Darryl Worley
A country music storyteller who channeled national sentiment after 9/11 into a chart-topping anthem of remembrance.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American singer-songwriter·Birthday: October 31·Baby Boomers
Biography
Darryl Worley emerged from the Tennessee River town of Savannah with a voice built for hard truths and heartfelt stories. His songwriting, often drawn from the lives of everyday people, found its most powerful expression in the wake of September 11, 2001. 'Have You Forgotten?' wasn't just a hit; it became a cultural lightning rod, spending seven weeks at number one and giving voice to a nation's anger and resolve. While that song defined his public persona, his catalog is deeper, exploring themes of love, loss, and small-town life with a plainspoken sincerity. He built a loyal following not only through records but through relentless touring and a deep commitment to charitable work, particularly for cancer patients, establishing the Darryl Worley Cancer Treatment Center in his hometown.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Darryl was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Darryl Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Darryl's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- His single 'Have You Forgotten?' spent seven consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 2003.
- Founded the Darryl Worley Foundation, which helped establish a cancer treatment center in his hometown of Savannah, Tennessee.
- Has charted over 20 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts throughout his career.
Did You Know?
He worked as a counselor at a substance abuse treatment center before his music career took off.
He is an avid hunter and fisherman, themes that often appear in his music and lifestyle.
He served in the United States Army Reserve before pursuing music full-time.
“I'm just a singer of simple songs, I'm not a real political person.”
