Gene Watson Music
Gene Watson has been singing professionally since the late 1950s & has been a
country music (album) recording artist since the late 1960s.
Gene Watson's contribution to the country music genre is immeasurable & it is
here that you will find information about Gene's album releases between 1969 &
the present day.
Gene Watson steps into a recording studio & takes his place behind the
microphone. His magnificent voice, strong lyrical content & impeccable
musicianship combine, and magic happens.
'Because
You Believed in Me & Beautiful Country'
Hux Records 072 (2005)
The 'Because You Believed in Me & Beautiful Country' album was released on the
Hux Records label in
2005.
The 'Because You Believed in Me & Beautiful Country' album discography information is presented on this
site for educational purposes only & no infringement of
copyright is intended.
About 'Because You Believed in
Me & Beautiful Country'...
Album Sleeve Note
'Gary Gene Watson was born in Palestine, Texas on
October 11 in 1943, one of seven children. As is
often the case in the lives of country music
performers, his early years were spent in rural
hardship as his parents and siblings traveled
around in a remodeled school bus where they sought
farm work of many different kinds.
Eventually the family moved to Paris, Texas where
Gene attended school before dropping out in the
ninth grade. At this point he went to work in the
auto salvage business and learned to repair cars.
(To this day, after years at the top in the music
business, he still owns his own body shop and
remains a car fanatic). However, music had always
been a major part of Gene's life, singing at the
local Pentecostal church and hearing the blues music
that his father would play at home.
At the age of 19, Gene relocated to Houston where he
would continue to work as an auto body repair man
and painter by day while playing the clubs by night
with one of his brothers and three of his cousins,
in a group known as Gene Watson and the Other Four,
eventually recording for the local Tonka label,
though to no great success.
Later, while performing at the city's Dynasty Club
he was spotted by local record businessmen Russ
Reeder, a distributor, and Roy Stone who owned a
record store. They approached Gene with a view to
making records. As the singer recalls in an
interview with country music journalist Don Ford in
the British magazine
Country Music People,
'the three of us started out making records but
there was some conflict between Russ and Roy and
they parted. I was recording for Wide World Records
and when they parted Roy agreed to give Russ Reeder
his half of my contract, and Russ gave him all of
Wide World and all of the masters.
Russ and I went off and formed Resco which stood for
'Record Service Company'. It was with this label that Gene
had his first taste of success, albeit in a small
way as his record 'Bad water', a song previously
recorded by Ray Charles' backing vocal group the Raelettes, reached 87 on the Billboard chart in
1975.
However Gene's next release on Resco the same year,
the New Orleans-set 'Love in the hot afternoon',
was to change his life for ever. Despite its steamy
subject matter which initially caused it airplay
problems, it came to the attention of Capitol
Records who took over distribution of the single and
signed Gene to the label.
The record peaked at #3 on Billboard's country chart
and a new star was born. Keeping with rather risqué
themes, Gene's follow-up was the sensational,
sensual and sexual ballad 'Where Love Begins'. This
was penned by the great Canadian songwriter
Ray Griff,
whom Gene was to champion together with another
Canadian writing talent
Dallas Harms
for much of his stay at Capitol Records, 'Dallas
probably had my biggest hits but
Ray had more',
reflected Gene looking back.
For the next five years Gene scored no less than
seventeen top twenty hits for Capitol, ten of which
made the top ten. Gene's success was due in some
part to his manager and producer Russ Reeder. He
remembers, 'Russ was real laidback, real loose. He
never told me how or what to record. He stayed in
the control room and I would get out there with
musicians'.
In 1980 he left Capitol Records for MCA Records.
The hits continued throughout that decade, later
with Curb in 1984 and 1985 and from then on with
Epic until 1987, always recording traditionalist
honky tonk country music of the highest order. When
his contract with Epic expired, he concentrated on
working on the road, eventually playing some dates
with a young, up and coming artist named
Randy Travis,
who was managed by the woman who discovered him, Lib
Hatcher (they later married in 1991).
