Singer Darrell Scott Reflects On His Father's Death

Enlarge Scott Simontacchi/Thirty Tigers

Darrell Scott released his father Wayne's first album in 2006. Wayne also wrote two of the songs on Darrell's forthcoming album, Long Road Home.

Scott Simontacchi/Thirty Tigers

Darrell Scott released his father Wayne's first album in 2006. Wayne also wrote two of the songs on Darrell's forthcoming album, Long Road Home.

Country singer-songwriter Darrell Scott grew up playing with his father, Wayne, and helped his father release a debut album at age 71. They continued to collaborate in recent years.

Last month, Darrell was in Texas in between gigs when he learned that his father had died in a car accident.

"At first, I didn't know what to do," he tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "My first instinct was very dad-like: to go do my work, go do my gig in Dallas. And then after 30 minutes and talking to my girlfriend and daughter, I realized they knew more about what to do than I did, which was to go home."

Scott immediately took a flight from Austin to Nashville. On the plane, he wrote a poem about his father's accident. On Fresh Air, Scott reads his poem, titled "this morning," and reflects on his father's life and death. Also in the broadcast: a lengthy excerpt from a Fresh Air interview, originally aired on July 7, 2006, with both Wayne and Darrell Scott.

"this morning"

my father died this morning...
car accident
his first his last

helicoptered to trauma center
his end begun
& ended
all
in 4 hours

eyewitnesses say he ran
a red light
in front of a semi

impact

and the car drove half
a mile before resting inside
a wendy's on 25E

corbin, knox county,
kentucky

march 2, 1934 to this morning,
this morning,
november 18, 2011

i feel certain
he was listening
to music

darrell scott