Gene Watson Fan Site: Gene Watson Biography - 2007

Friday 5 January 2007
Gene Watson graced the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.



Gene Watson, who used the services of the Opry House Band instead of his acclaimed Farewell Party Band, performed two songs at 9.30pm (approximately): 'Nothing Sure Looked Good On You', a track included on 'Should I Come Home' (Capitol Records, 1979) and 'Got No Reason Now For Going Home', a track included on 'Heartaches, Love & Stuff' (MCA Records, 1984).

The full line-up on the Grand Ole Opry on the night of Friday 5 January 2007 included Mike Snider, Jean Shepard, Blaine Larsen, Little Jimmy Dickens, Connie Smith, Jim Lauderdale, Jeannie Seely, George Hamilton IV, Mountain Heart, Riders in the Sky, Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys.

Saturday 13 January 2007 - Saturday 20 January 2007
Gene Watson participated in the Truckin' Bozo XM Radio Cruise, a cruise which was organised by SS Cruises.



The Cruise was an Eastern Caribbean one (the first stop was San Juan, Puerto Rico then St Thomas and St Maarten). It was a seven-day cruise.  During the cruise, Gene Watson and The Farewell Party Band performed onboard on Friday 19 January 2007.

The opening act was Carl Dobkins Junior, a major rock 'n' roll star from the 1960s, who enjoyed a number of hit songs on the Billboard (pop) music singles chart.

Gene Watson was the headline act and performed a great number of requested songs including 'Carmen', 'Paper Rosie', 'Farewell Party' and 'Fourteen Carat Mind'.

The show was a seventy-five minute performance and the fans gave Gene Watson and The Farewell Party Band a standing ovation at the end of the show. The audience begged Gene for an encore. When they all returned to the stage, Gene performed 'Should I Come Home (Or Should I Go Crazy)'.

As a result of Gene Watson's outstanding performance, the tour operator is already being bombarded with requests to have Gene and The Farewell Party Band on another cruise very soon.

Friday 16 January 2007
Gene Watson graced the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.



Gene Watson was backed by the Opry House Band and performed two of his classic songs, 'Fourteen Carat Mind' and 'Farewell Party'.

Thursday 22 February 2007
It was announced today that music publisher Bob Webster had passed away - he was seventy-seven years old.



Bob Webster was a long-time associate of Jack Clement and had first worked with Jack in Beaumont, Texas during the early 1960s; he had administered a catalogue of hit songs which had been written by Jack Clement, Allen Reynolds, Jim Rushing and Bob McDill.  In Beaumont, Texas Bob Webster had managed a favourite country hangout called The Tap Room.



It was Bob Webster who co-produced, with Russ Reeder, Gene Watson's first and second albums for Capitol Records, 'Love in the Hot Afternoon' (Capitol Records, 1975) and 'Because You Believed in Me' (Capitol Records, 1976).



Bob Webster also co-produced, with Russ Reeder, the track 'Desperation', which was included on Gene Watson's 'Paper Rosie' (Capitol Records, 1977).



Bob Webster also produced the track 'He Little Thinged Her Out Of My Arms', which was included on Gene Watson's 'Beautiful Country' (Capitol Records, 1978).

Friday 6 April 2007
Gene Watson graced the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville; Gene Watson was onstage in the segment between 9.30 and 10.00pm EDT (Eastern Daylight Time).



Prior to his appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, Gene Watson was interviewed on WSM 650AM, a radio station known as 'Nashville's Country Legend'.

Monday 9 April 2007
It was announced that Gene Watson had been selected as one of the subjects for inclusion within Marty Stuart's second book of photographs.



Marty Stuart, as well as being one of the most diverse talents in country music, is also known for his passion for photography;  Marty Stuart had published his first book of photographs and essays, 'Pilgrims: Sinners, Saints & Prophets', in 1999.

Gene Watson in Nashville on Friday 6 April 2007

Marty Stuart's second book of photographs, 'Country Music: The Masters', included portraits of legendary country artists, along with photos of people, places and things associated with them.

Gene Watson's photo session with Marty Stuart took place on Friday 6 April 2007 at the newly renovated Nashville Palace.

Marty Stuart's second book of photographs, 'Country Music: The Masters', went on sale on Wednesday 6 June 2007.

Tuesday 10 April 2007
Gene Watson signed a recording contract with Shanachie Records; the label, which was founded in 1975 by Richard Nevins and Dan Collins, was one of the largest independent record labels in the world.



Shanachie Records specialised in fiddle music, Latin American, African music, soul, ska, jazz, blues and, of course, country music and was named after the Irish word for 'story teller'.

Gene Watson's first album for Shanachie Records would include eleven tracks, three of which would be 'covers'; the album was expected to be released in the fall of 2007.

Tuesday 17 April 2007
Carrie Moore-Reed at Third Coast Talent in Nashville, announced that Gene Watson and his acclaimed Farewell Party Band would undertake a thirteen-date tour of Ireland (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) between Wednesday 3 October 2007 and Thursday 18 October 2007.



Gene Watson's tour of Ireland would include performance dates in Castlebar, Killarney, Limerick, Belfast, Cookstown, Enniskillen, Armagh, Omagh, Castleblayney, Letterkenny, Ballymena and Dublin.

Gene Watson is widely respected around the world for his traditional take on country music, no more so than in Ireland.

Wednesday 9 May 2007
Shanachie Entertainment released an official statement with regard to the release of Gene Watson's first album for the label; the statement read as follows:

'Shanachie Entertainment signs Deal with Country Music Hit-maker Gene Watson for New Album

Shanachie Entertainment is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with acclaimed country singer Gene Watson for an album of new recordings, his first CD of all-new country material since 2003’s 'Gene Watson...Sings'. The as-yet untitled album will feature both new songs and Gene's special versions of some of his favorite country classics.

The recording for this highly anticipated album is scheduled to begin in May in Nashville and will be produced by Brent Rowan (Joe Nichols, Blake Shelton), who as a producer and musician has been involved in recordings that have sold collectively in excess of 100,000,000 copies.

'Gene Watson is widely acknowledged to be one of the finest country singers of the past forty years', notes Shanachie General Manager Randall Grass. 'We strongly believe that a singer of Gene's talent and classic style embodies the best of country music's traditions and so we are very proud to enter in this agreement with him. What's especially impressive is that even at this stage in his long career, Gene is singing better than ever!'

Gene Watson’s Shanachie Entertainment debut is slated for a September release and will make his 30th album in an impressive career has yielded over 26 Top Twenty country hits, including five No.1 singles.

The singer says, 'I'm excited to have this opportunity to record a new album for a great label like Shanachie. I think the fans will find we've got some great country songs and I hope they'll also enjoy my spin on some of my favorite country classics'.

Watson continues to tour extensively both within the United States and abroad'.

Shanachie’s deal with Gene Watson marked an important milestone in the label’s commitment to country music. Having released new recordings by Daryle Singletary, David Ball and Confederate Railroad, Shanachie was determined to deliver high-quality recordings by great artists to audiences hungry for 'real country music'.

Monday 14 May 2007
It was announced that Gene Watson's photo shoot, in preparation for the release of his first album for Shanachie Records, would take place on Wednesday 16 May 2007.



The photographer was announced as Traci Goudie, who was also a video director. Traci had directed videos for Mindy Smith's 'Out Loud', Sam Bush's 'River's Gonna Run', Diamond Rio's 'God Only Cries', Merle Haggard's 'America's First', Patty Loveless' 'Keep Your Distance' and Kelly Willis' 'Don't Come The Cowboy With Me'.



Traci Goudie worked for Taillight TV, a full service television and music video production company based on Nashville's Music Row.  Taillight TV was founded by Tom Forrest in August 2000, with Chandra LaPlume-Pereira joining in 2004.

