Gene Watson's Peers: Dirk Johnson
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 2009 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
Dirk Johnson, which he submitted to this site on
Monday 24 August 2009.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to
Dirk Johnson
who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online
'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
Sean Brady would also like to express a heartfelt 'thank you' to Sarah Brosmer at Lytle
Management in Nashville without whose assistance this quote would not
have been possible.
Dirk Johnson
This quote was submitted on Monday 24 August 2009
'Growing up in the 1970s in Virginia, I knew at an early
age I wanted
to be a studio musician & producer. I was producing records on
folks like Jesse McReynolds of Jim & Jesse fame & engineering on Ralph
Stanley albums at thirteen years old in 1977.
My inspiration came
from a very select few records that I listened to. My passion was & always will be country music.
When I listened to Gene Watson records, I heard what set off something in me I hadn't ever
felt before. But it was obvious to me - this was the way country
records should be done! It totally affected my playing & my whole
thoughts on arrangements. Gene was producing his records; he
absolutely was & still is the most amazing vocalist. I used to sit & study those records
& think to myself, 'If I someday could play
on something anywhere near as good as this, I will die a happy man'.
Amazing was that first call I got to play on my first Gene Watson
record. I was so scared I couldn't hardly find the piano!
After
several more of those albums & meeting plus getting to know the 'real deal' that is Gene Watson, I came to respect him even more!
Which is why I have now nicknamed him 'Genius Watson'. Ha! Ha!
When he asked me earlier this year to produce his upcoming album, I
was honoured more than I have ever been in my entire life. He was one
of my biggest musical heroes & after getting to be around him &
actually know him, I am more in awe of him than I was before I really
knew him.
When we decided to name this album 'A Taste of the
Truth', I
said to myself, 'How fitting!' This man is
the walking, talking, breathing 'taste of the truth' & this record proves it.
Not only is age just a
number, in this case it just goes to further prove that some things
get better with age.
You'll hear the man sing things he's never sung
before with a passion & love for the music I've never experienced
in all the years I've played on & produced many records.
The duet with Trace Adkins, 'We've
got a pulse', is a perfect
example of our philosophy going into this album's production.
Country music is not dead! It's alive &
well. You may have to
look a little harder to buy it these days, but it's worth the
search. When you find this album, you'll know real country is still
kicking'!
'Genius Watson' - (sorry pal)...he hates it when I call him that - is truly a genius.
He's a master of the hardest instrument in the
world. The voice! He also is musically one of the most 'alert' &
'spot on', minds I've ever encountered! And the best thing of all
that I could say about Gene is, 'He is without a doubt, the most real
person, the kindest gentleman & man of his word I've ever
run across in this business!
Gene Watson is literally, in every
way, 'A taste of the truth'.
Thank you,
Dirk Johnson
for your support of Gene Watson.
About Dirk Johnson...
Dirk
Johnson
started playing at around three years of age in his parents house just down the
road from the AP Carter family fold & home-place near Bristol, Virginia the
year was 1967. When Dirk was four years old, he discovered that he had
perfect pitch & could accurately identify up to eleven 'nonsense' notes together all at the same time.
When Dirk was thirteen years old, he met Charlie & Alan Maggard at the Maggard Sound Studio in Big Stone Gap, Virginia
where he got his first job as a studio pianist, producer & engineer.
Two years later, at the age of fifteen, Dirk got to work as an engineer on a Ralph Stanley album.
He also played on & produced some records for Jesse
McReynolds, Opry member of 'Jim & Jesse' fame & mandolin virtuoso.
A number of years later, Dirk moved to Nashville, where he started doing studio, stage
& television work with many talented people he is blessed to now
call friends.
Dirk Johnson has recorded with/produced or played with many great
artists either on television, records (CDs) or stage; the list of artists
reads like a 'who's who' of country music & include Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton,
George Jones, Clay Walker,
Buddy Emmons & the Swing Shift Band,
Joe Diffie, Steve Wariner,
Alison
Krauss, Keith Whitley, Shania Twain, Diamond Rio, Terri Clark, John Conlee, Toby Keith, John
& Audrey Wiggins,
Rhonda Vincent, Jerry Reed, Johnny Paycheck, Trisha Yearwood,
Brooks &
Dunn, Billy Currington, Jo Dee Messina,
Lee Ann Womack,
Vince Gill, Larry & the Gatlin Brothers, TG Sheppard,
BJ Thomas, Ricky Skaggs, The Whites, Gene
Watson, Ray Price, Faron Young, Dottie West, Harley Allen, Deborah Allen,
Clinton Gregory, Eddie Rabbitt, John Anderson, Brent Mason,
Aaron Tippin,
Darryl Singletary, Ken Mellons, Eddy
Arnold, Sonny James, Wesley Dennis, Lisa Brokop, Charlie Rich,
Connie Smith, Marty Stuart,
Charley Pride, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jeannie Seely,
Mark Wills, Marty Raybon, Roy Acuff, Bill Anderson, Lynn Anderson, Crystal
Gayle, Keith Stegall & Jerry
Douglas.
Dirk Johnson has also worked with his 'A Team' heroes Hargus 'Pig' Robbins,
Harold Bradley, Jimmy Capps,
Pete Wade, Buddy Harmon, Roy Huskey Junior & Owen Bradley.
Dirk Johnson played piano on the Gene Watson albums 'Uncharted
Mind' (Step One Records, 1993), 'The Good
Ole Days' (Step One Records, 1996), 'Jesus is
All I Need' (Step One Records, 1997), 'A Way
to Survive' (Step One Records, 1997) & 'From
the Heart' (RMG Records, 2001).
Visit Dirk Johnson's
Official MySpace Site