Gene Watson's Peers: Doug Supernaw
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 2005 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
Doug
Supernaw, which he submitted to
this site on Wednesday 30 November 2005.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you'
to
Doug
Supernaw who has made a special
contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star
Hero'.
Doug
Supernaw
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 30 November 2005
'Gene Watson, to me, epitomises everything great and
everything sad about country music. Being, undoubtedly, one of the purest
country singers ever, I believe that he would rather be in an auto shop
singing for his buddies, rather than playing the politics of the music
business.
Houston, Texas and surrounding areas have been the most competitive country
music market for years, and I don't think that you would find anyone down
here in the business who has not been influenced by the wonderful gentleman.
I have the same sad disease as Gene, in that I sing because I have to, not
to be on 'You can be a Star'. The music and honky tonks, regardless of who
thinks what about them, are very therapeutic to a bunch of our breed, and
Gene can bring you to your knees on any sawdust dance floor.
Thanks to you, Sean, for keeping his music alive'.
Thank you,
Doug
Supernaw, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Doug Supernaw...
Doug
Supernaw was born Douglas Anderson Supernaw in Bryan, Texas on 26
September 1960 & is an artist who was heavily influenced by Gene Watson,
Keith Whitley (RIP) & George Jones.
Doug later
attended college on a golfing scholarship; after dropping out of college
in 1979, he briefly worked on an oil rig before serving as a musician in
local bands. Doug moved to Nashville in 1987, where he found
work as a session songwriter. After four years in Nashville, however, he
moved back to Texas in 1991, where he founded a band called Texas Steel.
An A&R executive for RCA Records discovered Supernaw & signed him to the
label's BNA Entertainment (BNA Records) division in 1993. That year,
Doug saw the release of his debut album, 'Red & Rio Grande'. Overall, four singles
were released from the album, starting with 'Honky tonkin' fool', which
failed to enter the country music Top 40 on the Billboard charts.
A second single, 'Reno', reached the Top 5 soon afterward, while its follow-up,
'I don't
call him Daddy' (previously a No.86 single in 1988 for Kenny Rogers), became Supernaw's only
No.1 single by the end of 1993. The 'Red & Rio Grande' album went
on to achieve gold certification in the United States.
A series of injuries nearly ended Supernaw's career after his first album's
release. After recovering from a broken neck suffered while surfing, he was
involved in a head-on car collision. Finally, he was hospitalised after a
nearly-fatal case of food poisoning.
Once he had recovered from the food
poisoning, Doug recorded his second album for BNA; 'Deep Thoughts from a
Shallow Mind' was released in 1994. Of the album's three singles, only the Dennis Linde-penned
'What'll you do about me' (previously a single in 1984 for Steve Earle &
in 1992 for the Forester Sisters) entered the Top 40 on the country music
charts. Shortly after the release of his second album, Doug exited BNA's roster.
In 1995, Doug Supernaw signed to Giant Records, where he recorded & released his
third major-label album, 'You Still Got Me', in 1996. Although its first
single, 'Not enough hours in the night', reached a peak of No.3 on the country
singles charts, neither of the album's other singles reached the Top 40.
As a result, Doug
left Giant Records not long afterward.
Doug Supernaw's
first compilation album, 'The Encore Collection', was issued by Sony
BMG Special Products in 1997.
Doug
Supernaw's third & final recording contract was with the small,
independent Tack Records label, on which he released 'Fadin' Renegade' in 1999.
The album's two singles, the title track & '21-17', both failed to enter the
country music charts, although the latter song's music video gained
popularity on CMT & GAC.
Doug Supernaw recorded 'Nothing sure looked good on you' & included the
track on 'Fadin' Renegade' (Tack Records, 1999).
The original version of 'Nothing sure looked good on you' from Gene Watson
was included on 'Should I Come Home' (Capitol
Records, 1979).
Visit
Doug Supernaw's Official CMT Feature