Wednesday 16 May 2007
Gene Watson's photo shoot, in preparation for the release of his first album for Shanachie Records, took place in the very quaint town of Watertown, Tennessee. The picturesque village had a lovely town square with antique shops and cafes.

Gene Watson in Watertown, Tennessee on Wednesday 16 May 2007

Photographer Traci Goudie, along with her assistant Danni, took photos inside and outside a warehouse which was used to store video/theatre props.  They also took some exterior shots on location in Watertown, Tennessee.



As an aside, Gene Watson's friend Tom T. Hall recorded 'Watertown Tennessee', Tom T's own composition, and included the track on 'Homegrown' (Mercury Records, 1997).



Gene Watson recorded Tom T. Hall's 'Three' and included the track on 'Between This Time & The Next Time' (MCA Records, 1981).

Thursday 17 May 2007
Gene Watson was in the Curb recording studio in Nashville with producer Brent Rowan to begin work on tracks for his forthcoming album on Shanachie Records.

The day was what was termed, in recording circles, a 'tracking day'.  And it was on this day that Gene put down 'scratch vocals'; he was expected to record 'true vocals' on Friday 18 May 2007.

The studio musicians involved in the recording sessions on Thursday 17 May 2007 were Shannon Forrest (drums), Sonny Garrish (pedal steel), Bobby All (acoustic guitar), Gregg Galbraith (electric guitar), Aubrey Haynie (fiddle and mandolin), David Smith (bass), Hargus 'Pig' Robbins (piano) and Brent Rowan (guitar).

Gene Watson was expected to return to the Curb recording studio in Nashville on Friday 18 May 2007 and undertake further 'scratch' and 'true' vocal work.  Further recording sessions were also expected to take place at the end of May 2007.



Gene Watson with Hal Ketchum at Curb Studios in Nashville on Thursday 17 May 2007

It was also on Thursday 17 May 2007 that singer/songwriter Hal Ketchum came to the Curb recording studio in Nashville to visit with Gene Watson.

Friday 18 May 2007
Gene Watson was in the Curb recording studio in Nashville with producer Brent Rowan, working on vocal tracks for his forthcoming album on Shanachie Records.

The day was what was termed, in recording circles, a 'true vocal' day; it was on this day that Gene put down 'true vocals', having recorded 'scratch vocals' on Thursday 17 May 2007, a day that had been termed a 'tracking vocal' day.

It was expected that Gene Watson would return to the Curb recording studio in Nashville at the end of May to record further 'scratch' and 'true' vocal tracks for his debut album on Shanachie Records.

Friday 18 May 2007
Gene Watson graced the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry at the Grand Ole Opry House on Opryland Drive in Nashville.



Gene Watson performed two songs on the segment between 9.30pm and 10.00pm; 'Love In The Hot Afternoon', the title track from 'Love in the Hot Afternoon' (Capitol Records, 1975) and 'Pick The Wildwood Flower' from 'Reflections' (Capitol Records, 1978).

Gene Watson was given a wonderful introduction by fellow country music artist Jeannie Seely and was backed by his Farewell Party Band (Kenneth 'Corky' Owens on steel guitar, Staley Rogers on rhythm guitar, Todd Hines on drums, Joe Eddie Gough on piano and Steve Anderson on guitar).

Other artists who graced the stage of the Grand Ole Opry that night included Patty Loveless, Charlie Nagatani, Daryle Singletary, Jean Shepard and Megan Mullins.



Gene Watson with Patty Loveless backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on Friday 18 May 2007

Gene Watson enjoyed a nice visit, backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, with Patty Loveless, Daryle Singletary and internationally known singer, Charlie Nagatani from Japan.  Charlie gave Gene a gift of one of his souvenir t-shirts, as well as a delicious Japanese delicacy called Honey Doughnuts. Gene and the members of the Farewell Party Band sampled those backstage and thought they were wonderful.

Tuesday 29 May 2007
Gene Watson and producer Brent Rowan held a song meeting to listen to and discuss songs to record - Gene Watson's debut album for Shanachie Records was slated for a September 2007 release.

Preliminary recording sessions for the new album had taken place on Thursday 17 May 2007 and Friday 18 May 2007; further recording sessions were expected to take place in late May/early June 2007.

Wednesday 30 May 2007
Gene Watson was in the recording studio in Nashville with producer Brent Rowan to undertake further work on tracks for his forthcoming album on Shanachie Records.

Gene Watson in Nashville on Wednesday 30 May 2007

The day was what was termed, in recording circles, a 'tracking day'; it was on this day that Gene put down 'scratch vocals'; he was expected to record 'true vocals' on Thursday 31 May 2007.

The studio musicians involved in the recording sessions today included Bobby All (guitar), Gregg Galbraith (guitar), Aubrey Haynie (fiddle), Hargus 'Pig' Robbins (piano), John Gardner (drums) and David Smith (bass guitar).  Also present on the day were Craig White (main studio engineer) and Greg Strizek (studio assistant).

Monday 4 June 2007
It was announced that Gene Watson's debut album for Shanachie Records, which was slated for a September 2007 release, would include eleven tracks; three of these tracks would be covers of some of Gene Watson's favourite classic country songs.

The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively announced that one of the three classic covers would be Merle Haggard's 'Today I Started Loving You Again', which was co-written by Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens (Tuesday 1 October 1929 - Monday 24 April 2006).



Merle Haggard's 'The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde' was No.1 for two weeks on the Billboard country music singles chart in April/May 1968 (27 April - 11 May) and the 'b' side of the single was 'Today I Started Loving You Again'.

Though Merle Haggard's version never charted, the song has gone on to become a country music classic and was originally included on 'The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde' (Capitol Records, 1968).

In 1975, Sammi Smith (Thursday 5 August 1943 - Saturday 12 February 2005) enjoyed a Top 10 hit on the Billboard country music singles chart with 'Today I Started Loving You Again'; the track was also the title cut of one of her albums.

Wednesday 6 June 2007
In April 2007, it had been announced that Gene Watson had been selected as one of the subjects for inclusion within Marty Stuart's second book of photographs.

Marty Stuart, as well as being one of the most diverse talents in country music, is also known for his passion for photography; Marty Stuart had published his first book of photographs and essays, 'Pilgrims: Sinners, Saints & Prophets', in 1999.



Marty Stuart's second book of photographs was titled 'Country Music: The Masters' and contained portraits of legendary country artists, along with photos of people, places and things associated with them.



Gene Watson's photo session with Marty Stuart took place on Friday 6 April 2007 at the newly renovated Nashville Palace

Marty Stuart's second book of photographs, 'Country Music: The Masters', went on sale on Wednesday 6 June 2007.

Thursday 7 June 2007
Gene Watson and The Farewell Party Band (Corky Owens, Joe Eddie Gough, Staley Rogers and Steve Anderson) gave an outstanding performance at The Riverfront Stages at the CMA Music Festival (formerly Fan Fair) in Nashville.

Gene Watson & The Farewell Party Band onstage at the CMA Festival in Nashville on Thursday 7 June 2007

Gene Watson performed five of his classic recordings; 'Fourteen Carat Mind', 'Love In The Hot Afternoon', 'Memories To Burn', 'Paper Rosie' and 'Farewell Party'.

Thursday 7 June 2007
In between performing at the CMA Music Festival and The Nashville Palace, Gene Watson and his producer Brent Rowan visited the recording studio.  Mark Chesnutt dropped by and added his vocals to a track, which would feature on Gene's debut album for Shanachie Records.

Gene Watson and Mark Chesnutt at Curb Studio in Nashville on Thursday 7 June 2007 (photo courtesy of Sarah Brosmer of Lytle Management in Nashville)

Mark Chesnutt, a fellow Texan, was one of the artists who put on a benefit concert for Gene Watson when he was suffering from colon cancer and had extraordinary health costs that his insurance would not cover. Gene Watson has said that he will never forget that gift from Mark Chesnutt and that he considers him to be a truly great friend.

