by Mark Deming

A young singer and songwriter in the Texas honky tonk tradition, Aaron Watson plays country music with a traditional feel but a young man's energy and spunk, and has earned a loyal fan following in the Lone Star State. Born in Amarillo, TX, Watson's earliest musical influences were the gospel hymns he sang in church with his family and the classic country records by George Jones, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson his folks played around the house. Watson began writing and singing his own songs while he was a student at Abilene Christian University, and after graduating he became a regular fixture on the Texas honky tonk circuit. In 2002, Watson released his first album, Shutupanddance, which was a major success in Texas, spawning the hit singles "Off the Record," "I Don't Want You to Go (But I Need You to Leave)," and the title tune. The album also earned him airplay and media attention nationwide, and Watson followed up his debut in 2004 with The Honky Tonk Kid, which was produced by Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel and featured guest vocals from Watson's hero, Willie Nelson. Watson and his band the Orphans of the Brazos captured their energetic live set on tape with their 2005 release Live at the Texas Hall of Fame, and Watson returned to the studio in 2006 for his fourth album, San Angelo.