With Russ Reeder now retired, Gene turned to
Hatcher for management. Unfortunately things did
not work out well and a long legal wrangle ensued
which effectively prevented him from signing with
another label. During this time the artist was now
with Warner Brothers although when the label became
aware of the legal situation, they dropped Gene from
their roster.
Help next came in the shape of Jack McFadden, a
formidable talent manager whose list of clients
included Merle Haggard,
Freddie Hart,
Keith Whitley and, a little later, Billy Ray
Cyrus. 'I went to talk to Jack. He was aware of my
situation and agreed to manage and book me without a
contract', recalls Gene, indicating an act of
supreme trust.
With no American major label willing to take on an
artist with an ongoing legal suit, McFadden struck
an album deal with Canadian Gary Buck forging
another north-of-the-border connection following his
associations with Dallas
Harms
& Ray Griff.
The Nashville recorded album 'In
Other Words' was released in Canada on Mercury/Polygram and in
the US on the indie label Broadland. This gave Gene
his last official single hit 'One and One and One'
which peaked at 66 in 1993. 'It was a great song
and we had a lot of airplay on it but we didn't have
the wherewithal to create a hit', ruminated Gene
later.
By the end of the 1990s, Garth Brooks and a new raft
of country artists under the loose umbrella of 'New
Country' had caused the centre of country music
gravity to shift away from the honky tonk style of
music Watson had always performed.
Moreover Jack McFadden was now concentrating on his
new star Billy Ray Cyrus. 'When Billy Ray released
'Achy Breaky Heart' Jack's whole focus was turned on
him, naturally, because that's where the money was.
But it seemed everywhere I turned I was going down a
blind alley. I didn't have any management and I
didn't have anything to look forward to'.
At this low point in his career Gene was on the
verge of quitting. However an old friend and
booking agent Allen Whitcomb was instrumental in
talking him out of this and helped him secure a deal
with the prestigious label Step One, which
kick-started Gene's career all over again.
With the advent of the new century Gene had mixed
fortunes; in 2000 he was diagnosed with colon
cancer, although after rigorous hospital treatment,
he was declared well enough again to continue with
his heavy touring schedule. He continues to record,
and signed with RMG and Intersound and on August
17th 2002 Gene was inducted into the Texas Country
Music Hall of Fame, an honour long, long overdue.
That same year Hux Records
in the UK released two of Gene's classic Capitol
albums, 'Love in the Hot
Afternoon' and 'Paper
Rosie' on one re-mastered CD
(HUX036). The critical response and success of the
venture has led Hux to follow this up.
Again two great Capitol albums 'Because
You Believed in Me' from 1976 and
'Beautiful
Country' from 1977, have been released back to back. These
tracks are quintessential Gene Watson and capture an
artist at the very top of his form.
Five of Gene's superlative hits are featured, the
heartfelt waltz 'Because You Believed in Me' (#20,
1976), the tense, anguished 'Her body couldn't keep
you (off my mind)'
(#52, 1976) and the beautiful and tender love song
'I don't need a thing at all' (#8, 1977). Also
among the hits are two great
Dallas
Harms
numbers, the wry and rueful 'Cowboys don't get lucky
all the time' (#11, 1978) and the unusual jazz-themed story song
'The old man and his horn' (#11, 1977) with its
surprise payoff.
Add to this Gene's superlative tour de force reading
of Larry Gatlin's breathless heartbreaker 'Bitter
they are, harder they fall', Roger Miller's unusual
bluesy composition 'Sorry Willie', the humorous
self-pitying 'Hey Barnum and Bailey' and any number
of beautifully executed country shuffles and waltzes
contained on this album and you begin to understand
why Gene Watson's fans number
George
Jones,
George Strait, Jean Shepherd,
Randy Travis
and Marty Robbins and why Gene has legions of
devoted country record buying fans throughout the
world.