Gene Watson's debut album for Shanachie Records, which was slated for a September 2007 release, was anticipated to be one of the outstanding country music album releases of the year.

Thursday 7 June 2007
Gene Watson and The Farewell Party Band (Corky Owens, Joe Eddie Gough, Staley Rogers and Steve Anderson) gave a rare and outstanding performance at The Nashville Palace (a re-modeled and lovely, spacious club with a full dining menu, located just across from the Opryland Hotel).

Several distinguished individuals attended the performance on this special night; Billy Yates was seated right down front. Gene Watson was very pleased to see Billy Yates and acknowledged his presence several times from the stage during the course of the evening.



Gene Watson has recorded two of Billy Yates' compositions; the tracks 'Flowers' and 'Hold Me' were included on 'Gene Watson...Sings' (Intersound Records, 2003).

Gene Watson's new producer Brent Rowan was also in the audience, as was Gene's good friend, CAA agent Stan Barnett and his manager John Lytle of Lytle Management.

The wonderful bluegrass diva Rhonda Vincent made a point of attending the entire performance, so that she too could enjoy the master at work; Gene was not aware that Rhonda was present until after the show.



Gene Watson received a standing ovation for his performance of Marty Robbins' 'You Gave Me A Mountain', a track which Gene had included on 'Uncharted Mind' (Step One Records, 1993); in fact, he received a wonderful reception for each and every song he performed on the night.



Gene Watson also graciously mentioned his legion of fans in Ireland, stating that they knew his album material as well as they knew his hit singles; 'Carmen', a track from 'Memories to Burn' (Epic Records, 1985) was dedicated to all of Gene's Irish fans.

Gene Watson also informed the audience that he had recorded Merle Haggard's 'Today I Started Loving You Again' and that the track would be included on his debut album for Shanachie Records, which was slated for a September 2007 release.

Gene Watson's performance at The Nashville Palace on Thursday 7 June 2007 lasted for seventy-five minutes during which time he performed exquisite versions of 'Baby Me Baby', 'I Catch Myself' and 'This Dream's On Me'.

Thursday 21 June 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively announced the title of one of the tracks that would grace Gene Watson's debut album for Shanachie Records, which was slated for a September 2007 release.

'This Side Of The Door', which was co-written by Tim Mensy and Shawn Camp, featured a guest vocal from Mark Chesnutt; the track had been recorded on Thursday 7 June 2007.



Mark Chesnutt recorded 'This Side Of The Door' and included the track on 'What A Way To Live' (Decca Records, 1994).



Tim Mensy recorded 'This Side Of The Door' and included the track on 'Tim Mensy' (PJM Records, 2002).



Gene Watson's debut album for Shanachie Records, which was slated for a September 2007 release, was anticipated to be one of the outstanding country music album releases of the year.

Friday 22 June 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively announced that 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007) would be the title of Gene Watson's debut album for Shanachie Records.

'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007), the title track, was written by Harley Allen (Monday 23 January 1956 - Wednesday 30 March 2011) and Tim Mensy.

Gene Watson's 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007) was slated for a September 2007 release and was anticipated to be one of the outstanding country music album releases of the year.

Monday 25 June 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site announced that RFD-TV, the United States' first twenty-four hour television network dedicated to serving the needs and interests of rural America, would broadcast a special edition of 'Ralph Emery - Live'.



Gene Watson was expected to be the special guest on 'Ralph Emery - Live', which would be carried on RFD-TV and broadcast on Monday 10 September 2007.

Wednesday 27 June 2007
The Gene Watson Site exclusively announced that 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007), Gene Watson's debut album for Shanachie Records, would be officially released on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007) from Gene Watson was anticipated to be one of the more important country music album releases of 2007.

Monday 2 July 2007 and Tuesday 3 July 2007
Gene Watson was present in the Curb recording studios in Nashville working on the mixing process of his new Shanachie Records release; Gene Watson's 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007) would be officially launched on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Monday 9 July 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site received copies of two promotional 'flyers' which were produced in order to promote Gene Watson's tour of Ireland (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland), a tour which was scheduled to take place in October 2007.


Promotional Flyer 1 and Promotional Flyer 2

Gene Watson and The Farewell Party Band would bring their distinctive brand of traditional country to thirteen venues around Ireland including Killarney, Castlebar, Letterkenny, Limerick, Belfast, Cookstown, Enniskillen, Omagh, Armagh, Castleblayney, Coleraine, Ballymena, Dublin and Sligo.

Monday 9 July 2007
The mastering of 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007), Gene Watson's new album on Shanachie Records, took place at Independent Mastering, 114 17th Avenue South, Nashville TN 37203.

The mastering was undertaken by Eric Conn, Don Cobb and producer Brent Rowan.



Eric Conn and Don Cobb

Eric Conn
Eric Conn opened Independent Mastering in Nashville in October 2001, having spent four hours at Georgetown (with Don Cobb), three years at Doug Sax's Sheffield Lab recording, one year at The Smithsonian and one year at The Airshow.

Eric Conn also spent many years in recording and mastering at facilities in California, Colorado, Washington DC and Nashville. He also spent two years repairing woodwind instruments, brass winds and orchestral string instruments. Eric Conn holds a degree in music from The University of Massachusetts in Boston.

Don Cobb
Don Cobb has been a recoding and mixing engineer for artists such as Take Six, Quincy Jones and Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 - Wednesday 13 February 2002).  Don also managed, edited and mastered at Denny Purcell's Georgetown Masters for eleven years. Don Cobb is a multi-instrumentalist and can play mandolin, guitar and bass.

Gene Watson's 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007) would be officially released by Shanachie Records on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Monday 9 July 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively revealed that there would be six special guest vocalists on 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007), Gene Watson's new album on Shanachie Records, which would be officially released on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

These special guest vocalists would include Joe Nichols, Rhonda Vincent, Mark Chesnutt, Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack and Connie Smith.

Rhonda Vincent and Gene Watson would perform Buck Owens' 'Together Again', which was a No.1 Billboard hit for Buck Owens in 1964; the track was also No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in April 1976 for Emmylou Harris.

Mark Chesnutt would join Gene Watson on 'This Side Of The Door' (co-written by Tim Mensy and Shawn Camp), a track originally recorded by Mark Chesnutt for 'What A Way To Live' (Decca Records, 1994) and by Tim Mensy for 'Tim Mensy' (PJM Records, 2002).

Gene Watson's 'In a Perfect World' on Shanachie Records was anticipated to be one of the more important country music releases of 2007.

Friday 13 July 2007
Gene Watson and his Farewell Party Band traveled from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee to perform on the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

However, their tour bus caught fire on the outskirts of Nashville. The blaze ignited from a broken axle shaft spewing grease. Gene Watson's years as an auto mechanic stood him in good stead as he quickly went to work trying to extinguish the fire.

Sarah Brosmer, Gene Watson's publicist, said that black smoke and flames had engulfed the back of the bus by the engine. Gene and the band members kept the fire from spreading under the floorboard and fought the fire for thirty minutes until firefighters arrived.

Gene stated: 'We used everything we had on the bus to douse the flames, from sodas to water bottles. The firemen arriving on the scene still gave it a good shot, too. When we say that we were smoldering hot in Nashville, we really mean it'.

No one was harmed, though Gene did singe his hair. Gene and The Farewell Party Band rented another bus in order to continue their journey to the Grand Ole Opry appearance. It was expected that it would take several days before Gene's regular bus was repaired.

Friday 13 July 2007
Following dramatic events earlier in the day, Gene Watson and his acclaimed Farewell Party Band graced the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville at 9.30pm. Considering the traumatic events earlier in the day, Gene did see the funny side of things when he performed 'Memories To Burn'.

