Long inspired by country legends who endured tragedy and heartache, Dale Watson received a double dose of both in 2000. Devastated after his fiancée died in a car crash in September, Watson attempted suicide by drug overdose after Christmas and wound up committing himself to a mental health institution. After his release, he wrote songs to confront his pain, resulting in Every Song I Write Is for You, a moving, inspiring journey through past joys, present pain, and, ultimately, healing. Emotions of bereavement run through every number: sorrow (I Can’t Let You Go”), anger (”Our First Times and Our Last Times”), sacrifice (”I’d Deal with the Devil”), and acceptance (”I See Your Face in Every Face I See” and ”These Things We’ll Never Do”). Misty, atmospheric arrangements, occasional jazzy rhythms, and (synthesized) strings in the Billy Sherrill tradition frame each number to perfection. As mainstream Nashville leans on cotton-candy kid stuff to maintain eroding audiences, Watson has not only regained his personal bearings, he’s created a classic of staggering proportion, a powerful reminder of what this music is really about. -Rich Kienzle”