Case Hardin Reveals His Favorite Aaron Watson Songs

SAN ANGELO, TX — Case Hardin first heard a song by Aaron Watson when he was in tenth grade at San Angelo Central High School. By his senior year, in 2013, he decided he’d like to make a run at the Texas Country Music scene as a singer/songwriter. His instrument is the guitar.

Instead of hitting the bars (he was too young anyway), he auditioned for American Idol. “I won around here, but didn’t get past that,” Hardin said. But the experience had him hooked.

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Friday night in San Angelo, Hardin is the opening act for Pat Green and Aaron Watson at the Foster Communications Coliseum. It’s a big honor, Hardin said.

His age means he’s steeped in Aaron Watson whose style is much to Hardin’s liking. It is a traditional country music sound. So I asked him to explain his attachment to his favorite Watson songs. Here they are:

San Angelo — “It’s about San Angelo, my hometown,” Hardin said. This was the first Watson song he became acquainted with. The ballad is a true story about Watson’s college sweetheart who was (and still is) in San Angelo. Watson explained years ago it was about a real girlfriend, his first love. They split up over Watson’s desire to pursue a music career. As the song indicates, she wasn’t “all-in” on that idea. But the couple split amicably and Watson soon met his wife who he’s still with today. The song goes:

She said time would heal my broken heart,

And I'd find a true companion for my soul.

You know she was right, we were wrong.

I asked Hardin if he knew who Ms. San Angelo was. He didn’t know. But I do. I’ll never reveal my secret.

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Sweet Contradiction — Hardin performs many gigs around San Angelo, the region and Texas. And of course, as a rising Texas music singer, he has to play covers from time to time. “Sweet Contradiction” is a Watson song his band plays at the end of every set. The upbeat ballad is about a girl who likes to party as much as she worships in church.

She’s as pure as a Sunday morning

Just as fun as a Saturday night.

She’s as pretty as a stain glass window

She’s always shining like a neon light.

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Third Gear and 17 — Hardin believes the rocking party song, “Third Gear and 17” will be the song all his friends are waiting to see Watson sing. “I love the song, and they love it too,” Hardin said.

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Vaquero — The title track of Watson’s latest record is Hardin’s overall favorite of all Aaron Watson songs. He said his friends started playing it and soon he was hooked on the song with a Tex-Mex borderland vibe.

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Hardin has charted two singles on the Texas Regional Radio Report music chart. His latest single, “Deep Blue Me” topped out at #6 in May 2017.

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“Deep Blue Me” was first made famous, however, in the San Angelo trash controversy videos by former KTRK-13 Undercover news reporter Wayne Dolcefino. The epic video features former San Angelo Mayor Dwain Morrison driving away in his restored old truck to the chords of “Deep Blue Me.”

The day his live performance was recorded, Hardin was invited to perform at one of the final city council meetings this year. “I felt really bad about it getting on that video,” Hardin said. “I really like the mayor and it was not intended.” He was performing in a public meeting of government.

Case Hardin opens for Aaron Watson and Pat Green Friday, Aug. 25 at Foster Communications Coliseum. Hardin requests everyone get there early to see him perform. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are still available online here.