Other artists who appeared on the Grand Ole Opry on the night of Friday 13 July 2007 included Chris Young, Jimmy Wayne, The Grascals, Little Jimmy Dickens, Bobby Osborne and The Rocky Top X-Press.



Gene Watson with Connie Smith backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on Friday 13 July 2007

The legendary Connie Smith was also present at the Grand Ole Opry on the night.  Connie and Gene had an opportunity to talk and Gene told her how delighted he was that she sang on his new album.

Monday 16 July 2007
Following the dramatic bus fire on Friday 13 July 2007, Gene Watson traveled to Nashville with the temporary bus to see if the repairs on his bus had been completed.

According to the members of the Farewell Party Band, Gene was the heroic one on Friday 13 July 2007 as he was right up amid the flames, dousing them with everything he could find on the bus. Obviously, a grease fire couldn't be put out, but Gene did all he could to contain it, so that it wouldn't spread further.

The good news is that no one was hurt in the incident on Friday and Gene proved himself to be a Lone Star Hero - we all knew he was!

Monday 16 July 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively revealed that Robert K. Oermann, 'the dean of Nashville's entertainment journalists', was working on a Gene Watson biography.  'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007), Gene Watson's new album, would be officially released by Shanachie Records on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Tuesday 17 July 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site officially confirmed that Gene Watson would be a special guest on the Eddie Stubbs' radio show on WSM. The show would be broadcast 'live' from the Country Music Hall of Fame on Wednesday 12 September 2007 between 7.00pm and 9.00pm CST.

Gene Watson would have copies of 'In a Perfect World', his new album on Shanachie Records, available for sale on that evening only, as a special event promotion, so that those who lived near the Nashville area could have an opportunity to purchase a copy of the CD before the official release date of Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Wednesday 18 July 2007
Following the dramatic bus fire on Friday 13 July 2007, Gene Watson was in Nashville in order to check out the repairs being carried out on his tour bus.

Thursday 19 July 2007
Following the dramatic bus fire on Friday 13 July 2007, Gene Watson was in Nashville and was informed that repairs had been carried out successfully on his tour bus - everything was, once again, in full working order.

Saturday 21 July 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site was proud to receive, and publish, an official Shanachie Records Press Release from Monifa Brown at Shanachie Records, based in Newton, New Jersey:

'Everybody's Favourite Country Singer Delivers 'In a Perfect World'

'Gene Watson's new CD featuring guest vocals from fans Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, Joe Nichols, Mark Chesnutt, Connie Smith and Rhonda Vincent.

Ask any number of country artists (or any fan of real country music) who their favourite country singer is and there's a good chance they will name Gene Watson, arguably the greatest country singer of his generation.

Having scored a string of over 48 chart singles with 21 Top Ten hits and 5 No.1 hits since his mid-seventies chart debut, Gene Watson's name is synonymous with real country music. His deeply-felt, expressive singing is akin to that of the great soul singers; it just so happens that his medium of expression is country music.

Gene's new CD, 'In a Perfect World', is destined to be one of the country music events of the year, as an impressive list of major talents who happened to be Gene Watson admirers stepped forward to take part in the recording: Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, Joe Nichols, Mark Chesnutt, Connie Smith and Rhonda Vincent.

Producer/musician extraordinaire Brent Rowan took on the role of producer on 'In a Perfect World', as a labor of love. 'As plans for the album progressed', relates Gene, 'my manager John Lytle played some stuff for Brent Rowan and Brent said he wanted to produce it, which I never would have dreamed of.

Word started getting out about the recording and pretty soon we had a bunch of artists inquiring how they could be a part of it, first off Mark Chesnutt, who is my friend, Connie Smith, who has always been one of my favourite female artists and Vince Gill, 'what can you about Vince Gill?'

The caliber of people like Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, Joe Nichols and Rhonda Vincent is just tremendous. My manager and Brent said it was because they admired me as an artist. What a great feeling it is to hear that! I can't even express it!'

'In a Perfect World' features a mix of new material and classic country songs, with the emphasis on new material in the classic country tradition. Gene explains, 'I contacted some of the best writers in the business and we started to get some premium songs. Tim Mensy, just about everyone in the traditional country field knows him; plus he's one of the finest singers and musicians around.  Skip Ewing, he's just fantastic. I talked to Skip personally and Tim too about the songs'.

Gene Watson played a major role in selecting the material on the CD and all of the cover songs were hand-picked by him. He reflects, ''Today I Started Loving You Again' is a song that's been in my show for quite awhile. I'm a huge Merle Haggard fan and I usually do one of his songs in my shows and people have always responded to 'Today I Started Loving You Again''.

Other standouts on the album include 'This Side Of The Door' which Gene performs with Mark Chesnutt and that was co-written by Tim Mensy and Shawn Camp.  Mark Chesnutt originally recorded the song in 1994 on his album 'What A Way To Live'. Chesnutt shares the following, 'I have been a Gene Watson fan all my life.  He is truly one of country music's best voices'.

Gene Watson also performs 'Together Again', the Buck Owens song which was a hit for him in 1964, as well as for Emmylou Harris in 1976. Gene is joined on this gem by Rhonda Vincent who shares, 'This is one of the greatest duets of my career. His voice is awesome and exquisite!'. Gene adds, 'Anybody who is anybody in the country field has performed it or recorded it. The only thing I knew to do was to forget about all the great versions of the song I had heard and to just sing it the way I felt it'.

Gene's formula proves to be a success as throughout 'In a Perfect World' he renders heartfelt, personal and poignant versions that drive home his ability to bring out the best in any song. 'I was just blown away by the sounds we were getting in the studio', Gene says of his new CD, which was recorded live in the studio in order to capture the spontaneous magic of Gene's expressiveness as he worked with an A-list of Nashville session men.

He adds, 'Recording the old way is the only way I know. The best way for me to capture the song is for me to be in the studio with the musicians and I inspire them and they inspire me. I have always thrived using this means of recording'.

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 has excelled with his traditional slant within country music.

Born one of seven children in Palestine, Texas on October 11 1943, Gene Watson has been singing virtually all his life. However, working early on in the auto industry, which left Gene with a lifetime affinity for automobiles, Gene did not really consider a career in music for some time.

In the mid-7os, while on Capitol (who Gene recorded with until 1980), he enjoyed success with a string of national hits, 'Where Love Begins', 'Paper Rosie', 'Farewell Party', 'Should I Come Home (Or Should I Go Crazy)' and 'Nothing Sure Looked Good On You'.

Before signing with MCA in the '80s, Gene's single 'Any Way You Want Me', from the soundtrack of the Clint Eastwood movie 'Any Which Way You Can', reached the Top 40 on the country charts. Somewhere along the way, Clint Eastwood had heard the song as a demo recording by its writer L. Ofman, but he insisted that Gene should record the song.

Shortly after moving to MCA, Watson recorded 'Fourteen Carat Mind' which hit No.1. A parade of Top Ten hits followed during the early '80s including 'Speak Softly (You're Talking To My Heart)', 'You're Out Doing What I'm Here Doing Without', 'Sometimes I Get Lucky', 'Drinkin' My Way Back Home', 'Forever Again' and 'Little By Little'.

In 1985, Gene moved to Epic Records and returned to the Top 5 with the western swing-influenced 'Memories To Burn', which was also the title of his first album on the label.  Subsequent albums with Epic included 'Starting New Memories' in 1986 and 'Honky Tonk Crazy' in 1987.

The following year, Gene Watson made his Warner Bros. debut with 'Back in the Fire' which was followed by 'At Last'. Leaving the label in 1991, Gene recorded the album 'In Other Words' which was initially released only in Canada on Gary Buck's label, Broadland International Records. It was later released in the US in 1993.

