Gene Watson Discography
'Back in the Fire'
Warner Bros. Records 9 25832-2
(1988)
'Back in the Fire' was released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1988.
'Back in the Fire' discography information is presented on this site for
educational purposes only & no infringement of copyright is intended.
About 'Back in the Fire'...
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' (Epic
Records, 1985), 'Starting New Memories'
(Epic Records, 1986)
& 'Honky Tonk Crazy'
(Epic Records, 1987), the label began to
devote their resources toward ‘younger’ artists.
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 Watson’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.
'Back in the Fire' was produced by Paul Worley, Ed Seay & Gregg
Brown. The Production Assistant was Sharon
Eaves
'Back in the Fire' was recorded & mixed by Ed Seay with assistance from Mike
Poole, Clarke Schleicher & Gary Paczosa. Additional
Engineering was undertaken by Clarke Schleicher
'Back in the Fire' was recorded at Treasure Isle Recorders, with overdubs
undertaken at The Money Pit
'Back in the Fire' was mixed at Nightingale Studio & was recorded & mixed
using Monster Cable
Mastered at Georgetown | Masters by Denny Purcell
'Back in the Fire' achieved a chart position of
No.42 on the Billboard Top Country Album Chart in 1989
'Back in the Fire'
Warner Bros. Records 9 25832-2
(1988)
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
Darrell McCall
& the Tennessee Volunteers recorded
'Dreams of a dreamer'
&
included the track on 'Reunion' (BGM Records, 1986)
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
'Back in the fire' is unique in that it is the only album that
features a song that Gene Watson had a hand in writing; 'Somewhere over you' was co-written by Gene
along with Jim Rushing & Dave Lindsey
4 '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
Gene Watson re-recorded 'Back in the fire'
& included the track on 'Gene Watson: Then & Now' (Koch Records Nashville, 2005)
Mike Reid
recorded
'Back in the fire'
& included the track on 'Twilight Town' (Columbia Records,
1992)
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 & Sanger D. Shafer
Published by Acuff-Rose Music Inc. BMI
Lefty Frizzell recorded 'She found the key' &
included the track on 'The Classic Style of Lefty Frizzell' (ABC Records, 1975)
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
Gene Watson re-recorded 'The jukebox played along'
& included the track on 'Gene Watson: Then & Now' (Koch Records Nashville, 2005)
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
Gene Watson recorded
James Dean Hicks'
'I picked a San Antonio rose' & included
the track 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.
Gene Watson's version of
James Dean Hicks'
'I picked a San Antonio rose' was not, however,
included on 'Back in the fire'.
Keith Palmer
recorded
James Dean Hicks'
'I picked a San Antonio rose' & included the track on 'Keith
Palmer' (Epic Records, 1991).
Sadly, Keith Palmer passed away on Saturday 13
June 1992 - he was 38.
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
here
&
here.
Gene Watson recorded
Keith Palmer's 'One hell of a heartache' (co-written with Janet White Demmans) & included
the track on 'Heartaches,
Love & Stuff' (MCA Records, 1984)
Keith Palmer
(Sunday 23 June 1957 - Saturday 13 June 1992)
You can read a CMP review of Gene Watson's 'Back in the Fire'
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.
'Back in the Fire'
Warner Bros. Records 9 25832-2
(1988)
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
