by Charlotte Dillon
Darryl Worley was born and raised in Tennessee. He has mentioned being influenced by country greats like Hank Williams, George Jones, Willie Nelson, and Merle Haggard. Hints of those influences show through in Worley's own music, but without taking over. Hard Rain Don't Last is his debut full-length offering. He co-wrote many of the tunes on this first album, including "When You Need My Love," "Feels Like Work," "If I Could Just Be Me," "A Good Day to Run," and "Too Many Pockets," as well as the impressive title track. A number of the tunes made their way onto the Top 20 charts. The songs on Hard Rain Don't Last move from slow and soft ballads to toe-tapping Western swing filled with the sound of the expected steel guitar and fiddle, and are all enjoyable. Though a lot of country music seems caught somewhere closer to pop or rock than country, this recording proves that traditional doesn't have to be outdated.