The same year, Gene made his debut album for Step One Records, 'Uncharted Mind' and followed it with the albums 'The Good Ole Days', 'Jesus is All I Need' and 'A Way to Survive'. A brief stint with the RMG (Row Music Group) Records label yielded the title 'From The Heart' which was followed by the recording 'Gene Watson...Sings' on Intersound Records in 2003.

Gene Watson has persevered and survived throughout country music and the music business' many changes. But one thing has remained constant, his raw talent, commitment to upholding country music's grand tradition, his passion and overwhelming emotion and honest approach to singing country music.

With the release of 'In a Perfect World' Gene Watson bears his soul, putting all his talents on the line and proving just why he has managed to stand the test of time. The result is a testament to Gene's talents as the greatest country singer of his generation and a true soul singer who knows how to get right to the heart of the matter.

Street Date: September 25, 2007'

Sunday 22 July 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively revealed the full track listing and full musician credits for 'In a Perfect World', Gene Watson's new Shanachie Records album.



Vince Gill will be a guest vocalist on 'Let Me Be The First To Go'



Lee Ann Womack will be a guest vocalist on 'Today I Started Loving You Again'



Joe Nichols will be a guest vocalist on 'In A Perfect World'



Rhonda Vincent will be a duet vocalist on 'Together Again'



Mark Chesnutt will be a duet vocalist on 'This Side Of The Door'



Connie Smith will be a guest vocalist on 'A Good Place To Turn Around'

Here is a full track listing for Gene Watson's 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007):

1 'Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me'
2 'Let Me Be The First To Go' (with Vince Gill)
3 'What Was I Thinking'
4 'Today I Started Loving You Again' (with Lee Ann Womack)
5 'In A Perfect World' (with Joe Nichols)
6 'She's Already Gone'
7 'I Buried Our Love'
8 'Together Again' (with Rhonda Vincent)
9 'This Side Of The Door' (with Mark Chesnutt)
10 'A Good Place To Turn Around' (with Connie Smith)
11 'Like I Wasn't There'

Here are the musician credits for Gene Watson's 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007):

Acoustic Guitar: Bobby All and Brent Rowan
Drums: Shannon Forrest and John Gardner
Lead Guitar: Gregg Galbraith
Steel Guitar: Sonny Garrish
Piano: Hargus 'Pig' Robbins
Fiddle and Mandolin: Aubrey Haynie
Bass: David Smith
Harmony Vocals: Mark Chesnutt, Rhonda Vincent, Vince Gill, Joe Nichols, Lee Ann Womack and Connie Smith

'In a Perfect World' was expected to be officially released by Shanachie Records on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Thursday 26 July 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site was granted permission, courtesy of Sarah Brosmer at Lytle Management in Nashville and Shanachie Records in Newton, New Jersey, to preview two of the tracks on 'In a Perfect World', Gene Watson's new album on Shanachie Records, which would be officially released on Tuesday 25 September 2007; the two tracks were 'I Buried Our Love' and 'Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me'.

Thursday 26 July 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively revealed, courtesy of Sarah Brosmer at Lytle Management in Nashville and Shanachie Records in Newton, New Jersey, that Gene Watson's new single, 'I Buried Our Love', would ship to radio on Monday 20 August 2007. Besides regular mailings, the single would also be included on the CDX Compilation which was received by many radio presenters around the world.

'I Buried Our Love' was the featured promotional single from Gene Watson's new album; Gene Watson's 'In a Perfect World' would be officially released by Shanachie Records on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Thursday 26 July 2007
Legendary country music songwriter Lawton Williams, writer of 'Farewell Party', passed away at The Harris Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas at 2.00pm CST.

Lawton Williams (Monday 24 July 1922 - Thursday 26 July 2007)

'Farewell Party' was written by Lawton Williams and was included on Gene Watson's 'Reflections' (Capitol Records, 1978). When released as a single (Capitol 4680) in 1979, 'Farewell Party' reached No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart.

'Farewell Party' would go on to become Gene Watson's signature tune and the name of his highly acclaimed touring band.

Gene Watson's version of 'Farewell Party' is considered by many to be the definitive version of the song, with Lloyd Green playing the legendary steel guitar part - 'Farewell Party' was the last Gene Watson track that Lloyd Green played steel guitar on, having played on a number of his Capitol Records recordings.



'Farewell Party' should have been the foundation on which the recording session was based, but the track was apparently a last minute addition to the recording session. Gene Watson also recorded 'Farewell Party' in one take.



Walter Stettner in Austria established a Lloyd Green Tribute Site; without Walter Stettner's assistance, acquisition of the Lloyd Green 'Peer's Quote' would not have been possible.



Visitation for Lawton Williams took place on Sunday 29 July 2007 between 5.00pm and 7.00pm in the Lourel Land Funeral Chapel at 7100 Crowley Road in Fort Worth, Texas.   Lawton Williams' funeral service took place on Monday 30 July 2007 at 2.00pm CST.

Friday 27 July 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively revealed, courtesy of Sarah Brosmer at Lytle Management in Nashville and Shanachie Records in Newton, New Jersey, that Gene Watson's new single, 'I Buried Our Love', would ship to radio on Monday 20 August 2007. Besides regular mailings, the single would also be included on the CDX Compilation which was received by many radio presenters around the world.

'I Buried Our Love' was the featured promotional single from Gene Watson's new album - 'In a Perfect World' will be officially released by Shanachie Records on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Friday 3 August 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively revealed the cover shot of 'In a Perfect World'; Gene Watson's new album was scheduled to be officially released on Shanachie Records on Tuesday 25 September 2007.



Gene Watson's new single, 'I Buried Our Love', was scheduled to be released to radio on Monday 20 August 2007.

Tuesday 7 August 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site proudly announced that a brand new Gene Watson Biography had been written by esteemed Nashville country music scribe Robert K. Oermann.



Dubbed 'The Dean of Nashville's music writers, Robert is a multimedia figure in Music City. He is seen regularly on the CMT series 'Inside Fame' and on A&E's 'Biography'. Robert is also the Editor-at-Large of 'Country Music' magazine, a weekly columnist for the trade publication 'Music Row' and has been published in more than one hundred other national magazines.

You can read/download a copy of Robert K. Oermann's new Gene Watson Biography here.



In order to view the Robert K. Oermann biography of Gene Watson, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer - get Adobe Reader.

Saturday 18 August 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively announced that Gene Watson would fly to Minneapolis, MN on Monday 27 August 2007.



This planned trip would involve a photo shoot for No Depression, a magazine that covered all aspects of the alt-country music scene.

No Depression were planning a major feature on Gene Watson which would be included in a future edition of the magazine. The No Depression photographer for the Gene Watson photo shoot in Minneapolis, MN was going to be Darin Back.

Monday 20 August 2007
Gene Watson's new single, 'I Buried Our Love', was officially released to radio stations worldwide.

The release of 'I Buried Our Love' was a prelude to the release of 'In a Perfect World' - Gene Watson's new album would be officially released on Shanachie Records on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Wednesday 22 August 2007
Gene Watson took part in an interview with Trevor Campbell (Big T) at Belfast's Downtown Radio between 7.00pm and 7.30pm (UK/Irish time).

Gene Watson with Trevor (Big T) Campbell at Downtown Radio in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Wednesday 22 August 2007

Gene Watson reflected on various aspects of his life and musical career and informed Trevor that he was looking forward to his tour of Ireland in October 2007.

Trevor had not received his promo copy of Gene Watson's new album, 'In a Perfect World', at the time of the interview, but thanks to the wonders of technology, he was able to 'play' 'Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me' and 'I Buried Our Love' through links on the Gene Watson Fan Site.

Wednesday 22 August 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively published a 'Face to Face' interview, courtesy of the Monaghan Post, which Gene Watson conducted with the newspaper on Tuesday 21 August 2007.



