Everything changed for Dale Watson on Sept. 15, 2000. That’s the day the woman he called his soulmate, Teresa Herbert, died in a car accident while driving to meet Watson in Houston. Watson’s struggle to go on living was eventually transferred into Every Song I Write Is for You, a gently devastating album that's the best work of Watson’s career. Where some artists might have descended into mawkishness after similar tragedies, Watson hews closely to the traditional country forms that have long been his stock in trade. For a man who's made close study of songs about loneliness and the sting of memories, Watson’s career in country music has well prepared him to deal with such intense material. While the lyrics contain confessional moments of very realistic grief and longing, the most touching thing about the album is Watson’s voice. He's always sung in a rich croon, but here his vocals have a new dimension of tenderness, as if Watson knows that Herbert is listening from beyond and wants to be sure to caress her with his every word.