CMP Album Review: Honky Tonk Crazy

Gene Watson has been singing professionally since the late 1950s and has been a country music (album) recording artist since the late 1960s.

Gene Watson steps into a recording studio, takes his place behind the microphone and magic happens.

Gene Watson's contribution to the country music genre is immeasurable and it is here that you have an opportunity to read reviews of Gene Watson's albums, as published in Country Music People.

Country Music People is the United Kingdom's No. 1 Award Winning Country Music Magazine, and was the recipient of the Country Music Association's 2003 Wesley Rose International Achievement Award.

Country Music People was first published in 1970 and protects its integrity fiercely.  The magazine has always brought its readers detailed, honest record reviews untainted by advertising considerations, as well as genuine interviews with country stars that are not faked from interview discs sent out by publicists and record labels.

Country Music People have long ago nailed its colours to the mast where Gene Watson is concerned.  The magazine has rigorously championed Gene's cause down through the years and have published a number of reviews of his album releases.

All reviews have been reproduced with the kind permission of Country Music People.

'Honky Tonk Crazy' (Epic Records, 1987)
Country Music People Review, June 1987

This CMP review by Bob Powel, which was published in the June 1987 issue of Country Music People, is reproduced here with the kind permission of the publishers.

Album Review by Bob Powel
(***** out of 5)

'I hope that there is a big hit on this album as Gene's three singles of 1986 only managed a high of 29, and that is simply not good enough for a major label.  He's pinning his hopes on the title track 'Honky Tonk Crazy', a new song that Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 - Sunday 3 March 2002) wrote with Ron Peterson. That to me is one of the highlights of a very good album, as is the final song that Harlan also wrote, but some three decades or so earlier, 'You Took Her Off My Hands' on which Harlan had as the co-writer the legendary and late Skeets McDonald.

Pretty much the same high quality fare from Gene this, with another highlight being a really beautiful 'broken heart' song 'I Didn't Think Of You At All'.  Although Texas based, Gene records in Nashville, and here is joined by the likes of newer pickers such as Mark O'Connor (fiddle) and Terry McMillan (harmonica) as well as the old pros Weldon Myrick (steel), Kenny Malone (drums), Jerry Kennedy (guitar), Henry Strzelecki (bass) and Pig Robbins (piano).

Billy Sherrill did the neat production job, and let's hope that there is a whopper in here, so Gene can release many more fine albums such as this'.

Bob Powel
Country Music People
June 1987

Gene Watson CMP Album Reviews Index