THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 1, 1996 TAG: 9608300069
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 58 lines
BEFORE THE sound of ``Play ball'' on Monday, Harbor Park will ring with the traditionalist country sounds of Daryle Singletary.
And then you might hear the sound of ``Go, Richmond!'' from Singletary himself.
Singletary is from Wigham, Ga. Richmond is an Atlanta Braves farm team, so - ``Go, Richmond!''
``This will be the first time I've done anything like this,'' Singletary said. ``Two firsts for me - singing the national anthem and singing at a ball park. Nothing to make me nervous - just another day at the factory.''
He played baseball in a recreational league back home, but now concentrates on softball.
``Everybody in the band has a glove. We play a little bit,'' Singletary said during a phone interview from the Nashville home he shares with his singer/wife, Kerry Harvick. ``There's something about a glove and a little white ball that makes time pass.''
He is also making time pass with his newest interests, trap shooting and golf.
``There's a lot to do,'' said Singletary, who has done a lot since his record debut last year. He has had two Top Five singles and two Top Five videos.
He made his singing debut when he was 3, performing with his family's gospel group. When he was old enough to reach the mike without standing on a box, he took part in talent competitions.
A member of Randy Travis' road crew heard him and kept after his superstar boss to give him a listen.
Singletary, a major Travis fan, met his hero after a Louisville concert. His hero's wife/manager, Lib Hatcher, asked for a demo tape. You know the rest.
``I see Randy every once in a while. We worked a few shows together last month,'' Singletary said. ``He's a great country singer. I'm turned on by that. I'm such a big fan of his style.
``Our styles are similar - we're both traditional - but I don't sound a bit like him.''
The Singletary sound will soon be heard on a recently completed album called ``All Because of You.''
USA Today's David Zimmerman said that the first Singletary single, ``I'm Living Up To Her Low Expectations'' established the performer as ``one of country's ever-dwindling number of young arch-tradition-alists.''
The singer's debut album, ``Daryle Singletary,'' also included the hits ``I Let Her Lie'' and ``Too Much Fun'' - which is what he has been having.
``I've been fortunate in the last 18 months. The reviews have been good, everybody's been supportive,'' he said. ``I just want to keep doing my best - try to make folks happy.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
GIANT RECORDS
Daryle Singletary's traditionalist country sounds will fill Harbor
Park Monday.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE BIOGRAPHY COUNTRY MUSIC by CNB