Darryl Worley Biography

Darryl Wade Worley (born October 31, 1964) is an American country music artist. Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 2000, Worley released four albums for the label: Hard Rain Don't Last (2000), I Miss My Friend (2002), Have You Forgotten? (2003), and Darryl Worley in 2004. After the label closed in 2005, he moved to 903 Music, an independent label owned by Neal McCoy, releasing Here and Now in 2006, shortly before that label's closure. His most recent studio release is 2009's Sounds Like Life via Stroudavarious Records, owned by James Stroud.

Worley's six albums have produced 18 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including three Number Ones: "I Miss My Friend", "Have You Forgotten?", and "Awful, Beautiful Life", from 2002, 2003 and 2004"2005, respectively. "Have You Forgotten?" spent seven weeks at Number One. Nine other singles have reached the Top 40.

Biography

Darryl Wade Worley was born October 31, 1964 in Memphis, Tennessee to Tommy and Bonnie Worley. His family moved to Pyburn, Tennessee when he was young and he was raised there. His father was a Methodist preacher and his mother sang in the church choir. Worley attended the University of North Alabama and earned a degree in biology and chemistry. He worked in the chemical industry prior to pursuing country music, and wrote for FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. One of his first cuts as a songwriter was a track on Archer/Park's 1994 debut album.

Musical career

Hard Rain Don't Last (1999-2001)

Worley was signed to DreamWorks Records in 1999. His debut single "When You Need My Love" followed in March 2000, the first of four single releases from his debut album Hard Rain Don't Last. Following this song were "A Good Day to Run", "Second Wind" and "Sideways". Respectively, these singles peaked at No. 15, No. 12, No. 20 and No. 41 on the Billboard country charts. Production duties on the album were split between Frank Rogers and James Stroud. Also in 2000, George Jones charted with the single "Sinners & Saints", which Worley co-wrote.

I Miss My Friend (2002)

His second album, I Miss My Friend, followed in 2002. Its title track became his first Number One hit on the country charts that year, and was followed by the top 30 "Family Tree", written by Darrell Scott. This album was also his first Number One album on Top Country Albums.

Have You Forgotten? (2003)

Worley had his biggest hit in 2003 with the song "Have You Forgotten?", the first release from his 2003 album of the same name. The song deals with the people who died in September 11 Attacks. It reached Number One in its fifth week on the charts, and held its position for seven weeks. The album included only four new tracks counting "Have You Forgotten?", as well as six each from his first and second albums. "Tennessee River Run", one of the carryovers from I Miss My Friend, was issued as a single in 2003, peaking at No. 31. After it came his lowest-peaking single, "I Will Hold My Ground" at No. 57. Have You Forgotten? is also certified gold by the RIAA.

Darryl Worley (2004-2005)

2004 saw the release of Worley's fourth studio album, the self-titled Darryl Worley. Its lead-off single, the Harley Allen co-write "Awful, Beautiful Life", became his third Number One hit in early 2005. Following this song was the Top Ten "If Something Should Happen", as well as "I Love Her, She Hates Me", which stopped at No. 56 due to the closure of DreamWorks Records in mid-2005.

Here and Now (2006-2007)

Later that same year, Worley signed on with country singer Neal McCoy's vanity label 903 Music. His first release for 903 was "Nothin' but a Love Thang", which peaked at No. 35. This was the first of three singles from Here and Now, his fifth studio album. Also released from it were the Top 20 "I Just Came Back from a War" and the No. 54 "Livin' in the Here and Now", the chart run of which was halted by the closure of 903 music in May 2007.

Sounds Like Life (2008-2010)

Worley signed in 2008 to his third recording contract, this time with Stroudavarious Records, a label that Stroud founded in 2008. His sixteenth chart entry, "Tequila on Ice", was issued in the middle of that year, peaking at No. 44. Following it was "Sounds Like Life to Me", which has reached the Top 20. Both songs are included on his sixth release, Sounds Like Life. The album's third and final single was "Best of Both Worlds."

