Born 62 Years Ago Today in Memphis, the Country Star Whose Post-9/11 Anthem Spent 7 Weeks at No. 1
Darryl Worley, born in Memphis on 31 October 1964, turns 62 today. The country singer-songwriter’s best-known song, “Have You Forgotten?”, responded to the 11 September 2001 attacks and became a major hit, drawing both wide attention and criticism over its perceived pro-war message.
Worley initially studied biology and organic chemistry and worked in the chemical industry and as a teacher before pursuing music. He released his debut album in 2000; “Have You Forgotten?” followed in 2003 after he performed for US troops in Kuwait and Afghanistan. Co-written with Wynn Varble, it spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and reached No. 22 on the US pop chart; Worley later scored another country No. 1 with “Awful, Beautiful Life”.
In short
- Darryl Worley turns 62 today.
- “Have You Forgotten?” topped the country chart for seven weeks.
- The song followed Worley’s performances for US troops.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters may see “Have You Forgotten?” as an expression of grief, remembrance and solidarity with people affected by the 11 September attacks, shaped by Worley’s visits to US troops. They may argue that it gave voice to a public desire for resolve and national unity at a moment of shock and fear.
The case against
Critics may argue that the song linked remembrance of the attacks to support for war, leaving little room for questioning the consequences or limits of military action. They may see that framing as turning shared grief into a political appeal and as overlooking the distinction between honouring victims and endorsing a particular response.
Explained simply
Darryl Worley is an American country singer-songwriter, a genre rooted in US folk and popular music. Before pursuing music, he studied science and worked in the chemical industry and as a teacher; his debut album came out in 2000.
The 11 September 2001 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States and prompted wars led by the US in Afghanistan and Iraq. Worley’s “Have You Forgotten?”, co-written with Wynn Varble, drew on the attacks and his performances for US troops overseas; its patriotic message brought both broad attention and criticism over its perceived support for war.
The song’s success helped make Worley widely known, and he later had another country chart-topper with “Awful, Beautiful Life”. The story matters as an example of how popular music can reflect national events and provoke different reactions.