Daron Norwood obit

DARON NORWOOD OBITUARY

 

He was not on the list.

Daron Jay Norwood passed away from this life on July 22, 2015. He was born to Hugh Jack and Margaret Norwood on Sep. 30, 1965. He was a passionate, bigger than life entertainer that had the gift of motivation. Daron was a Nashville recording artist that signed with Giant Records in the early 1990's. Two of his songs, If it wasn't for Her and Cowboy's Don't Cry, reached Billboard's top 25. Besides his music, Daron was an avid educator of young people on the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. His children and grandchildren were his whole world. Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Suella; children, Krista Spears and husband Ben, Delaney, Roxy, and Daylan; grandchildren, Brock and Lily-Kate Spears; grandfather, J.T. Miller; siblings, Byron and Sandra Norwood and Misti and J.J. Arpassi; and nephews Slade and Miller. Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday, July 27, 2015, at First Baptist Church in Tahoka with interment to follow at Nevels Memorial Cemetery.

Signed to Giant Records in 1993, he released two albums (1994's Daron Norwood and 1995's Ready, Willing and Able)[3] for the label and charted six singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. Two singles off his debut album, "If It Wasn't For Her I Wouldn't Have You" and "Cowboys Don't Cry", both made the country Top 40. The title track of his second album was later a Top 20 hit in 1996 for Lari White.

In late 1994, Norwood co-wrote and sang "Little Boy Lost" on the BNA Records album Keith Whitley: A Tribute Album, a tribute to Keith Whitley which featured a mix of original songs, covers of Whitley's material, and new compositions. Norwood also sang "Working Elf Blues" on the 1995 multi-artist album Giant Country Christmas, Volume 1.

On November 5, 1995, Norwood decided to retire because of his addiction to alcohol. He told the Lubbock-Avalanche Journal that during that time period, he consumed 20 to 25 shots of Jack Daniel's a night.

Norwood also served as a motivational speaker. His program, called "Keep It Straight", was developed to warn children of the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. Daron married Suella McCarty on July 5, 2009. Together they had children Krista, Delaney, Roxy, and Daylan.

In 2009, while at a high school in Panhandle, Texas to conduct a motivational speech he appeared to have a melt down and was under the influence. Several students interviewed described that, "basically, he spent five minutes on drugs in an hour and 45 minute assembly." The rest of the time, according to students, say was filled with a jumbled mix of Norwood shooting hoops, running around the gym, playing music, and shouting at students. Another senior who was there, says "it was really random. He would stop and start talking for like 5 seconds, then play music again. It was just really weird." So weird that it apparently included a story about Norwood's grandfather "screwing whores."  After a while, students say they started to get scared. A third student, a senior, says she was concerned "when he started yelling at the kids, the principal, and the coaches, it kinda scared me for a minute. I thought, if someone pushes him any further, what's gonna happen?"A teacher finally pulled the fire alarm to get students out of the gym. After that, police officers were also called to the school, and the chief says Norwood was cooperative but slow in packing up and leaving. They attribute his bizarre speech to some kind of mental problem.

 

Norwood was found dead in his Hereford, Texas, apartment by his landlord on the afternoon of July 22, 2015. The Associated Press reported he was last seen the previous night by friends. Hereford police spokesperson, Capt. Kirsten Williams, stated on July 23 that Norwood's body showed no signs of trauma and that investigators did not suspect foul play. Williams further stated that cause of death was still pending.