By TIM STANLEY World Staff Writer
Published: 12/3/2009 2:31 AM
Last Modified: 12/3/2009 5:18 AM


Charlie Scott's career as a police officer
gave him plenty of useful material, whether
he was writing songs or raising sons.

The late country singer-guitarist, who
worked in various law enforcement capacities,
had four boys of his own, but any youngster
in a lurch could bring out the dad in him.

Always ready with a hug or helping hand,
Scott eventually hung up his holster and
moved on to Tulsa Job Corps, where he
worked with disadvantaged teenagers.

"Dad saw it as an extension of his
police experience, helping kids take
a step back before they became offenders,"
said Charlie's oldest son, Jason Scott.
"Dad's motto was 'a little more love earlier.' "

As a law enforcement officer, Charlie Scott,
who died Monday at age 52, had seen the
results of a little less love too often.

In his song "God's Role," he writes about
a young inmate who is overcome with guilt
and shame for having taken a life — for
taking over, in effect, God's role.

Scott himself was content to play more humble
roles, his family and friends say, and
whether as a son, father, mentor or
honkytonk guitar-picker, he struck some
lasting chords.

A memorial service for Charlie Scott is
planned for 2 p.m. Friday at Epworth
United Methodist Church. Some of Scott's
own songs will be played, and a reception
will follow at the church. Scott's cremation
will be handled by the Cremation Society
of Oklahoma.

Scott was hospitalized last week with a
blood clot, and his death possibly was
related, although that has not been determined,
family members said.

A longtime regular at Duke's Country, a
Tulsa club, Scott released several albums
and generated a handful of charting singles,
including his biggest hit, "Oklahoma Rain."

Charlie Scott, who grew up in Broken Arrow,
gained a measure of fame in the early 1980s
when he was a Tulsa police officer.

Known as the "Singing Lawman," Scott tried
to balance his music with his uniformed
day job. But department brass frowned at
the idea of an officer singing in nightclubs,
and he eventually resigned under pressure,
news reports show.

He later worked with the Owasso Police
Department and the state Department of
Corrections, playing music in his spare
time and occasionally raising money for
police organizations.

Scott, whose interest in music developed
from singing in church at age 6 and later
in an elementary school choir, passed
some of his skills on. Sons Jason and
William Scott both play guitar, and all
four of his sons co-wrote songs with their
father.

Parental influence played a big part in
Charlie Scott's own music. He was devoted
to his mother, Ruth Scott, and cared for
her until her death from Alzheimer's in
2008.

"Dad wrote songs about her life," Jason
Scott said. "And the things she taught
him became common themes in his music.
Lessons such as being open-minded about
people and nonjudgmental. She helped him
to never become cynical, which can happen
with police work."

Charlie's survivors include sons Jason,
Justin and John Scott and their mother,
Peggy Reed; son William Scott and his
mother, Shanna Marlow; a brother,
Christopher Scott; and one grandson,
Aiden Scott.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Memorial Services for Charles Newton
Scott, 52, of Tulsa-2pm-Friday-12/4-Epworth
United Methodist Church in Tulsa under
direction of Cremation Society of Tulsa -
former Tulsa police officer and
musicain - survived by son Jason and
wife Melanie, Justin , John and wife Gabriela,
and William Scott.