Gene Watson's Peers: Charlie Craig
Gene Watson's peers within the country music industry
believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas, so much
so that Gene is regarded by many of them as 'the singer's singer' - and
rightly so!
All of Gene's Peers who were contacted in 2010 were most gracious with their
time & words. It is here, within this special part of gene-watson.com, that
you have an opportunity to read a quote from
Charlie Craig, which he submitted to this site on
Thursday 4 February 2010.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to
Charlie Craig
who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online
'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
Charlie Craig
This quote was submitted on Thursday 4 February 2010
'Sean, Yes, I am co-writer on 'Atlanta anymore' that Gene Watson recorded.
Thank you for the nice compliment.
As far as Gene Watson is concerned, I consider him to be one of the best country music
vocalists of all time. His delivery of a song is always heartfelt & his
sound is refreshingly unique.
I have had the pleasure of meeting Gene on a
few occasions & found him to be a gentleman with a down-to-earth
personality.
I hope Gene Watson never stops singing & recording because
the world of country music is always blessed whenever we get the opportunity
to hear him perform'.
Thank you, Charlie Craig, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Charlie Craig...
Charlie Craig
was born & raised in Watts Mill, South Carolina, a cotton mill village two
miles from the city square in Laurens, South Carolina. He performed on
a Saturday morning live radio show at the age of fifteen in Laurens singing
as a duet with a high school friend.
Charlie began working clubs, high school auditoriums & theatres after
graduating from high school. In 1968, he moved to Nashville & began a
forty year song-writing career that is still ongoing today.
In his autobiography 'Old Memories & Me', Charlie Craig states,
'Looking back on my life in this dazzling world of
country music, I sometimes wonder if I am somebody else & not that kid
from Watts Mill, South Carolina that used to sit up on an iron rail across
from the cotton mill & daydream about the life I have been living in this
business of country music for more than forty years.
How could I possibly
have known that the Sears & Roebuck Silvertone guitar I got when I was about
fourteen years old would lay the musical path to Nashville &
pair me up with the likes of Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, Dolly Parton,
Johnny Cash & a lot of other great stars. It still amazes me how this all
happened.
I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I didn't know
anybody important. I didn't even have a rabbit's foot. So why me?
I don't
honestly know. I do believe that God gave me a gift & something inspired
me to take that gift & make it my craft'.
Some of Charlie Craig's more than three hundred recorded credits as a songwriter are
listed below:
Jeannie C. Riley recorded Charlie Craig's 'Generation gap'
(co-written with Betty Craig & Jim Hayner) & included the track on
'Generation Gap' (Plantation Records, 1970).
Dolly Parton recorded Charlie Craig's 'Chicken every Sunday' (co-written
with Betty Craig) & included the track on 'Joshua' (RCA Records, 1971).
Kitty Wells recorded Charlie Craig's 'Every step of the way' & included
the track on 'Yours Truly' (MCA Records, 1973).
Del Reeves recorded Charlie Craig's 'Lay a little lovin' on me'
(co-written with Anne Reeves) & included the track on 'Live at the Palomino
Club' (United Artists Records, 1974).
Del Reeves recorded Charlie Craig's 'I would like to see you again'
(co-written with Larry Atwood) & included the track on 'With Strings &
Things' (United Artists Records, 1975).
Kenny Rogers recorded Charlie Craig's 'I would like to see you again'
(co-written with Larry Atwood) & included the track on 'Love Lifted Me'
(United Artists Records, 1976).
Don Williams recorded Charlie Craig's 'I
would like to see you again' (co-written with Larry Atwood) & included the
track on 'Expressions' (ABC Records, 1978).
Johnny Cash recorded Charlie Craig's 'I would like to see you again'
(co-written with Larry Atwood) & included the track on 'I Would Like to See
You Again' (Columbia Records, 1978).
Billie Jo Spears recorded Charlie Craig's 'Rainy days & stormy nights' &
included the track on 'I Will Survive' (United Artists Records, 1979).
Moe Bandy recorded Charlie Craig's 'Following the feeling', as a duet
with Judy Bailey, & included the track on 'Following the Feeling' (Columbia
Records, 1980) - the track was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard country music
singles chart.
Moe Bandy recorded Charlie Craig's 'Loser & a fool' & included the track
on 'Rodeo Romeo' (Columbia Records, 1981).
Moe Bandy recorded Charlie Craig's 'Let's get over them together', as a duet
with Becky Hobbs, & included the track on
'Devoted to Your Memory' (Columbia Records, 1983) - the track reached No.10
on the Billboard country music singles chart.
George Strait recorded Charlie Craig's 'Every time it rains (Lord, don't
it pour)' (co-written with Keith Stegall) & included the track on 'Right or
Wrong' (MCA Records, 1983).
Ed Bruce recorded Charlie Craig's 'I think I'm in
love' & included the track on 'You're Not Leaving Here Tonight' (MCA
Records, 1983).
