Gene Watson: Biography - 2000
It is difficult to imagine the world of country music without the vast
contribution that Gene Watson has made to it. Between his major label debut
on Capitol Records in 1975 and the present day, Gene Watson has excelled
with his traditional slant within country music.
Biography: 2000
The country music industry finally recognised Gene Watson for his immense
vocal talent by awarding him with the 'Male Golden
Voice' Award at the 2nd Annual Golden Voice Awards;
the Annual Golden Voice Awards salute 'men & women who have given country
music her voice'.
The event, which was
held on Monday 12 June 2000 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention
Centre in Nashville, was hosted by Bill Anderson &
Jan
Howard.
More than 700 people attended the brunch event at the
Opryland Hotel, with proceeds going to the
Performers Benefit Fund, which provides adequate health care for qualifying
members of the Grand Ole Opry & is administered
through a board of directors elected by Opry members.
On Friday 1 September 2000, during
a conversation prior to appearing on the hallowed stage of The Grand Ole Opry, Gene Watson had the following to say:
'I feel disappointment at the fact that most country
music radio stations in the USA do not play my music & I wish that I could
do something about it. I feel that the Grand Ole Opry is so special
because it was where country music began. I put it above all other
places & feel privileged when I play on its hallowed stage.
The first time I played at the Grand Ole Opry was in the 1960s when I played
at the Ryman with the Wilburn Brothers. I performed one song &
received a standing ovation. I then had to perform a second song,
which was ‘It is no secret’. I am working on a box set of material &
hope to go back to the early labels & others that cannot be found.
I would love to record an album of Christmas material. I feel
that Merle Haggard
can get more out of a phrase than anyone else & I would like to
record with him one day'.
Speaking of
Merle Haggard,
Gene Watson has recorded two of Merle's
compositions; 'I must be somebody else' was included on 'Heartaches, Love &
Stuff' (MCA Records, 1984), while 'Today I started loving you again'
(featuring vocal harmonies from Lee Ann Womack) was included on 'In a
Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2008).
Merle Haggard originally recorded 'I must be somebody else' & included the
track on 'Swinging Doors & The Bottle Let Me Down' (Capitol
Records, 1966), while 'Today I started loving you again' was originally
included on Merle Haggard's 'The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde' (Capitol Records,
1968).
Gene Watson was diagnosed with colon cancer
in October 2000. Gene was, in fact, in Nashville performing on the
Grand Ole Opry when he got the symptoms. The guys in his Farewell
Party Band got him on the bus & rushed him back to his home state of Texas.
Gene went to the hospital in his hometown & went through a series of tests.
It was in Houston, Texas where he received a full diagnosis. He had
his cancer removed surgically and spent some time in hospital
recuperating.
The type of surgery performed on Gene was laparoscopic surgery, a procedure
where Gene didn’t have to be cut open; the surgeon simply went in through a
hole in him & removed the cancer surgically. For insurance purposes,
Gene underwent six months of chemotherapy, which made him feel quite ill to
say the least.
Gene Watson Biography:
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