In order to view Gene Watson's 'Face to Face' interview with the Monaghan Post, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer - get Adobe Reader.

The Monaghan Post, County Monaghan's first full colour tabloid newspaper, was published weekly on Thursdays. The 'Face to Face' interview with Gene Watson was expected to be published in the Monaghan Post on Thursday 24 August 2007.

Thank you to Teresa McGowan, Editor, Monaghan Post for allowing the Gene Watson Fan Site to publish the interview prior to its publication in their newspaper.

This 'Face to Face' interview with Gene Watson in the Monaghan Post was in preparation for Gene Watson's tour of Ireland which would take place in October 2007, in venues in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

As a footnote, the Monaghan Post ceased publication on Thursday 15 October 2009.

Thursday 23 August 2007
Gene Watson took part in an interview with Jolene Downes, a staff writer for the 'About Country' website.



Gene Watson was delighted to learn that Jolene was such a fan of his music & to hear that she had attended a number of his performances.

Jolene, in an email to the Gene Watson Fan Site, stated that she had found the site to be very helpful in preparing for her interview.

Jolene also stated that, as with many of the classic country music artists, Gene Watson's presence online prior to the launch of the Gene Watson Fan Site had not been strong and that it was now interesting to dig up current news about Gene.

The interview, which is in Windows media format, can be heard here.

Saturday 25 August 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively announced that Gene Watson had been invited to participate in a taping of Country's Family Reunion.



The recording was expected to take place in Nashville between Tuesday 22 January 2008 and Thursday 24 January 2008.

Gabriel Communications was started in 1996; owned and operated by long-time disc jockey Larry Black, the company specialises in 'Reunion Videos'. Larry first applied the 'Reunion Video' concept to the legends of country music.

The idea was simple: ask the great people who shaped country music to get together and talk about their history and sing a few songs; hence Gene Watson had been asked to take part in January 2008.

Monday 27 August 2007
Gene Watson flew to Minneapolis, MN.



This planned trip was undertaken so that Gene Watson could take part in a special photo shoot for No Depression, a magazine that covered all aspects of the alt-country music scene. The photo shoot was scheduled to take place at 4.00pm on the afternoon of Tuesday 28 August 2007.



No Depression were planning a major feature on Gene Watson which would be included in a future edition of the magazine. The No Depression photographer for the Gene Watson photo shoot in Minneapolis, MN was expected to be Darin Back.

Tuesday 11 September 2007
Gene Watson and The Farewell Party Band graced the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville; Gene's performance was taped for television transmission and was expected to be aired on the Great American Country (GAC) television network on Saturday 15 September 2007.

Gene Watson performed two songs for the televised portion; he also performed a third song which would not be televised. Song choices included 'Fourteen Carat Mind' and 'Got No Reason Now For Going Home'.

Gene Watson also performed the Buck Owens' 1964 hit 'Together Again', which was also a Billboard No.1 country music hit for Emmylou Harris in 1976, with special guest Rhonda Vincent.

'Together Again' would be one of the tracks to be included on Gene's new Shanachie Records album 'In a Perfect World', which would be officially released on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Wednesday 12 September 2007
About Country Staff Writer Scott Sexton profiled Gene Watson in the September 2007 'Legends Corner'.



You can read the full profile here.

Wednesday 12 September 2007
Gene Watson was a special guest on the Eddie Stubbs' radio show on 'Nashville's Country Legend' WSM 650AM.



The show, 'An Intimate Evening with Eddie Stubbs', was broadcast 'live' from the Ford Theater at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Wednesday 12 September 2007 between 7.00pm and 9.00pm CST.

Gene Watson with host Eddie Stubbs on the set of 'An Intimate Evening with Eddie Stubbs', in the Ford Theater, at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville on Wednesday 12 September 2007

The show, 'An Intimate Evening with Eddie Stubbs', began with a Gene Watson classic 'Speak Softly (You're Talking To My Heart)', a track originally included on Gene Watson's 'Old Loves Never Die' (MCA Records, 1981).

Eddie Stubbs, following this opening track, formerly commenced 'An Intimate Evening' by stating that the show was being broadcast 'live' from the Ford Theater at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. Eddie then introduced Gene Watson to the audience.

The Ford Theater at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum can accommodate two hundred and thirteen patrons; all seats were filled and there were also a number of people standing. Upon ascending to the stage area, Gene Watson received a standing ovation.

The show, 'An Intimate Evening with Eddie Stubbs', is a monthly WSM broadcast when a legendary artist within the country music community is invited along to discuss their career and music.



Gene Watson's 'Intimate Evening with Eddie Stubbs' coincided with the world premiere of tracks, on 'Nashville's Country Legend' WSM 650AM, from Gene Watson's new Shanachie Records album - 'In a Perfect World' was due to be officially released on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Eddie began the conversation by asking Gene about his continuing desire to travel and entertain his fans although he is now in his early 60s. Gene responded by stating that he was in Nashville that night (Wednesday 12 September), would travel to Bay Minette in Alabama on Thursday 13 September and would then travel all the way back to Nashville the next day for a show at The Wheel in Nashville on Friday 14 September 2007.

Eddie then stated that Gene continues to tour throughout the United States and that he was soon traveling overseas to Ireland. Gene responded by saying that he and The Farewell Party Band were looking forward to returning to Ireland where fans are so responsive to his music.

Gene added that they would be departing from the United States on Sunday 30 September 2007 and would have one free day (Monday 1 October 2007) before the commencement of the Irish tour on Tuesday 2 October 2007.

The conversation then changed to talk of the new album 'In a Perfect World'. Gene stated that he was very appreciative of all the hard work being done on his behalf by Sarah Brosmer at Lytle Management and by the promotional team at Shanachie Records.

Gene also said that he was delighted to have had such talented artists joining him on his new album; it was at this point that Eddie introduced the title track of the album ('In a Perfect World'), a track which featured special guest vocals from Joe Nichols.

Following the airing of the title track, Eddie stated that he was particularly impressed with the clarity of all the guest vocals on the album. Gene agreed stating that he trusted producer Brent Rowan completely while they were present in the recording studio.

Gene informed the attentive audience that it was Shanachie Records who approached him and that they wished to have an album that was very much Gene Watson. Gene added that he was delighted to have the opportunity to record with some of his favourite musicians, including Hargus 'Pig' Robbins and Sonny Garrish.

It was at this point in the WSM show that Gene was joined by Rhonda Vincent, Brent Rowan and Clinton Gregory.

A glorious performance of the Buck Owens' classic 'Together Again' then followed, Gene Watson's vocal accompanied by Rhonda Vincent on guest vocals (she also played the fiddle), Brent Rowan on acoustic guitar and (new Farewell Party Band member) Clinton Gregory on fiddle.

Gene received a standing ovation following this 'live' performance of this classic country song. He was deeply appreciative of Rhonda Vincent's visit to 'Nashville's Country Legend' WSM 650AM to be with him especially since she had an engagement out of town immediately following her appearance in Nashville.

The next track premiered on 'An Intimate Evening with Eddie Stubbs' was 'Let Me Be The First To Go' which featured guest vocals from Vince Gill.

Eddie enquired as to Shanachie Records' plans to release a promo single in order to promote the album and Gene stated that they had released the track 'I Buried Our Love' as such.

Following some commercials, 'This Side Of The Door', featuring a duet vocal from Mark Chesnutt, was played in error instead of 'I Buried Our Love'.

Gene Watson then spoke of his great admiration for Mark Chesnutt who had given up a lot of his time taking part in various benefit concerts to help Gene with his medical expenses following a diagnosis of colon cancer in 2000.

Gene hoped that Mark Chesnutt was listening to the broadcast to whom he expressed a heartfelt 'thank you' for all he had done for him.