In short, this is simply country music at its very,
very best'.
Jon Philibert
Country Music People
September 2005
'Because
You Believed in Me'
Original Album Sleeve Notes
'Gene Watson sings songs that explore the intimate
side of love and life, songs that capture both the
feelings of pleasure and joy as well as heartache
and sorrow, songs that make the listener laugh and
cry because they tug at the heartstrings.
Gene Watson vocally dramatises the feeling of
holding the right person in your arms...or not
holding the person...or sometimes holding the wrong
person.
When Gene Watson sings a song, a great many of the
listeners invariably nod their heads in agreement as
the lyrics strike a responsive chord.
'Because
You Believed in Me' is a highly appropriate title for Gene Watson's
second Capitol album. The record is Gene's way of
thanking everyone for believing in him. This album
will undoubtedly assure everyone's continued faith
in Gene'.
Ed Keeley
National Country Field Manager
Capitol Records, Inc.
Musician Credits
(on the original 'Because
You Believed in Me' album)
Rhythm Guitar & Bass Guitar: Tommy Allsup
Rhythm & Lead Guitar: Leon Rhodes
Steel Guitar: Lloyd Green
Fiddle: Norman 'Buddy'
Spicher
Bass: Joe Allen
Piano: Hargus (Pig) Robbins
Lead Guitar: Jimmy Colvard & Pete Wade
Drums: Jimmy Isbell, Buddy Harman & Kenny
Malone
The 'Because
You Believed in Me' album was produced by Russ Reeder
& Bob Webster.
The 'Because
You Believed in Me' album was recorded at the Jack Clement Recording
Studio, Nashville, Tennessee where the Recording
Engineer was Jim Williamson.
'Beautiful
Country'
Original 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
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 (Recording Engineer: Jim
Williamson), with the exception of tracks indicated
thus *.
'The old man & his horn', 'Cowboys don't get
lucky all the time',
'I won't be sleeping alone' & 'Hey Barnum & Bailey'
(tracks indicated thus *)
were recorded at Bradley's Barn, Mt. Juliet,
Tennessee, where the Recording Engineer was Joe
Mills.
Photos for the original 'Beautiful
Country' album sleeve were taken by George Jerman (RIP).

'Because You Believed in Me & Beautiful Country'
Hux Records 072 (2005)
Track Listing
1 'Because you believed in me'
Written by Owens, Hall & Vowell
Published by Unichapell Music Inc. / BMI
2 'If I'm a fool for leaving'
•
Written by Little Jimmy Dickens &
Skip Graves
Published by Cedarwood Publishing Company Inc. / BMI
3 'Bitter they are, harder they fall'
••
Written by
Larry Gatlin
Published by First Generation Music Company / BMI
4 'When my world left town'
Written by Tom Ghent & R. Paul
Published by Jando Music Inc. / ASCAP
5 'Sorry Willie'
Written by Roger Miller (RIP)
Published by Tree Publishing Company Inc. / BMI
6 'How good a bad woman feels'
Written by Ray Griff
Published by Blue Echo Music / ASCAP
7 'Her body couldn't keep you (off my mind)'
Written by Ray Griff
Published by Blue Echo Music / ASCAP
8 'I fell apart'
Written by Hank Cochran
Published by Tree Publishing Company Inc. / BMI
9 'Hey Louella'
Written by Ray Griff
Published by Blue Echo Music / ASCAP
10 'And then you came along'
Written by Ray Griff
Published by Blue Echo Music / ASCAP
11 'The old man and his horn'
*
Written by Dallas Harms
Published by Doubleplay Music / BMI
12 'Cowboys don't get lucky all the time'
•••• *
Written by Dallas Harms
Published by Doubleplay Music / BMI
13 'I won't be sleeping alone'
*
Written by C. Stewart & J. Abbott
Published by Pantego Sound / BMI
14 'Hey Barnum and Bailey'
*
Written by C. Stewart, J. Abbott & K. Hagler
Published by Pantego Sound / BMI
15 'I'd love to live with you again'
Written by Dick Oberbey
Published by Back Bay Music / BMI
16 'I don't need a thing at all'
•••
Written by Joe Allen
Published by Joe Allen Music / BMI
17 'Raining in Dallas'
Written by J. Gostick & R. Moreland
Published by Calloway Music
18 'It don't hurt me half as bad'
Written by Joe Allen, D. Lay
& B. Lindsay
Published by Combine Music Corporation / BMI
19 'I knew we could never love for long'
Written by David Barnes
Published by Neverbreak Music / ASCAP
20 'He little thinged her out of my arms'
**
Written by Hank Cochran
Published by Tree International / BMI
'If
I'm a fool for leaving' (track indicated thus
●)
can also be found on the 'Gene
Watson' album, which was released on Wide World Records in
1969 & on Stoneway Records in 1973.
