Died On This Date (November 18, 2011) Wayne Scott / Singer-Songwriter; Father Of Darrell Scott
themusicsover Wayne Scott
March 2, 1934 – November 18, 2011
Wayne Scott was a gifted songwriter and musician who could easily hold his own amongst the likes of such respected troubadours as Billy Joe Shaver and Townes Van Zandt. Scott grew up in Kentucky, and although he was writing songs as far back as his teen years, he worked in car factories and steel mills until at the age of 40, he decided to pursue a career in music. Over the years, his band of choice included his four sons, including famed chart topping songwriter, Darrell Scott. Ironically, even though the elder Scott was an extremely prolific songwriter, he chose not to play his songs to his barroom audiences, but rather cover versions of country songs. And it wasn’t until 2005 when he was 71 years old that Darrell finally convinced him to record an album. The stunning collection, This Weary Land, is steeped in folk, country, and blues, and was produced by Darrell. It features such guests as Guy Clark, Tim O’Brien, and Verlon Thompson. Wayne Scott died on November 18, 2011 from injuries he sustained in a car accident. He was 77.
Joe Gracey was an Austin, Texas radio disc jockey who, since the early ’70s, championed what was then called progressive country on KOKE-FM. Also referred to as alt country, Americana, outlaw country, redneck rock, or simply Texas music, this hybrid of country, blues, rock, and folk found its home outside the mainstream. And it was Gracey who helped make many of its practitioners – like Willie Nelson, 
Doyle Bramhall was a much respected Texas singer-songwriter and drummer who was a fixture of the Austin music scene since the 1970s. Bramhall was still in high school when he joined fellow Texan, Jimmy Vaughan in the Chessmen, whose biggest claim to fame was opening for 
Paul Kirby was a Nashville singer-songwriter who fronted the popular roots rock band, Walk The West and later, Cactus Brothers. Decades before anyone thought up the name, “Americana” as a music genre, Kirby was marrying rock ‘n roll with rough-and-tumble country music. Formed with his brother, Will Kirby and schoolmate John Goleman in 1984, Walk The West quickly built a sizable local following thanks to their blistering live shows and growing arsenal of original songs. They were quickly snapped up by Capitol Records just as major labels were trying to find their own contributions to the “cow punk” scene that was suddenly in vogue. The band had a couple of minor hits thanks in part to video play on MTV and opening slots for the likes of the Smithereens and the Ramones. Walk The West never released a follow-up for Capitol and disbanded within the next few years. During the early ’90s, Kirby resurfaced with the more adventurous Cactus Brothers who were definitely more “alt” than “country,” but nonetheless found a home on Liberty Records who was currently riding the high of Garth Brooks. The band released two albums and appeared in the film Pure Country before again being dropped by their label. Kirby and Walk The West reunited for a special event in Nashville in 2008, and then again just weeks before his untimely death. According to the 