Gene Watson: CMP Album Reviews
Gene Watson has been singing professionally since the late 1950s & has been
a country music (album) recording artist since the late 1960s.
Gene Watson steps into a recording studio and, like a great chef, uses the
perfect ingredients to create an aural feast. When Gene Watson takes a step
behind the microphone, magic happens.
Gene Watson's contribution to the country music genre is immeasurable and it
is here that you have an opportunity to read a CMP review of the compilation
'Hank Williams Tribute' (EMI, 1992), as published in the
March 1993
issue of Country Music People.
Country Music People is the United Kingdom's No. 1 Award Winning Country
Music Magazine, and was the recipient of the Country Music Association's
2003 Wesley Rose International Achievement Award.
Country Music People was first published in 1970 and protects its integrity
fiercely. The magazine has always brought its readers detailed, honest
record reviews untainted by advertising considerations, as well as genuine
interviews with country stars that are not faked from interview discs sent
out by publicists and record labels.
Country Music People have
long ago nailed its colours to the mast where Gene Watson is concerned.
The magazine has rigorously championed Gene's cause down through the years
and have published a number of reviews of his album releases.
All reviews have been reproduced with the kind permission
of Country Music People.
'Hank Williams Tribute' (EMI, 1992)
Track Listing
1 'Honky tonkin' (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)
2 'Half as much' (Glen Campbell)
3 'Hey good lookin' (Faron Young) - RIP
4 'I just don't like this kind of livin' (George Jones)
5 'Your cheatin' heart' (Jody Miller)
6 'A mansion on the hill' (Slim Whitman)
7 'I can't help it (if I'm still in love with you)' (Gene Watson)
8 'Jambalaya' (Wanda Jackson)
9 'There'll be no teardrops tonight' (Willie Nelson)
10 'Lovesick blues' (Sonny James)
11 'House of gold' (George Jones & Melba Montgomery)
12 'May you never be alone' (Tennessee Ernie Ford)
13 'Nobody's lonesome for me' (Ronnie Hawkins)
14 'Move it on over' (Rose Maddox)
15 'I could never be ashamed of you' (George Jones)
16 'I saw the light' (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band & Roy Acuff)
17 'I'm so lonesome I could cry' (Glen Campbell)
18 'Kaw-Liga' (Frank Ifield)
19 'You win again' (Wanda Jackson)
20 'There's a tear in my beer' (Big Jim Lister)
21 'Why should we try anymore' (Ferlin Husky)
22 'I'll never get out of this world alive' (Asleep at the Wheel)
This CMP review by Craig Baguley, which was published in the March 1993 issue of
Country Music People, is reproduced here with the kind permission of the
publishers.
Album Review by Craig Baguley
(•••••••••• out of 10)
'That Hank Williams is the most influential figure in modern country music
cannot be denied. His legacy of songs has had a massive impact on all
fields of popular music and is familiar to households throughout the world.
That, therefore, he is one of the greatest of country songwriters is
indisputable, though I would hesitate to place him on a solitary throne in
that respect. For my money, Willie Nelson ranks alongside Hank as a writer
and had the taxman's favourite already been dead, gone and a legend, this
would probably be accepted as received wisdom.
This various artists collection (compiled once more by
Tony Byworth
- hasn't
he been busy?) is a hit list of typically wonderful Williams compositions.
From the musically brilliant 'Honky tonkin' (you try writing a great one
chord song) through the awesomely sorrowful 'I'm so lonesome I could cry' to
the gospel joy of 'I saw the light', this is a master at work and many of
the performances here do full justice to the quality of the material.
Personal preference in that respect includes Gene Watson's tender cut of the
lovely 'I can't help it (if I'm still in love with you)', an excellent
performance by the unstoppable Slim Whitman on 'Mansion on the hill', a
young Willie Nelson from his United Artists days on 'There'll be no
teardrops tonight', a sparsely backed version (guitar and bass) of 'May you
never be alone' from Ernie Ford who is nowhere near my favourite singer, but
whose vocal here is very appealing, the rockabilly girl Wanda Jackson on a
straight country cut of 'You win again', a newly discovered cut on 'There's
a tear in my beer' by Big Bill Lister (who he?) who gives a very good
imitation of the great man himself, and any track by
George Jones.
As fans will know, two of the songs here were not actually written by Hank
Williams. Indeed, his first number one hit and a song forever indelibly
attached to his name, 'Lovesick blues', was written in the twenties by Cliff
Friend and Duke Ellington's long-time lyricist, Irving Mills. The other,
'Half as much', so beautiful one can be forgiven for thinking Hank did write
it, was written by namesake Curly Williams and allows Glen Campbell to give
one of his finest performances.
Diehard fans will surely have many of these cuts already, and I know
compilation artist sets are not the most welcome additions to a record
collection, but I suspect this might do quite well through non-specialist
outlets such as Woolies and Smith's. And there must be more than a few fans
who would jump at the chance of listening to nearly one hour of Hank
Williams by proxy'.
Craig Baguley
Country Music People
March 1993
