Ed Bruce (December 2006)
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 2006 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
Ed Bruce's quote, which
he submitted to this site on Sunday 10 December 2006.
I (Sean Brady)
would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to
Ed Bruce who has made a special contribution to a unique part
of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
 Ed
Bruce
This quote was submitted on Sunday 10 December 2006
'Gene
Watson is one of my long time,
all-time favourites. No smoke machines, no light shows!
Just pure, honest REAL country
music'.
Thank you,
Ed Bruce, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Ed Bruce...
Ed Bruce is a native of Keiser, Arkansas where he was born (William Edwin
Bruce Junior) in December 1939. He was brought up in Memphis, Tennessee & at the
age of seventeen cut his first tracks for the legendary Sun Records.
However, his career as a rockabilly performer were largely unsuccessful & by
1964 Ed had moved to Nashville, where he became a member of the Marijohn Wilkins
Singers. Ed also entered into a lucrative career singing advertising jingles,
his best-known campaign cast him as a character called the Tennessean.
In 1966, Ed signed with RCA Records, where he notched up his first chart hit
with the song 'Walker's woods'. More singles & a change of record labels
followed, but Ed struggled until 1976, when he took his composition 'Mammas
don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys' to No.15 on the Billboard country
music singles chart.
The song, which is Ed Bruce's best-known composition, was later a huge hit when
recorded by Waylon Jennings (RIP) & Willie Nelson; the track spent four weeks at
No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart in March/April 1978.
Ed Bruce's compositions have also been recorded by fellow country music stars
such as Charlie Louvin ('See the big man cry', No.7 in 1965), Tex Ritter (RIP),
Tanya Tucker ('The man that turned my mama on', Top 5 hit in 1974 & 'Texas,
when
I die', No.5 in 1978) & Crystal Gayle.
Ed recorded for Epic Records between 1977 & 1978.
However, he achieved his greatest commercial success with MCA Records in
the 1980s; 'The last cowboy song' (featuring guest vocals from Willie Nelson)
reached No.2 in 1980, while both 'Girls, women & ladies' & '(When
you fall in
love) Everything's a waltz' fell just short of entering the Top 10.
In 1982, Ed reached No.1 with 'You're the best break this heart ever had' (No.1
for one week in March 1982). Other Top 5 singles included 'Ever, never
lovin'
you' (No.4, 1982), 'After all' (No.4, 1983), 'You turn me on (like a radio)'
(No.3, 1984) & 'Nights' (No.4, 1986).
When his recording career took off, Ed Bruce branched into acting, appearing in
the CBS mini-series 'The Chisholms' & the television special 'The Last Days of
Frank & Jessie James'. Ed also played the part of Tom Guthrie in an eight-month
return of 'Bret Maverick' in 1982.
Ed also saw the release of the albums 'Night Things' in 1986 & 'Ed Bruce' in
1988.
Visit Ed Bruce's Official
Website
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