Tony Watson: “Stay With Me” exemplifies simple and yet powerful songwriting at its best!

Singer-songwriter, Tony Watson is an accomplished musician, who plays a variety of instruments, from string to percussion. This West Virginia native honed his country style has been influenced by the likes of James Taylor, John Denver, and John Prine, not to mention Neil Young, Cat Stevens, and many others. Tony is a three-time Artist Music Guild Heritage Award-nominated artist, winning for Music Video of the Year. He is a member of the Country Music Association, Inspirational Christian Country Music Association and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.

Tony Watson’s latest single; “Stay With Me” (released March 4, 2016 on Shine On Records) has already debuted, ahead of the official release, on the Digital Radio Tracker national radio airplay charts. “Stay With Me” was written and produced by Watson. Thirty years in the making, it was recorded, mixed and mastered at Studio Pros in Los Angeles, with additional production at Watson’s own Gate House Studio.

Orchestration was done by Los Angeles musician, Hiro Goto. It is the follow-up single to Watson’s “Homeless Awareness” track, “My Still Small Voice”, and is being coupled with another Watson composition, “Doing The Best,” produced by Bill McDermott (Big Machine) and recorded at Omni Studios Nashville.

I am a big fan of musicians who know how to write quality songs that tell a story without being too sappy in one extreme or too obtuse in the other extreme. Tony Watson is one of those musicians. Great music, great songs and great lyrics all come together in to provide great listening pleasure. At the outset of spinning the piano-driven ballad, “Stay With Me”, you know you are in the hands of a supremely careful artist who has taken pains with every detail.

The man is a keen observer of life with an impeccable ability to put into words what it’s like to be, at the risk of sounding cliché – human. The lyrics are introspective and honest…while the tune will stay in your head for hours, days, weeks, months…this guy is simply the real deal. I believe this song will appeal to any music fan who doesn’t run from a bit of twang…it ain’t Country, it ain’t Pop…and it doesn’t need a little square box to pigeonhole it with either…but if you love those genres anyway, “Stay With Me” will hit you even harder!

And if by chance your flavors lean more toward the Country thang, then “Doing The Best,” will have you kicking up some dust. Tony Watson throws a curve with this song which is pure upbeat “new traditionalist” Country. Tony is a singer and songwriter who hits all the right rhythms and mood notes, with surprises throughout his performances.

This ‘double-sided’ single exemplifies simple and yet powerful songwriting at its best. Each song offering is a treat, both rich in its message as well as its diversity. It’s right up there with all of his other great music, and certainly defines Tony Watson as a great musician and a terrific songwriter.

OFFICIAL LINKS: WEBSITE – FACEBOOK – TWITTER – YOUTUBE – STAY WITH ME – DOING THE BEST