Album Sleeve Notes
'At the Fan Fair in Nashville recently, I was emceeing the Capitol
Records Show and at that time, I introduced Gene Watson as 'the next
Merle Haggard', and I really meant it. He is a song stylist who's
phrasing reminds you of Merle but there is enough difference to indicate
that he isn't trying to be Merle.
Gary Gene Watson has been building a ladder of success and the rings in
that ladder have been some of the biggest country hits in the last three
years. There was 'Love in the hot afternoon',
'Where love begins', 'You could know as much about a stranger', 'Because
you believed in me', 'Paper Rosie'. And you're saying to yourself, is that the guy who sang all those songs? My
friend, he's right inside this album with another batch of good
listening.
Who is Gene Watson? Here are a few facts:
Lives in Houston, Texas, worked on automobiles for ten years as a
mechanic and body man, does not like for fans to kiss him (it
embarrasses him), has strange hobby - likes to grow ivy in pots, CB
handle: 'Hail Ball' because an old car he was driving was caught in a
hail storm, married, two children (15 & 13) boy and girl, went to
Central High in the big town of Direct, Texas (population: 150).
Gene is good natured, a pleasure to know. It is difficult to convey to
you on paper his friendliness and his ability to sing a country song.
In another three years he will be country music's biggest star. It's
nice to know that we fans of his know it first'.
Ralph Emery (Host)
'Pop Goes the Country'
National syndicated television show
'Beautiful
Country'
Capitol Records S11715 (1977)
Track Listing
1 'The
old man and his horn'
◊
Written by Dallas Harms
Published by Doubleplay Music / BMI
2 'Cowboys don't get lucky all the time'
••
◊
Written by Dallas Harms
Published by Doubleplay Music / BMI
3
'I
won't be sleeping alone'
◊
Written by C.
Stewart and J. Abbott
Published by
Pantego Sound / BMI
4
'Hey
Barnum and Bailey'
◊
Written by C.
Stewart, J. Abbott and K. Hagler
Published by
Pantego Sound / BMI
5 'I'd love to live with you again'
Written by
Dick Oberbey
Published by
Back Bay Music / BMI
6
'I
don't need a thing at all'
•
Written by Joe Allen
Published by
Joe Allen Music / BMI
7
'Raining in Dallas'
Written by J.
Gostick and
R. Moreland
Published by
Calloway Music
B
'It don't hurt me half as bad'
Written by Joe Allen, D. Lay and
B. Lindsay
Published by Combine Music
Corporation / BMI
9
'I knew we could never love for long'
Written by
David Barnes
Published by
Neverbreak Music / ASCAP
10
'He
little thinged her out of my arms'
◊◊
Written by Hank Cochran
Published by Tree International / BMI
Musician Credits
Guitar: Dale Sellers, Jimmy Colvard,
Dave Kirby &
Harold Bradley
Steel: Lloyd Green
Bass:
Joe Allen
Drums: Buddy Harman & Kenny Malone
Piano: Hargus 'Pig' Robbins
Fiddle: Buddy Spicher & Tommy
Williams
Vocals: The Nashville Edition (Joe
Babcock, Hurshel Wiginton, Dolores
Edgin & Wendy Suits)
The 'Beautiful Country' album achieved a chart position of Number
32
on the Billboard Top Country Album Chart in 1977.
All
tracks on the 'Beautiful Country' album were produced by Russ Reeder,
with the exception of 'He little thinged her out of my arms' (track
indicated thus ◊◊)
which was produced by Bob Webster.
All tracks on the 'Beautiful Country' album were recorded at the Jack
Clement Studios, Nashville, Tennessee in 1977 (Recording Engineer: Jim
Williamson), with the exception of 'The old man & his horn',
'Cowboys don't get lucky all the time', 'I won't be sleeping alone' & 'Hey Barnum
& Bailey'.
These latter tracks (all indicated thus
◊)
were recorded at Bradley's Barn, Mt. Juliet, Tennessee in 1977 where the
Recording Engineer was Joe Mills.
Photographs for the 'Beautiful Country' album
shoot were taken by George Jerman
(RIP).
A
re-recording of 'I don't need a thing at all' (track indicated thus
•)
can be found on 'The Good Ole Days' album, which was released on Step One Records (SOR 0104) in 1996.
The
track 'Cowboys don't get lucky all the time' (track indicated thus
••)
can be found on the 'Convoy' soundtrack album, which was released on United Artists Records
(UA-LA910-H) in 1978.
The
'Beautiful Country' album was released by Hux Records
(London, England) in October/November 2005 as a
special
2-on-1 CD, along
with the original 'Because You Believed
in Me' (Capitol Records) album which was
released in 1977.
'Beautiful
Country'