Born on This Day in 1942, the Songwriter Who Spent Time in the Peace Corps Before Becoming Part of the Early Americana Scene Alongside Guy Clark and Rodney Crowell

On this day (March 19) in 1942, Richard Dobson was born in Tyler, Texas. His story is wildly different than the average singer/songwriter. Dobson grew up abroad, spent time in South America, and traveled with the Peace Corps before becoming a teacher. Later, he moved to Nashville, where he befriended Guy Clark, “Skinny” Dennis Sanchez, Rodney Crowell, and other prominent songwriters. In his late 50s, he relocated to Switzerland, where he lived until his death in 2017.

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When Dobson was young, his family relocated to The Hague, Netherlands. He graduated from high school in Santa Fe, New Mexico, before attending Georgetown University for a short time. There, he found his love of bluegrass and folk music. Eventually, he took time away from school and traveled to Colombia. Then, he returned to Texas to finish his degree in Spanish. After finishing school, he joined the Peace Corps and traveled to Chile for a year and a half, according to From the Vaults.

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After returning to the United States, Dobson took a teaching job in Michigan. Then, he moved to New York and worked as a writer. Through all of this, he worked to hone his songwriting and guitar skills. In 1971, he read an article about Kris Kristofferson, another college-educated songwriter who had found success, and chose to move to Nashville. There, he found himself surrounded by some of the most lauded songwriters of the era.

Dobson lived with Rodney Crowell and “Skinny” Dennis Sanchez. Through them, he met Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, Mickey White, Steve Earle, and several other heavy-hitters.

Richard Dobson’s Writing Career

Richard Dobson wrote several songs with the other members of the small but powerful group he found himself in. For instance, he, Guy Clark, and Susanna Clark co-wrote “Old Friends” and “So Have I.” He and Susanna Clark wrote “Welcome to the Wild Side of Me.” Dobson also co-wrote “Uncertain Texas” with Crowell and “Hole in My Heart” with Steve Earle.

Dobson’s best-known song is “Baby Ride Easy,” which has been recorded by multiple artists. He recorded the original version for his 1977 debut album, In Texas Last December. Then, Carlene Carter and David Edmunds turned it into a duet. Billie Jo Spears and Del Reeves also cut a version of the song. Later, Johnny Cash and June Carter performed it during Cash’s 1984 Christmas special.

Richard Dobson wasn’t just a songwriter. He was also an author. He wrote The Gulf Coast Boys about his time with Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and other game-changing songsmiths. Later, he wrote Pleasures of the High Pine–A Texas Singer in Exile about his experiences as a Texan and country singer living abroad. Dobson also published multiple newsletters.

Featured Image by Paul Bergen/Redferns