Gene Watson then spoke about the promo single 'I Buried Our Love'; he said that he loved the song and felt that it had a different groove to the other tracks on the album. Gene also said that he enjoyed its haunting melody and its use of mandolin and was pleased that a number of radio stations had already taken a chance with the song and had added it to their play-lists.

Gene Watson then spoke of his admiration for the musicians who accompanied him in the recording studio for the 'In a Perfect World' sessions. Eddie informed Gene that guitarist Gregg Galbraith was particularly honoured to be associated once again with Gene. Eddie also praised Brent Rowan's amazing production skills and the fact that there are large doses of steel guitar and fiddle on Gene's new album.

Eddie then asked his special guest what it was that motivated Gene Watson to continue to do what he does. Gene responded by saying that it was the undying loyalty of his fans that kept him going.

Gene also stated that he adored the members of his highly acclaimed Farewell Party Band and he gave a special mention to its latest member Clinton Gregory who he said had added wonderful acoustic guitar, fiddle and harmony vocals to the overall sound of the band.

Eddie then introduced the Merle Haggard classic 'Today I Started Loving You Again' featuring guest vocals from Lee Ann Womack. Gene sounded genuinely pleased that Lee Ann had added her extraordinary vocal talents to his latest recording project.

The latter part of 'An Intimate Evening with Eddie Stubbs' on 'Nashville's Country Legend' WSM 650AM concentrated on Gene's childhood, his early days performing in Texas honky tonks and dancehalls, along with his love of country music legends Ray Price, Webb Pierce (Monday 8 August 1921 - Sunday 24 February 1991), Carl Smith (Tuesday 15 March 1927 - Saturday 16 January 2010) and Lefty Frizzell (Saturday 31 March 1928 - Saturday 19 July 1975).

'An Intimate Evening with Eddie Stubbs' on 'Nashville's Country Legend' WSM 650AM concluded with Gene Watson informing listeners of his desire to live and react to each song he records and performs. The evening ended as it had begun, with Gene Watson receiving a standing ovation.

Farewell Party Band members Staley Rogers and Todd Hines had copies of 'In a Perfect World', Gene's new album on Shanachie Records, available for sale on the evening. This was a unique opportunity for Gene Watson fans present on the evening to purchase a copy of the CD before the official release date of Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Friday 14 September 2007
Gene Watson was interviewed by Bill Cody on 'Nashville's Country Legend' WSM 650AM between 8.00am and 9.00am CST / 2.00pm and 3.00pm in the United Kingdon and Ireland.

Gene Watson and his Farewell Party Band had been performing in Bay Minette, Alabama the previous evening and had traveled all night in order to get to Nashville in time for WSM's early show.



Bill Cody and Gene Watson are old friends and they are also great friends with singer/songwriter Tim Mensy who contributed five of his compositions to Gene Watson's new album 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007).

Prior to the commencement of the interview, Bill replayed a recording of Gene's performance of the Buck Owens classic 'Together Again' as broadcast as part of 'An Intimate Evening with Eddie Stubbs' on Wednesday 12 September 2007. This performance also featured Rhonda Vincent on guest vocals and fiddle and (Farewell Party Band member) Clinton Gregory on fiddle.

In his interview with WSM's Bill Cody, Gene Watson spoke of his high regard for Rhonda Vincent, stating that he was so pleased that she joined him to sing 'Together Again' on the previous Wednesday evening.

Gene Watson also announced that Rhonda Vincent would also be appearing with him at the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival in Bristol, Tennessee on Saturday 15 September 2007.

During the course of his interview with Bill Cody at WSM, Gene Watson spoke of his love for 'I Buried Our Love', the track that has been selected as the first single from 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007).  Gene stated that he loved recording the album and found the recording of it to be quite a pleasure and praised the production skills of producer Brent Rowan.

Gene Watson also praised his fellow Texan Mark Chesnutt (Mark sings 'This Side Of The Door' on the new album) and called him a true friend.

Gene Watson with Mark Chesnutt at the Curb Studio in Nashville on Thursday 7 June 2007

Gene stated that he was also highly honoured to have had Vince Gill sing harmony vocals on 'Let Me Be The First To Go', which had been written by acclaimed songwriter Harland Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 - Sunday 3 March 2002).



Harlan Howard's 'Let Me Be The First To Go' was originally recorded by Wynn Stewart (Thursday 7 June 1934 - Wednesday 17 July 1985) and included on 'It's A Beautiful Day' (Capitol Records, 1970).

Gene Watson informed the WSM audience that he had recorded the song on a previous occasion but it was never released. He said that he was delighted to have had a second opportunity to record, and release, this wonderful track.

In the latter part of the interview with WSM's Bill Cody, Gene Watson was full of the highest praise for singer/songwriter Tim Mensy - there are no less than five cuts on Gene Watson's new album which boast Tim's name as one of the co-writers.

Bill Cody and Gene Watson decided to play 'In A Perfect World' as the closing song and dedicated it to both Tim Mensy and Harley Allen (co-writer of the track).

Monday 17 September 2007
Gene Watson appeared as a special guest on 'Ralph Emery - Live', a show which was carried on the RFD-TV network and was broadcast at 6.00pm CST / 7.00pm EST.

Gene Watson with Ralph Emery, on the set of 'Ralph Emery - Live', in Nashville on Monday 17 September 2007

RFD-TV, which was launched in December 2000, was the United States' first twenty-four hour television network dedicated to serving the needs and interests of viewers in rural America.



Under its program banner of 'Traditional and Ethnic Music', RFD-TV broadcasts bluegrass, gospel, polka and traditional country music, along with original music specials from venues around the United States.

Tuesday 25 September 2007
Gene Watson's new Shanachie Records album 'In a Perfect World' was officially launched worldwide.



Gene Watson fans were asked to request Gene's new single 'I Buried Our Love' at their local radio station, see Gene on tour in the United States and Ireland (October 2007) and purchase the new 'In a Perfect World' album at the all-new Gene Watson Official Store.

Friday 28 September 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively announced details of the all-new Gene Watson Official Store.



Gene Watson fans now had the opportunity to purchase Gene Watson's fabulous new album, 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007), along with CDs, t-shirts and baseball caps.  Many more items were expected to be added to the merchandise site as they became available.

Friday 28 September 2007
The all-new Official Gene Watson Site went 'live'.



The all-new Official Gene Watson Site would be the very best place to find out about all things related to Gene Watson!

The Official Gene Watson Site offered fans the opportunity to buy Gene Watson's (then latest) album 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007), as well as many of his past CDs, along with all Gene Watson merchandise.

The Official Gene Watson Site would also offer fans the opportunity to sign up for a newsletter which would be absolutely free and would keep fans up to date with all the latest Gene Watson news.

Gene Watson was also expected to present a personal 'blog' for the site and many other exciting features were expected to be added to the site on a regular basis.

Monday 1 October 2007
Gene Watson's new album 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007) was afforded the honour of being nominated as the 'CD of the Month' in the October 2007 issue of Country Music People.



The Country Music People 'CD of the Month' review, which was written by Jon Philibert, is reproduced on the Gene Watson Fan Site, with the permission of the publishers; you can read the review here.



Subscribe to Country Music People

Tuesday 2 October 2007
Following a day of rest & relaxation, on Monday 1 October 2007, a seven-hour bus journey from Belfast International Airport to his first performance location, which was Killarney in County Kerry, and a good night's sleep, Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) were in good spirits & were looking forward to the commencement of their 2007 tour of Ireland.



On the evening of Tuesday 2 October 2007, Gene Watson was interviewed by Dermot Moriarty on Radio Kerry between 7.00pm & 9.00pm, prior to his & the Farewell Party Band's performance at the INEC in Killarney, Co. Kerry.

Wednesday 3 October 2007
Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of The TF Royal Theatre in Castlebar, Co. Mayo.



