Album Sleeve Notes
FROM GENE
'Very
special thanks to Lib Hatcher for all her concern and encouragement.
Without her my career would have probably ended. She gave me a new
'beginning'. I can't begin to thank her enough for everything.
Thanks
to: Randy Travis (for
remaining a friend for twelve years & for giving me my favourite song:
'The Great Divide'), Martha Sharp (for signing me to Warner Bros.),
Gregg Brown (for taking time out of his busy schedule & working with me
for days on end, selecting and reviewing my music), and to Paul Worley &
Nick Hunter & the entire staff at Warner Bros. Records (for being so
warm & enthusiastic).
It's the first time in my career that I've had
people care so much. This is a brand new start and career for Gene
Watson'.
Special Thanks from Paul Worley to Fred Cameron for 'Hot Rod Mics'.
Overview
Following the release of
three Gene Watson albums on Epic Records ('Memories
to Burn', 'Starting
New Memories' & 'Honky
Tonk Crazy'),
the label began to devote their resources toward ‘younger’ artists and,
as a result, Gene didn’t seem to quite 'fit' the record label image.
After a three-year absence from the Top 10, Gene’s disillusionment with
his career grew & he seriously considered retirement.
It was during his heavy touring schedule with his Farewell Party Band
that he began playing dates with a new, young artist called
Randy Travis. It was
Randy Travis’
manager, Lib Hatcher, who convinced
Gene to stay in the business.
Lib began managing Gene (he signed a
personal management/booking contract
with her) and secured a recording
contract for him with Warner Bros.
Records.
'Back in the Fire', Gene’s debut album for the label, was
released in the latter part of 1988. The debut single from the album,
'Don't waste it on the blues', climbed to No.5, while three further
singles were also released; 'Back in the fire' reached No.20, 'The jukebox played along’ reached No.25 & 'The great divide' climbed to No.41.
The
'Back in the Fire' album was produced by Paul Worley, Ed Seay & Gregg
Brown. The Production Assistant was Sharon Eaves.
The album was recorded & mixed by Ed Seay with assistance from Mike
Poole, Clarke Schleicher & Gary Paczosa. Additional Engineering was undertaken by Clarke Schleicher.
The album was recorded at Treasure Isle Recorders, with overdubs
undertaken at The Money Pit.
The album was mixed at Nightingale Studio & was recorded & mixed using Monster Cable.
Mastered at Georgetown | Masters by Denny Purcell
The 'Back in the Fire' album achieved a chart position of Number
42 on the Billboard Top Country Album Chart in 1989.
The 'Back in the Fire' album is
unique in that it is the only album that features a song that Gene
Watson had a hand in writing; 'Somewhere over you' (track indicated thus
••)
was co-written by Gene along with Jim Rushing & Dave Lindsey.
'Back in the Fire'
Warner Bros. Records 9 25832-2 (1988)
Track Listing
1 'Don't waste it on the blues'
Written by
Sandy Ramos & Jerry Vandiver
Published by
Wrensong Publishing Corp. /
Miller's Daughter
Music Corp. /
Love This Town Music ASCAP
2 'Dreams of a dreamer' •••
Written by
David H. 'Jug' Brown
Published by
Mull-Ti-Hit Music
Company BMI
3
'Somewhere over you' ••
Written by Gene Watson, Dave Lindsey &
Jim Rushing
Published by
Hall-Clement Publications /
Booth & Watson Music BMI /
Jack & Bill
Music Co. /
Little Will Music /
Amanda-Lin Music
(c/o The Welk
Music Group) ASCAP
4 'Back in the fire'
'Back in
the fire' • *
Written by
Rory Michael Bourke &
Mike Reid
Published by
Jack & Bill Music Company /
Songs De Burgo (c/o The Welk Music
Group) / Lodge Hall Music Inc. ASCAP
5 'Ain't no fun to be alone in San Antone'
Written by
Buddy Cannon & Luke Reed
Published by
Buddy Cannon Music / Polygram Music Publishing Inc. ASCAP /
Polygram Songs Inc. BMI
6
'The great divide'
Written by
John Lindley &
Randy Travis
Published by
Tennessee Hills Music BMI /
Three Story Music ASCAP
7
'Just how little I know'
Written by
Wayland Patton
& Jim Rushing
Published by
Jack and Bill
Music Co. /
Amanda-Lin Music
(c/o The Welk Music Group) ASCAP
8
'She found the key'
Written by
Lefty Frizzell
(RIP)
&
Sanger D. Shafer
Published by
Acuff-Rose Music Inc. BMI
9
'The jukebox played along' •
Written by
Ken Bell &
Charles Quillen
Published by
Next o Ken Music /
Ensign Music
Corporation BMI /
BMG Songs Inc. ASCAP
10
'When a
fool learns'
Written by
Steve Clark &
Rick Peoples
Published by
Intersong U.S.A. Inc. / Hide-A-Bone Music /
Chappell & Company Inc.
ASCAP
Musician Credits
Drums:
Eddie Bayers & Steve Turner
Bass:
Mike Brignardello
Electric Guitar:
Steve Gibson, John Jorgenson, Paul Worley
&
Gregg Brown
Acoustic Guitar:
Larry Byrom, Paul Worley, Jimmy Capps & Pete
Wade
Piano:
Dennis Burnside, Barry Beckett & Michael Rojas
Fiddle: Mark O'Connor
Steel:
Sonny Garrish
'Dreams of a dreamer' (track indicated thus
•••)
was originally recorded by
Darrell McCall & the Tennessee
Volunteers.
'Dream of a dreamer' was included on the
Darrell McCall
& Tennessee Volunteers 'Reunion' album, which was
released on BGM Records (BGM 123186) in 1987.
Re-recorded
versions of 'Back in the fire' & 'The jukebox played along' (tracks
indicated thus
•)
can be found on the 'Gene Watson: Then & Now' album,
which was released on Koch Records Nashville in June 2005.
'Back
in the fire' (track indicated thus
*)
was co-written by Rory Michael Bourke &
Mike Reid.
Mike Reid included the track
'Back in the fire' on his 'Twilight Town' album,
which was released on Columbia Records (CK 48967) in
1992.
'I
picked a San Antonio rose' was recorded by Gene Watson &
was included as the 'b' side of the 'Don't waste it on
the blues' 45rpm vinyl single,
which was released on Warner Bros. Records (27692) in
1989.
Please note: Gene's version of 'I picked a San Antonio
rose' was not included on the 'Back in the fire' album.
Keith Palmer also recorded 'I picked a San Antonio rose'
& included the track on his self-titled debut album,
which was released on Epic Records (EK 48611) in 1991.
Sadly, Keith Palmer passed away on 13 June 1992 at the
age of thirty-eight.
Please check out Marlene Slater's website -
MKOC - (My Kind of Country) - where she has an
online celebration of
Keith Palmer. Marlene Slater's
MKOC website also includes a celebration
of
Gene Watson.
Keith
Palmer
also wrote 'One hell of a heartache' (co-written with
Janet White Demmans).
This track was included on Gene Watson's 'Heartaches,
Love & Stuff' album, which was released on
MCA Records in 1984.
You
can read a review of Gene Watson's 'Back in the Fire'
album
here. The review, which was written by
Craig Baguley, was published in the March 1989 issue of
the United Kingdom monthly publication
Country Music People.
