Gene Watson's Peers: Gail Davies
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 2004 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
Gail Davies, which she
submitted to this site on Sunday 26 September 2004.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to
Gail Davies who has made a special
contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star
Hero'.
Gail Davies
This quote was submitted on Sunday 26 September 2004
'Although I don't really know Gene Watson personally, I
have always admired his music & the high level of integrity that he has
brought to the country music industry'.
Thank you, Gail Davies, for your
support of Gene Watson.
About Gail Davies...
Gail Davies is from Broken Row,
Oklahoma & is considered to be one of the most important & influential
female singer/songwriters to have been involved in country music in the
years since the early 1980s. Gail was the first female record producer in
country music & is cited by many of today's country divas as their role
model.
Though often best known for her pioneering production work, Gail is also a
gifted vocalist & a prolific songwriter. She is the writer of 'Bucket to the
south' (Lynn Anderson), 'Hometown gossip' (The Whites) & 'Tell
me why' (Jann
Browne), as well as her own Top 10 singles, 'Grandma's song' & 'Someone is
looking for someone like you'.
Gail's compositions are some of today's
country radio standards & have been recorded around the world by
internationally known artists such as Nana Mouskouri, Ireland’s Susan
McCann & Japan's Mari Nagatomi.
As a singer, Gail's voice has earned her numerous nominations from the CMa &
ACMA, as well as the coveted award from the 'DJs of America' for 'Best
Female Vocalist'.
One of the few artists to have ever received a standing ovation on the Grand
Ole Opry, Gail is a consummate performer who has played venues from the
Ryman Auditorium with Del McCoury to Britain’s Royal Concert Hall with John
Prine.
Gail Davies began her life as Patricia Gail Dickerson in Broken Bow,
Oklahoma on June 5, 1948. Her father, Tex Dickerson, was a country singer
who played around the Texas/Oklahoma club circuit during the 1940s &
occasionally appeared on the famed Louisiana Hayride. Gail was steeped in
the music of traditional country from an early age but was later influenced
by the 1960s British invasion & the music of Bob Dylan.
Gail left Oklahoma at the age of five & moved, with her mother & two
brothers, to Washington State. Her name was changed when her mother
remarried & Gail and her siblings were adopted by their kind & loving
stepfather, Darby Davies.
After graduating from South Kitsap High School in 1966, Gail moved to Los
Angeles where she met & married a Jazz musician. She attempted a brief
career in jazz but quit soon after they divorced & began working as a
session singer at A&M studios.
Gail's initial interest in record production began when she was befriended
by songwriter Joni Mitchell. Gail cites Joni as a major influence in her
life, but it was A&M’s top recording engineer, Henry Lewy, who spent hours
in the studio teaching Gail how to produce her own music.
During her days at A&M (late 1960s to the mid-1970s), Gail was invited to
sit in on a number of landmark sessions including one with ex-Beatle, John
Lennon, along with sessions involving Joe Cocker, The Carpenters & Carole
King.
Gail made her national television debut as Roger Miller’s duet partner in
1974 singing on the Merv Griffin Show. Gail’s song, 'I’m hungry I’m tired'
(featured on her live album), was written for the late Roger Miller.
Surrounded by so many great songwriters, including Gail’s older brother, Ron
Davies (the writer of 'It ain't easy' for Three Dog Night & David Bowie),
Gail bought a guitar in a pawnshop & began writing songs. She signed with
EMI Publishing in 1975 & then moved to Nashville where she immediately
scored as the author of Ava Barber’s hit single 'Bucket to the south'. The
exposure led to a contract with CBS/Lifesong Records in 1978 & the release
of Gail’s first album simply entitled 'Gail Davies', an album that was later
re-released on CD.
Gail began producing her own records in 1979 beginning with 'The Game' on
Warner Brothers. She delivered a series of critically acclaimed albums & Top
10 & Top 20 singles during the 1980s including 'Blue heartache', 'No
love
have I', 'Poison love', 'I'll be there', 'It's a
lovely, lovely world' (a
duet with Emmylou Harris), 'Round the clock lovin', 'Jagged edge of a
broken
heart', 'Hold on', 'Like strangers', 'It's you alone' (a duet with Ricky
Skaggs), 'Grandma's song', 'Break away', 'Someone is
looking for someone
like you', 'You turn me on like a radio', 'Singing the blues', 'Lovin’
me
too' (a duet with Vince Gill), 'Boys
like you', 'Nothing can hurt me now',
'Good lovin’ man', 'You’re a hard dog to keep under the porch', 'Hearts in
the wind', 'Waiting here for you' & 'Unwed fathers' (a duet with Dolly
Parton).
In 1985, Gail signed with RCA Records. She travelled to England that same
year to perform at the Wembley Festival. Inspired by British singer, Hank
Wangford, she returned to form a country/rock band called Wild Choir, a
forerunner of today's Americana movement. The group released one self-titled
album & two singles, 'Safe in the arms of love' & 'Heart
to heart'.
Gail returned to a solo career in 1988 & signed with MCA Records to produce
the album 'Pretty Words' with label head Jimmy Bowen. Despite her choice for
'Tell me why' (written by Gail Davies & Harry Stinson) to be released as a
single, MCA Records ignored her request & the song became a hit for
newcomer, Jann Browne.
Gail left the label soon after & moved to
Capitol/EMI, where she produced two albums, 'The Other Side of Love' & ' The
Best of Gail Davies' before accepting a position at Liberty Records in 1990
as country music’s first female staff producer.
After three years of working with talented, new artists like Mandy Barnett,
Gail formed her own label, Little Chickadee Productions. The first release,
'Eclectic' (10 songs written, sung & produced by Gail), was chosen by Tower
Pulse as one of the 'Ten Best Albums of the Year' in 1993. Other LCP
releases include 'Love ain't Easy', 'Gail Davies Greatest Hits', 'Live at
the Station Inn' & 'The Songwriter Sessions'.
In 2002, Gail Davies received an IBMA award & a Grammy nomination for her
duet with bluegrass patriarch Ralph Stanley. She was also nominated for an
Americana award for her production of 'Caught in the Webb', a tribute to
country legend Webb Pierce featuring George Jones, Emmylou Harris, Willie
Nelson, Pam Tillis, The Jordanaires, Dwight Yoakam, Charley Pride, Del McCoury Band, Crystal Gayle,
Dale Watson, Allison Moorer, Guy Clark, Mandy
Barnett & BR549.
Visit Gail Davies' Official Site