Born 61 Years Ago Today in Texas, the Preacher’s Boy Who Slept in His Truck for 3 Years, Scored a 90s Country Hit, Then Walked Away From Music

On this day (September 30) in 1965, country music singer Daron Jay Norwood was born in Lubbock, Texas. During his brief but impressive career, Norwood released three albums and sent six singles to the Hot Country Songs chart — including the top 25 hit “Cowboys Don’t Cry” in 1994.

In addition to his love for entertaining, Norwood was also passionate about educating young people on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. Indeed, he prematurely ended his own musical journey in 1995 to combat his own struggles with alcohol.

On July 22, 2015, Daron Norwood was tragically found dead by his landlord in his Hereford, Texas apartment. He was just 49 years old.

While an official cause of death was never released, police said they did not suspect foul play in Norwood’s death.

Today, we’re honoring his contributions to country music on what would have been his 61st birthday.

About Daron Norwood

A singer from a young age, Daron Norwood came up through the Texas country music club circuit. Eventually, he generated enough buzz to land a recording contract with Giant Records in 1993.

The following year, Norwood released his self-titled debut album. He got off to a favorable start when its lead single, “If It Wasn’t for Her I Wouldn’t Have You”, reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

His Signature Song

Building on that momentum, Daron Norwood dropped the song he is perhaps best remembered for — “Cowboys Don’t Cry”.

Norwood sacrificed a lot during his quest to find country stardom. In a write up from the defunct Country Weekly, Norwood was described as a “Texas preacher’s boy who came to Nashville in 1988 and slept in his truck for three years before scoring his mid-’90s hit.”

Interestingly, Norwood wasn’t the first artist to record “Cowboys Don’t Cry”. That would be country singer Dude Mowrey, whose version reached number 65 as the only single from his 1991 debut album Honky Tonk.

However, Norwood’s version fared significantly better commercially, peaking at number 24 on the U.S. country singles chart.

Written by Jim Allison, Doug Gilmore, Bob Simon and Jeff Raymond, “Cowboys Don’t Cry” is about a man trying — and failing — to convince himself that he’s too tough to cry over a lost lover.

“There’s something about Norwood’s resonant vocal style that really brings the feelings of this tale of heartbreak and self-denial to life,” Addie Moore wrote for Wide Open Country.

Leaving It All Behind

Daron Norwood released just one other album for Giant Records — 1995’s Ready, Willing and Able. He failed to reach the top 40 with either of the album’s singles.

In late 1994, Norwood contributed the song “Little Boy Lost” — which he co-wrote — to BNA Records’ Keith Whitley: A Tribute Album.

However, on November 5, 1995, the Texan shocked fans with the announcement that he was leaving the country music business due to his battle with severe alcoholism.

“I loved Jack Daniels, and Jack Daniels hated me,” Norwood said in 1998. He estimated that he averaged “20 to 25 shots of Jack Daniels a night.”

[RELATED: James Stroud: From Rock To Country]

Daron Norwood released his final album, I Still Believe, on August 3, 2012.

Featured image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images