Douglas Anderson Supernaw (September 26, 1960 – November 13, 2020) was an American country music artist. After several years performing as a local musician throughout the state of Texas, he signed with BNA Records in 1993.

Doug Supernaw
A picture of country music singer Doug Supernaw.
Promotional image of Supernaw.
Background information
Birth nameDouglas Anderson Supernaw
Born(1960-09-26)September 26, 1960
Bryan, Texas, U.S.
DiedNovember 13, 2020(2020-11-13) (aged 60)
Livingston, Texas, U.S.
GenresCountry
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1993–1999
2016–2020
Labels
Websitedougsupernaw.com

Supernaw released four studio albums in his career: Red and Rio Grande (1993), Deep Thoughts from a Shallow Mind (1994), You Still Got Me (1995), and Fadin' Renegade (1999). Between 1993 and 1996, he charted 11 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts, including "I Don't Call Him Daddy", his only No. 1 single, in late 1993.

Biography

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Doug Supernaw was born on September 26, 1960, in Bryan, Texas.[1] He grew up in Inwood Forest and was an avid golfer as well as a member of his high school golf team. His mother, a fan of country music, exposed him to acts such as George Jones and Gene Watson, by whose works he would later be influenced.[2] Supernaw later attended college on a golfing scholarship.[1] After dropping out of college in 1979, he briefly worked on an oil rig before serving as a musician in local bands.[2] He moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1987, where he found work as a session songwriter. After four years in Nashville, he moved back to Texas, where he founded a band called Texas Steel.[2]

1993–1995: BNA Records

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An A&R executive for RCA Records discovered Supernaw and signed him to the label's BNA Entertainment (now BNA Records) division in 1993.[2] That year, Supernaw released his debut album, Red and Rio Grande. From the album, four singles were released, starting with "Honky Tonkin' Fool", which did not enter Top 40 on the Billboard country music charts. "Reno", the second single, reached Top 5 soon afterward, while its follow-up, "I Don't Call Him Daddy" (previously a No. 86 single in 1988 for Kenny Rogers), became Supernaw's only Number One single by the end of the year.[2] The album went on to achieve gold certification in the United States.[3]

A series of injuries nearly ended Supernaw's career after his first album's release. After recovering from a broken neck suffered while surfing, he was involved in a head-on car collision. Finally, he was hospitalized after a nearly-fatal case of food poisoning.[1] Once he had recovered from the food poisoning, he recorded his second album for BNA, 1994's Deep Thoughts from a Shallow Mind. Of the album's three singles, only the Dennis Linde-penned "What'll You Do About Me" (previously a single in 1984 for Steve Earle, and in 1992 for the Forester Sisters, and recorded by Randy Travis on his 1987 album Always & Forever) entered Top 40 on the country music charts. Shortly after the second album's release, he exited BNA's roster.[4]

Also in 1994, Supernaw was nominated for Top New Male Vocalist and Song of the Year by the Academy of Country Music but lost in both categories to John Michael Montgomery.

1995–1997: Giant / Sony BMG Records

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In 1995, he was signed to Giant Records, where he recorded and released his third major-label album, You Still Got Me, in 1996.[2] Although its first single, "Not Enough Hours in the Night", reached a peak of No. 3 on the country singles charts,[5] neither of the album's other singles reached Top 40, and he left Giant Records not long afterward.[4] He also made an appearance on Stars and Stripes Vol. 1, a 1996 compilation album issued by the Beach Boys.[6] It featured the band performing their own songs along with other country music artists; Supernaw contributed to the track "Long Tall Texan".[7] His first compilation album, entitled The Encore Collection, was issued by Sony BMG Special Products in 1997.[8]

1999: Tack Records

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Supernaw's third recording contract was with the small, independent Tack label, on which he released Fadin' Renegade on August 31, 1999.[9][10] The album's two singles, the title track and "21–17", did not enter the country music charts.[11]

2016–2020: B&G Records

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Supernaw returned to music in 2016 in local venues in his home state of Texas.[10] Also returning to the recording studio in 2017 on the independent B&G Records label,[8] Supernaw re-recorded his hits as Greatest Hits, which was released on April 1, 2017.[12] The album included two new songs: "Here's My Heart" and "The Company I Keep".[13]

Death

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Supernaw announced on February 4, 2019, that he had been diagnosed with stage IV lung and bladder cancer.[14] He died at his home on November 13, 2020, at age 60.[15]

Personal life

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His son Phillip Supernaw played in the NFL.