Conway Twitty recorded Charlie Craig's 'I think I'm in love' & included the
track on 'Lost in the Feeling' (Warner Bros. Records, 1983).
Moe Bandy recorded Charlie Craig's 'Your memory always finds its way
back home' & included the track on 'Motel Matches' (Columbia Records, 1984).
Janie Fricke recorded Charlie Craig's 'She's
single again' (co-written with Peter McCann) & included the track on
'Somebody Else's Fire' (Columbia Records, 1985) - the track reached No.2 on
the Billboard country music singles chart.
Reba McEntire recorded Charlie Craig's 'She's single again' (co-written with
Peter McCann) & included the track on 'Have I Got a Deal for You' (MCA
Records, 1985).
Gene Watson recorded Charlie Craig's 'Atlanta anymore' (co-written with
Keith Stegall) & included the track on 'Starting
New Memories' (Epic Records, 1986).
Keith Whitley recorded Charlie Craig's 'Between an old memory & me'
(co-written with Keith Stegall) & included the track on 'I Wonder Do You
Think of Me' (RCA Records, 1988).
Lorrie Morgan recorded Charlie Craig's 'I'll take the memories'
(co-written with Keith Stegall) & included the track on 'Leave A Light On'
(RCA Records, 1989).
Alan Jackson recorded Charlie Craig's 'Wanted' (co-written with Alan
Jackson) & included the track on 'Here in the Real World' (Arista Records,
1990).
Waylon Jennings recorded Charlie Craig's 'Waking up with you'
(co-written with Roger Murrah & Waylon Jennings) & included the track on
'The Eagle' (Epic Records, 1990).
Aaron Tippin recorded Charlie Craig's 'I miss misbehaving' & included the
track on 'Read Between the Lines' (RCA Records, 1991).
Alan Jackson recorded Charlie Craig's 'Tropical depression' (co-written
with Jim McBride & Alan Jackson) & included the track on 'A Lot About Livin'
& A Little About Love' (Arista Records, 1992).
Shenandoah recorded Charlie Craig's 'Leaving's been a long time coming' &
included the track on 'Long Time Coming' (RCA Records, 1992).
Travis Tritt recorded Charlie Craig's 'Between an old memory & me'
(co-written with Keith Stegall) & included the track on 'Ten Feet Tall &
Bulletproof' (Warner Bros. Records, 1994).
Aaron Tippin recorded Charlie Craig's
'She's got a way (of making me forget)' (co-written with Aaron Tippin) &
included the track on 'Lookin' Back at Myself' (RCA Records, 1994).
Alan Jackson recorded Charlie Craig's 'All American boy' (co-written with
Keith Stegall) & included the track on 'Who I Am' (Arista Records, 1994).
Tanya Tucker recorded Charlie Craig's 'I'll take the memories'
(co-written with Keith Stegall) & included the track on 'Fire to Fire'
(Liberty Records, 1995).
Keith Stegall recorded Charlie Craig's
'Every time it rains (Lord, don't it pour)' (written by Charlie Craig &
Keith Stegall) & included the track on 'Passages' (Mercury Records, 1996).
Mark Wills recorded Charlie Craig's 'Love is alive' (co-written with Shane
Teeters & Bruce Bouton) & included the track on 'Wish You Were Here'
(Mercury Records, 1998).
Alan Jackson recorded Charlie Craig's 'What a day yesterday was'
(co-written with Mel Besher) & included the track on 'High Mileage' (Arista
Records, 1999).
Alan Jackson recorded Charlie Craig's 'Bring on the night' & included
the track on 'Drive' (Arista Records, 2002).
Charlie Craig's other credentials include a
Grammy Nomination for 'The Generation Gap',
Nominated Song of the Year for 'Wanted' &
Nominated Song of the Year for 'She's Single Again'.
Charlie also wrote 'One Foot Dragging', which was used on the television show
'Northern Exposure', & was performed by the Coasters.
Charlie Craig also received the honour of having five of his songs (two of
which were 'The best bedroom in town' and 'Champagne ladies & barroom
babies') included on the soundtrack of Robert Duval's Academy Award winning
movie 'Tender Mercies' in 1984.
Charlie Craig is also proud to have accomplished the following:
Induction into the South Carolina Entertainment Hall of Fame in 1998
Producer of the
Nashville Super Pickers - (they released two singles from this album)
Producer of two developmental acts for Warner Brothers Records
Worked in A&R for Giant Records
Worked in A&R & Promotion with Gusto Records
Worked with several special acts at the beginning of their careers, acts
that went on to become super stars including Alan Jackson, Randy Travis & the Wilkinsons
Charlie was also directly responsible for the signing of Tracy Hagen & the Wilkinsons to their
respective record deals.
Charlie Craig has also recorded an album, 'Old Memories & Me', on which he
performs twelve hit songs he has
written for some of Nashville & country music's biggest stars.
In 2008, Charlie Craig saw the release of 'The Hit Maker' (Gusto Records,
2008).
Visit Charlie Craig's Official Site
