What started as a simple fishing promotion with one of the world's most recognizable songs has led country music's Darryl Worley to become an outdoor ambassador for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and other similar state organizations across the country.
Tennessee son Worley and songwriting pal Wynn Varble recorded "The Fishin' Hole," better known as "The Andy Griffith Show" theme song, and the tune is being offered through a text-to-give campaign to raise money for relief efforts caused by wave of natural disasters that impacted numerous states, including middle Tennessee, in 2011. (By the way, Worley and Varble are no strangers to co-penning tracks together, and collaborated to ink Worley's "Have You Forgotten" smash previously.)
Regarding the well-known track, "Everyone knows that melody, and it will stick in your head for days if you're not careful," Worley has said. "Even though I'm a huge 'Andy Griffith Show' fan, I didn't know the song had lyrics. They are clever and give the song brand-new life."
Fans can text the word FISH to 50555, which allows a $10 donation to be added to the user's phone bill. As a thank-you gift, a link to a free ringtone of the song is sent to the donor's phone. The net proceeds received from the effort will be used to help restore levees, replace equipment lost or damaged in the disasters and re-stock fish in waters affected by flooding, tornadoes, drought and more, according to information from the TWRF. Donations from other parts of the country are distributed back to the state of origin's wildlife agency.
As for his outdoor ambassador role, Worley said, "The outdoors has always been a big part of my life. I grew up in Tennessee and have always looked forward to my time in the woods and on the water. Whenever I get a little down time, I love to get away from it all and relax. I'm honored to be able to lend a hand to those who take care of our fish and wildlife."
The "Fishin' Hole Song" music video, which features Worley, Varble and Bassmaster Elite professional anglers Terry Scroggins, Gerald Swindle, Kota Kiriyama and Brent Chapman, made its official debut during the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies meeting held recently in Nashville.
Per PR reps, music-video outlets will begin airing the video in the coming weeks, and a corresponding public service announcement encourages fans to participate in the texting campaign. Scroggins and Swindle have also recorded a PSA touting the campaign.
The music video was produced and directed by Richard Prather for the Franklin-based Dalia Entertainment and the song is available on iTunes and at Outdoormusic.com.
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