleb Brinkley and Russell Watlington as grand marshals, 10 a.m.
* Mike Jones and the Young at Heart, bluegrass, noon
* Lawn and garden tractor pulls, 1 to 3 p.m.
* All That Dance, under the direction of Stacye Cassidy, 3 p.m.
* Tuesday’s Gone, a Lynryd Skynyrd tribute show, 3:30 p.m.
* Matt Boswell and the Hillbilly Blues Band, 7 p.m.

Sunday
* Backstreet, 1 p.m.
* Car show, noon registration, 1 p.m. show
* All That Dance, 3 p.m.
* Daryle Singletary, country, 4 p.m.
In addition, a wide array of food will be available, along with rides from Fun Time Amusements, craft
vendors, bossie bingo and raffles.
For more information about the event, visit http://www.providencespringflingfestival.com.