Darrell Scott in Conroe, Texas
By Paul T. Mueller — It’s always a joy to get to see a great artist perform. It’s even better to witness such a performance in a quiet, intimate setting, surrounded by an audience of real fans who are there to listen. The 75 or so who came to see Darrell Scott in the Houston suburb of Conroe, Texas, on November 11 were rewarded with a dazzling display of musical virtuosity – lyrical, instrumental and vocal. Presented by a group called Conroe House Concerts, the show was held in the Gentry Building, a restored 101-year-old structure just off the courthouse square – a fitting venue for Scott’s wide-ranging brand of Americana.
Some of Scott’s songs have been big hits for other people – Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw and the Dixie Chicks, among others. For that reason he’s sometimes pegged as a country artist, but his 15-song set on this day reflected his mastery of a broader range of styles, including pop, bluegrass, even a little jazz and soul. Scott’s lyrics are those of a man who’s lived the pain and the joy he writes about and has acquired a deep understanding of the human condition. His performing style combines vulnerability and confidence, backed by serious instrumental chops (guitar only for this show, although he plays several other instruments) and a fine, soulful voice.
There may be some topic, some life event, some emotion that Darrell Scott can’t write and sing about, but you couldn’t have proved it by this show. He opened with “Heartbreak Town,” a hard-road ballad about chasing dreams that could be about the music business or any business. “No Use Living for Today” featured jazzy guitar and wordplay (“Today was once tomorrow/And today’s tomorrow’s yesterday”); “World of Wonder,” written with John Anderson, took a more serious turn toward spirituality. “Candles in the Rain” described the pain of a mother without children, from her point of view; Scott followed that with “Someday,” whose narrator is a father awaiting his chance to realize his buried ambitions.
There wasn’t a dud in the show, but some other high points included “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive,” a dark but hauntingly beautiful exploration of Scott’s family roots in the coal country of Kentucky; “You’re Everything I Wanted Love To Be,” which Scott wrote at age 16, with his father, Wayne; “Helen of Troy, Pennsylvania,” a coming-of-age tale, which Scott described as “not quite X-rated,” about two young guys and a divorcee; and “Passing,” about the ways people try to pass for what they’re not. Scott closed with “The Country Boy,” also written with his father. “You’ll never know the loneliness and sorrow he goes through,” he sang. “The country boy has been there, that’s what makes him sing the blues.”
Darrell Scott has been there, and he sings the blues – and a whole lot else – as few others can.
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