The support act was Mike Denver.

Thursday 4 October 2007
Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of The Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.

The support act was Jimmy Buckley.

Friday 5 October 2007
Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of The University Concert Hall in the Limerick University Theatre in Limerick.



The support act was intended to be Robert Mizzell; instead Farewell Party Band member Clinton Gregory graced the stage & entertained the audience for twenty minutes before joining Gene & the rest of the band for the evening's performance proper.

Sunday 7 October 2007
Following a day of rest & relaxation (on Saturday 6 October 2007), Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.



The support act was Warren Smyth.

Tuesday 9 October 2007
Gene Watson participated in a 'live' interview with Hugo Duncan on BBC Radio Ulster, between 2.00pm & 3.00pm (UK & Ireland).



BBC Radio Ulster is Northern Ireland's national radio service.

Tuesday 9 October 2007
Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of the Burnavon Theatre in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.



The support act was Philomena Begley.

Wednesday 10 October 2007
Gene Watson participated in a BBC Radio Ulster outside broadcast with Hugo Duncan; the 'Country Afternoon' show was broadcast 'live' from Meadow Lane Shopping Centre, on the Moneymore Road in Magherafelt between 1.30pm & 3.00pm (UK & Ireland).

Gene Watson was in magnificent form and, backed by the Country Harmony band, performed three of his greatest hits, namely 'Fourteen carat mind', 'Got no reason now for going home' & 'Farewell party'.

Wednesday 10 October 2007 & Thursday 11 October 2007
Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh.



The support acts were Derek Mehaffey & Tony Kerr.

Friday 12 October 2007
Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of the Market Place Theatre in Armagh City.



The support act was Philomena Begley.

Saturday 13 October 2007
Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of St. Joseph's Hall in Omagh, Co. Tyrone.

The support acts were Philomena Begley & Country Harmony.

Sunday 14 October 2007
Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of The Iontas Theatre in Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan.



The support act was Philomena Begley & Country Harmony, with special guest Margo.

Monday 15 October 2007
Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of the Riverside Theatre at The University of Ulster in Coleraine.



The support acts were Philomena Begley & Liam McLaughlin.

Wednesday 17 October 2007
Following a day of rest & relaxation (on Tuesday 16 October 2007), Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of the Tullyglass House Hotel in Ballymena, Co. Antrim.



The support acts were Philomena Begley, Liam McLaughlin & Tony Kerr.

Thursday 18 October 2007
Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) graced the stage of The Red Cow Hotel in Dublin.



The support act was Philomena Begley.

Friday 19 October 2007
Gene Watson & the Farewell Party Band (Joe Eddie Gough, Clinton Gregory, Todd Hines, Kenneth 'Corky' Owens, Staley Rogers & Bryan 'Woody' Woodruff) rounded off their highly successful Irish tour by gracing the stage of The Sligo Southern Hotel in Sligo.

The support act was Robert Mizzell.

Tuesday 23 October 2007
CMT staff writer Edward Morris' interview with Gene Watson, which took place on Thursday 27 September 2007, was published online under the title 'Gene Watson gets extra star power for 'In a Perfect World'.



Courtesy of CMT, you can read the full content of Edward Morris' interview with Gene Watson here.

Sunday 28 October 2007
Porter Wagoner, a Grand Ole Opry institution & member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, passed away at 8.25pm at the Alive Hospice in Nashville.



Known as the Thin Man form West Plains, Porter Wagoner was 80 years old & had been hospitalised since Monday 15 October 2007. An Opry spokesperson announced on Sunday 21 October 2007 that Porter had been diagnosed with lung cancer. He was released to hospice care on Friday 26 October 2007.

An Opry star since 1957, the well-loved Porter Wagoner had been the show's goodwill ambassador for many years & was photographed by fans millions of times as he clowned onstage in the flashy rhinestone suits that became one of his trademarks.

Funeral services for Porter Wagoner were held on Thursday 1 November 2007 at 11.00am at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House, with interment following at Woodlawn Cemetery.  Visitation took place on Wednesday 31 October 2007 between 2.00pm & 8.00pm at Woodlawn Funeral Home; visitation and funeral were open to the public.

Tuesday 6 November 2007
Country Music Hall of Fame member Hank Thompson, passed away at his home near Fort Worth in Texas, following a battle with lung cancer.

The 82-year old singer, songwriter & bandleader had, the previous week, cancelled all of his tour dates after being hospitalised.



Hank Thompson played his last concert on Monday 8 October 2007 in his native Waco, Texas when Hank Thompson Day was declared by Texas Governor Rick Perry & Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy.

According to Hank Thompson's official website, a celebration of Hank Thompson's life took place on Wednesday 14 November 2007 at Billy Bob's, the famed nightspot in Fort Worth, Texas.

Hank Thompson (Thursday 3 September 1925 - Tuesday 6 October 2007)

Monday 19 November 2007
The very first Official Gene Watson Newsletter was sent via email.



The Gene Watson Newsletter, which would be issued quarterly, would keep fans posted on Gene's concert dates, radio & television appearances and when Gene has new merchandise available. The newsletter would also keep fans informed of all the latest news about Gene Watson & the Farewell Party band.



Courtesy of Sarah Brosmer at Lytle Management in Nashville, Gene Watson's very first newsletter is available on the Gene Watson Fan Site here.

Tuesday 27 November 2007
Larry Karnowski, who was based in Durham, North Carolina and wrote music reviews for Hickory Wind, sampled Gene Watson's new album 'In a Perfect World'.



Hickory Wind is all about roots music: twang, rock, folk, country, bluegrass, jam & Celtic.

Monday 3 December 2007
Gene Watson's (then) current single, 'I buried our love', had moved up the Music Row Radio Charts from No.68 to No.64; Gene Watson fans in the United States were invited to contact their local country music radio stations and request that they play Gene Watson's latest single 'I buried our love'.

Friday 7 December 2007
The Gene Watson Fan Site exclusively announced that rock music critic Ken Tucker had reviewed Gene Watson's new album 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007), on Thursday 6 December 2007, for the 'Fresh Air' show on radio station WHYY in Philadelphia, PA.



You can listen to the (6 minute, 5 second) review of Gene Watson's new album 'In a Perfect World' by Ken Tucker here.

December 2007
In the December 2007 issue of the UK monthly publication Country Music People, under the feature title 'Keepin' it Real', Joe Nichols discussed the authenticity of his music, and the demons behind it, with Douglas McPherson.

During the course of the feature, the name of Gene Watson came up in conversation.

Douglas McPherson

Joe Nichols has also been recording recently with one of his honky tonk heroes, singing on the title track of Gene Watson's new album 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007).

Joe Nichols
That was a great opportunity. He actually had a couple of pretty great singers on the album and for him to include me was a very big honour.

Douglas McPherson
Recalling the moment when he stood in the vocal booth with Watson's voice coming through his earphones, Nichols says gleefully, 'It was like being a little kid and listening to one of his records...only this time we were gonna make music with him. We never ran across each other in the studio. We were in town at different times. But it's still something I can always say I got to do - sing on one of Gene Watson's albums'.



Joe Nichols is such a devotee of Gene Watson that he has recorded two of Gene's classic songs; Joe recorded 'Farewell party' & included the track on 'Revelation' (Universal South Records, 2004).

The original version of 'Farewell party' was recorded by Gene Watson & included on 'Reflections' (Capitol Records, 1978).



Joe Nichols has also recorded Gene Watson's 'Should I Come Home (or should I go crazy)' & included the track on 'Joe Nichols III' (Universal South Records, 2005).

The original version of 'Should I Come Home (or should I go crazy)' was recorded by Gene Watson & was included on 'Should I Come Home' (Capitol Records, 1979).

The full Joe Nichols feature with Douglas McPherson can be found in the December 2007 issue of Country Music People - Subscribe to Country Music People.