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US Country
[16]
US
[17]
US
Heat

[18]
CAN Country
[19]
Red and Rio Grande 27 147 3 18
Deep Thoughts from a Shallow Mind
  • Release date: September 13, 1994
  • Label: BNA Records
  • Formats: CD, cassette
48 19
You Still Got Me
  • Release date: October 24, 1995
  • Label: Giant Nashville
  • Formats: CD, cassette
42 19 31
Fadin' Renegade[9]
  • Release date: August 31, 1999
  • Label: Tack Records
  • Formats: CD, cassette
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Compilation albums

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Title Album details
The Encore Collection[8]
  • Release date: November 18, 1997
  • Label: Sony BMG
  • Formats: CD, cassette
Red and Rio Grande/Deep Thoughts from a Shallow Mind[8]
  • Release date: May 27, 2014
  • Label: Up Country
  • Formats: CD
Greatest Hits[8]
  • Release date: April 1, 2017
  • Label: B&G Records
  • Formats: CD

Singles

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Year Single Peak chart
positions
Album
US Country
[11]
CAN Country
[19]
1993 "Honky Tonkin' Fool" 50 Red and Rio Grande
"Reno" 4 12
"I Don't Call Him Daddy" 1 27
1994 "Red and Rio Grande" 23 28
"State Fair" 55 Deep Thoughts from a Shallow Mind
"You Never Even Called Me By My Name" 60 68
1995 "What'll You Do About Me" 16 26
"Not Enough Hours in the Night" 3 4 You Still Got Me
1996 "She Never Looks Back" 51
"You Still Got Me" 53 69
1999 "21 to 17"[21] Fadin' Renegade
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Other charted songs

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Year Single Peak chart
positions
Album
US Country
[22]
CAN Country
[19]
1996 "Long Tall Texan"
(The Beach Boys featuring Doug Supernaw)
69 82 Stars and Stripes Vol. 1

Music videos

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Year Video Director
1993 "Honky Tonkin' Fool"[23] Richard Jernigan
"Reno"[24] Sherman Halsey
"I Don't Call Him Daddy"[25]
1994 "State Fair"[26]
1995 "Not Enough Hours in the Night"[27] Steven T. Miller/R. Brad Murano
1996 "She Never Looks Back"[28] Doug Supernaw
"Long Tall Texan" (featuring the Beach Boys)[29] Sara Nichols
"Four Scores and Seven Beers Ago" (featuring Herschel Walker)[30]
1999 "21 to 17" [31]

Awards and nominations

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Year Organization Award Nominee/Work Result
1994 Academy of Country Music Awards Top New Male Vocalist Doug Supernaw Nominated
Song of the Year "I Don't Call Him Daddy" Nominated
TNN/Music City News Country Awards Video of the Year Nominated
1997 Academy of Country Music Awards Video of the Year "She Never Looks Back" Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b c Loftus, Johnny. "Doug Supernaw biography". Allmusic. Retrieved January 5, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Doug Supernaw biography". Oldies.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2008.
  3. ^ Hall, Kristin M. (November 13, 2020). "Doug Supernaw, '90s country singer of 'Reno,' dead at 60". Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Lomax, John Nova (May 10, 2007). "Doug Supernaw". Houston Press. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  5. ^ "Doug Supernaw Chart History – Not Enough Hours In The Night". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  6. ^ "Doug Supernaw – Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  7. ^ "The Beach Boys, Doug Supernaw: Long Tall Texan – Song Info". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Doug Supernaw – Album Discography (Compilations)". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Doug Supernaw Jailed in Houston". CMT News. October 9, 2001. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Dansby, Andrew (November 13, 2020). "Houston country star Doug Supernaw dies of cancer at age 60". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Doug Supernaw Chart History – Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  12. ^ "Back in the country spotlight, Supernaw swings through Southern Illinois". The Southern Illinoisan. August 2, 2017. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  13. ^ Lee, Janet W. (November 14, 2020). "Doug Supernaw, Country Singer of 'I Don't Call Him Daddy,' Dies at 60". Variety. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  14. ^ "Country Singer Doug Supernaw Has Stage IV Lung and Bladder Cancer". People. February 4, 2019. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  15. ^ Shelburne, Craig (November 13, 2020). "Doug Supernaw, '90s Country Star, Dies in Texas". CMT.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  16. ^ "Doug Supernaw – Top Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  17. ^ "Doug Supernaw Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
  18. ^ "Heatseekers Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  19. ^ a b c "Results: RPM Weekly – Doug Supernaw". Library and Archives Canada. Government of Canada. July 17, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  20. ^ "RIAA – Recording Industry Association of America – Searchable Database". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on March 31, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  21. ^ "Top country singer revisits Sidewinders". The Jackson Hole Guide. January 24, 2001. pp. D5. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  22. ^ "Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  23. ^ "CMT : Videos : Doug Supernaw : Honky Tonkin' Fool". Country Music Television. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  24. ^ "CMT : Videos : Doug Supernaw : Reno". Country Music Television. Archived from the original on August 31, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  25. ^ "CMT : Videos : Doug Supernaw : I Don't Call Him Daddy". Country Music Television. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  26. ^ "CMT : Videos : Doug Supernaw : State Fair". Country Music Television. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  27. ^ "CMT : Videos : Doug Supernaw : Not Enough Hours in the Night". Country Music Television. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  28. ^ "CMT : Videos : Doug Supernaw : She Never Looks Back". Country Music Television. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  29. ^ "CMT : Videos : The Beach Boys : Long Tall Texan". Country Music Television. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  30. ^ "ZUUS". Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  31. ^ "Reunion draws Supernaw to Waynesville". The Pantagraph. June 22, 2000. p. 6. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
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