'If
I'm a fool for leaving' (track indicated thus
●) can also be found on the
'Love in the Hot
Afternoon' album, which was
released on Capitol Records in 1975.
A
re-recorded version of 'If I'm a fool for leaving' (track indicated thus
●)
was included on the 'Gene
Watson: Then & Now' album, which was released on Koch Records Nashville
in June 2005.
'The
bitter they are, harder they fall' (track indicated
thus ●●) was
written by Larry Gatlin & was originally included
on Larry's debut album 'The Pilgrim'.
The album was
released on Fred Foster's Monument
Records (KZ32571)
label in 1974 & includes liner notes
written by Johnny Cash (26 February 1932 - 12 September 2003).
'The Pilgrim' album was re-released by Columbia
Records (PC 36541) in 1980. You can find out more
about Larry Gatlin, and his brothers Steve & Rudy,
by logging onto
The Gatlin Brothers
official website.
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 in 1996.
'Cowboys
don't get lucky all the time' (track indicated thus
••••)
was also featured on the 'Convoy' soundtrack album, which was released on United
Artists Records in 1978. The film
'Convoy', which starred Kris Kristofferson & Ali
McGraw, was directed by Sam Peckinpah (RIP).
Produced by Russ Reeder
& Bob Webster
Licensed courtesy of EMI Music
Mastered by Russell Pay at The CD Clinic
Hux thanks: Alan Gardiner,
Sean Brady
& Richard Martin
You
can read a review of Gene Watson's 'Because You
Believed in Me & Beautiful Country' album
here. The review, which was written by
Craig Baguley, was published in the February 2006
issue of
Country Music People.
Gene Watson's Albums...
Select the album of your choice from the list below
Gene Watson
Love in the Hot
Afternoon
Because You
Believed in Me
Paper Rosie
Beautiful
Country
The Best of Gene
Watson
Reflections
Should I Come
Home
No One Will Ever
Know
The Best of Gene
Watson Volume 2
Between This
Time & The Next Time
Old Loves Never
Die
This Dream's on
Me
Sometimes I Get
Lucky
Heartaches, Love
& Stuff
Little by Little
Texas Saturday
Night
Memories to Burn
Greatest Hits
Starting New
Memories
Honky Tonk Crazy
Back in the Fire
Gene Watson's
Greatest Hits
At Last
In Other Words
Uncharted Mind
Best of Gene
Watson
The Good Ole
Days
Jesus is All I
Need
A Way to Survive
Eighteen
Greatest Hits
From the Heart
Ultimate
Collection
Love in the Hot
Afternoon & Paper Rosie
Gene
Watson...Sings
The Gospel Side
of Gene Watson
Gene Watson:
Then & Now
Because You
Believed in Me & Beautiful Country
Love in the Hot
Afternoon
Gene Watson: At
His Best
Gene Watson:
Gospel at its Best
In a Perfect World
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