God & Country

Worley debuted the single "Keep the Change" in mid-2010. It was to be included on his seventh studio album, God & Country, but the album went unreleased when his record label, Stroudavarious, ceased operation.

Worley then moved to Tenacity Records in 2012 to release "You Still Got It".

Personal life

He married his first wife, Beverly Irwin on May 12, 2001. Worley opened a restaurant, the Worleybird Cafe, in Savannah, TN, with his wife, Beverly (whom he divorced in July 2006) He also has a vegan restaurant in Dothan, Alabama located at Country Crossing. He also has two brothers, Tommy and Barry. Worley has been Married to Kimberly Lee Perkins since December 2007 with whom he has a daughter, Savannah Gail born March 24, 2008. Worley also formerly owned a boutique furniture store in Enterprise, Alabama.

In addition, Worley posed nude (non-full-frontal) for the July 2007 issue of Playgirl magazine.

Charitable works

Each year, Worley hosts a Charity Foundation Event, the "Tennessee River Run." Proceeds benefit the Darryl Worley Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that provides funds to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions				Certifications (sales threshold)
		US Country	US	US Indie	US Heat
Hard Rain Don't Last	Release date: July 18, 2000 Label: DreamWorks Nashville	33	"?	"?	39
I Miss My Friend	Release date: July 16, 2002 Label: DreamWorks Nashville	1	21	"?	"?
Have You Forgotten?	Release date: April 15, 2003 Label: DreamWorks Nashville	1	4	"?	"?	US: Gold
Darryl Worley	Release date: November 2, 2004 Label: DreamWorks Nashville	12	72	"?	"?
Here and Now	Release date: November 21, 2006 Label: 903 Music	35	187	11	"?
Sounds Like Life	Release date: June 9, 2009 Label: Stroudavarious Records	26	172	35	"?
One Time Around	To be released Label: Tenacity Records	To be released
""?" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions		Album
		US Country	US
2000	"When You Need My Love"[A]	15	75	Hard Rain Don't Last
	"A Good Day to Run"	12	76
2001	"Second Wind"	20	111
	"Sideways"	41	"?
2002	"I Miss My Friend"	1	28	I Miss My Friend
	"Family Tree"	26	"?
2003	"Have You Forgotten?"	1	22	Have You Forgotten?
	"Tennessee River Run"	31	"?
	"I Will Hold My Ground"	57	"?
2004	"Awful, Beautiful Life"	1	30	Darryl Worley
2005	"If Something Should Happen"	9	75
	"I Love Her, She Hates Me"	56	"?
2006	"Nothin' but a Love Thang"	35	"?	Here and Now
	"I Just Came Back from a War"	18	115
2007	"Livin' in the Here and Now"	54	"?
2008	"Tequila on Ice"	44	"?	Sounds Like Life
2009	"Sounds Like Life to Me"	11	84
2010	"Best of Both Worlds"	43	"?
	"Keep the Change"	46	"?	God & Family (unreleased)
2012	"You Still Got It"	40	"?	One Time Around
2013	"Southern Original"[B]
""?" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

Year	Video	Director
2000	"When You Need My Love"	Mark Tucker/Jimmy Abegg
	"A Good Day to Run"	Trey Fanjoy
2001	"Second Wind"	Shaun Silva
2002	"I Miss My Friend"
	"Family Tree"
2003	"Have You Forgotten?"
	"Tennessee River Run"
2004	"Awful, Beautiful Life"	Cameron Casey
2005	"If Something Should Happen"	Shaun Silva
2006	"Nothin' but a Love Thang"	Sam Erickson
	"I Just Came Back from a War"	Jacob Hatley
2008	"Tequila on Ice"	Kristin Barlowe
2009	"Sounds Like Life to Me"	The Erwin Bros.
2012	"You Still Got It"	TK McKamy