Gene Watson Peer's Quote from Collin Raye:September 2007

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 Watson's Peers who were contacted during 2007 were most gracious with their time and words. It is here, within this special part of the Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Collin Raye, which he submitted to this site on Friday 28 September 2007.

Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Collin Raye who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.

Collin Raye
This quote was submitted on Friday 28 September 2007.

'I believe Gene Watson possesses one of the most natural, smoothest, pure and authentic voices in the history of the country genre.

He influenced everybody from my generation of singers. 'Fourteen Carat Mind' and 'I Don't Need A Thing At All' have been like essential listening for me.

And 'Farewell Party' should be required, mandatory study, for anyone wanting to do this for a living'.

Thank you, Collin Raye, for your support of Gene Watson.

About Collin Raye...

Collin Raye is a native of DeQueen, Arkansas where he was born Floyd Collin Wray on Monday 22 August 1960.  Both of Collin's parents were musical and Collin's mother, Lois Wray, was a regionally popular performer in east Texas who opened shows for Elvis Presley (Tuesday 8 January 1935 - Tuesday 16 August 1977), Johnny Cash (Friday 26 February 1932 - Friday 12 September 2003), Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins (Saturday 9 April 1932 - Monday 19 January 1998) in the 1950s.

Collin Raye grew up steeped in traditional country music and regularly heard the music of Johnny Horton (Thursday 30 April 1925 - Saturday 5 November 1960), Porter Wagoner (Friday 12 August 1927 - Sunday 28 October 2007), Merle Haggard, George Jones, Charley Pride, Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 - Saturday 5 June 1993), Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 - Saturday 25 March 2006) and Ray Price.

By the time he was seven years old, Collin Raye was onstage performing with his mother. His family moved from Arkansas to Texas and, by the time he was thirteen years old, he and his older brother Scott had formed The Wray Brothers and were performing in the roadhouses of the Lone Star State. They soon progressed to a headline act in Portland, Oregon and in the casinos of Reno, Nevada.

Collin Raye first attracted the attention of Nashville as the lead vocalist on a string of independent singles in the 1980s; The Wrays released a couple of singles on Mercury Records in 1986/1987. Scott became tired of the road and they broke up.

Epic Records signed Collin Raye as a solo artist in 1990 and released his acclaimed debut album 'All I Can Be' (Epic Records, 1991) which, a year later in 1991, yielded the Billboard No.1 country music hit 'Love, Me', along with the No.2 hit 'Every Second'.

Collin Raye enjoyed a successful ten year period with Epic Records where he achieved twenty-one Billboard Top 10 hits for the label. He also saw the release of several highly acclaimed albums for Epic Records including 'In This Life' (Epic Records, 1992), 'Extremes' (Epic Records, 1994), 'I Think About You' (Epic Records, 1995), 'The Walls Came Down' (Epic Records, 1998), 'Counting Sheep' (Epic Records, 1998) and 'Can't Back Down' (Epic Records, 2001).

Following his departure from Epic Records, Collin Raye saw the release of several independent albums in 2005, including 'Twenty Years And Change' (Aspirion Records, 2005) and 'Fearless' (Country Road Records, 2005).

'Twenty Years And Change' (Aspirion Records, 2005) includes Collin Raye's tasteful interpretations of classic songs, including the Bellamy Brothers' 'Let Your Love Flow' and Conway Twitty's 'It's Only Make Believe'.

Collin Raye has enjoyed an illustrious career within country music; he has proudly achieved five platinum albums, twenty-five Top Ten Billboard hits, fifteen No.1 Billboard hits and twelve chart-topping videos.

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