Gene Watson Peer's Quote from Dean Dillon: August 2010

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 2010 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 Dean Dillon, which he submitted to this site on Wednesday 11 August 2010.

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

Dean Dillon and Gene Watson at BMI offices in Nashville on Monday 15 June 2009

Dean Dillon
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 11 August 2010.

'I still remember the first time I heard 'Farewell Party'.

As good as I thought I could sing, when I heard Gene Watson sing this song, I thought to myself, just shut up and write songs'.

Thank you, Dean Dillon, for your support of Gene Watson.

About Dean Dillon...

Dean Dillon was born on Saturday 26 March 1955 in Lake City, Tennessee and started playing guitar at the age of seven.  At the age of fifteen, Dean appeared in a local Knoxville variety show called 'Jim Clayton Star Time' as a songwriter and performer; by the end of high school, he had his mind set on Nashville.

Hitchhiking to Nashville in 1973, it wasn't long before Dean Dillon caught the watchful eye of Shelby Singleton of Sun Records.  After a short recording stint that produced one record, Dean was once again walking the streets of a town he barely knew.

As luck would have it, days of pounding pavement and beating on doors paid off when songwriter Frank Dycus (Friday 5 December 1939 - Friday 23 November 2012) took an interest in him.  In the years to come, it was Dean Dillon/Frank Dycus collaborations that would help launch country music legend George Strait.

Dean Dillon also worked with ex-Porter Wagoner fiddler Mac McGahey's combo at the Opryland Theme Park.  In 1976, Dean Dillon landed the role of Hank Williams in the Country Music Show at Opryland.  While there, a friend introduced him to hit songwriter John Schweers, who in turn introduced him to heavyweight Nashville producer and publisher Tom Collins.

Three weeks later, Barbara Mandrell recorded three of Dean Dillon's songs, all of which she included on 'Lovers, Friends And Strangers' (Dot Records, 1977).

Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius recorded Dean Dillon's 'Lying Here In Love With You' (co-written with Gary Harrison) and included the track on 'You Don't Bring Me Flowers' (RCA Records, 1979); the track reached No.2 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1979.

Between 1979 and 1983, as a recording artist in his own right, Dean Dillon charted eight times and broke the Billboard country music Top 30 chart with 'I'm Into The Bottle (To Get You out Of My Mind)'.

Dean Dillon also wrote hits for other country stars, like the 1983 George Jones hit 'Tennessee Whiskey'.  These successes established Dean Dillon as a performer and songwriter; it wasn't long until Dean was paired by RCA record head, Jerry Bradley, with Gary Stewart (Sunday 28 May 1944 - Tuesday 16 December 2003), the 'King of the honky tonkers'.

The two men's vices fed off of one another and, while their two bleary, good-timing albums were successful, especially 'Brotherly Love' (RCA Victor, 1982), the partnership had little use for the straight and narrow.

Dean Dillon then took a five-year hiatus from recording, cleaned up his personal life and concentrated on song-writing.  He wrote or co-wrote a number of hits during this period and had considerable success with George Strait, who took five of his songs to the Billboard country music singles chart between 1981 and 1988.

The exposure landed Dean Dillon a new contract with Capitol Records, who released two Ricky Scruggs-produced albums, 'I've Learned To Live' (Capitol Records, 1989), which included the Tanya Tucker duet 'Don't You Even Think About Leaving' and 'Slick Nickel' (Capitol Records, 1990).

Dean Dillon next signed with Atlantic Records, where he saw the release of his most successful album; 'Out Of Your Ever Lovin' Mind' (Atlantic Records, 1991) referenced the hard country of Dillon's heroes, but it also flirted with pop.  The album was lauded as a throwback, an answer to Nashville's penchant for vapidity.

While he stopped performing, Dean Dillon's song-writing career thrived for the rest of the 1990s, as he continued to work with George Strait and newer faces such as Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and Lee Ann Womack.

In 2002, Dean Dillon was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, along with Bob Dylan and Shel Silverstein.  Early in 2003, Dean Dillon signed a song-writing contract with Sony/ATV Tree, which came after his fifteen-year relationship with Acuff Rose, a smaller publishing company Sony acquired in July 2002.

In 2009, Dean Dillon was still cranking out the hits; he recorded a duet with his friend and hero George Strait; 'West Texas Town', which was co-written with Robert Earl Keen, was included on George Strait's 'Troubadour' (MCA Records, 2009).

To date, Dean Dillon has had over fifty songs recorded by George Strait alone.

The number of songs that have been written by Dean Dillon is quite extraordinary; Dean Dillon is a truly gifted writer within the country music genre, as evidenced by this list:

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Unwound', which was co-written with Frank Dycus (Friday 5 December 1939 - Friday 23 November 2012) and included the track on 'Strait Country' (MCA Records, 1981); the track reached No.6 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1981.

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'I Get Along With You', which was co-written with Frank Dycus (Friday 5 December 1939 - Friday 23 November 2012) and Buddy Cannon, and included the track on 'Strait Country' (MCA Records, 1981).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Down And Out', which was co-written with Frank Dycus (Friday 5 December 1939 - Friday 23 November 2012) and included the track on 'Strait Country' (MCA Records, 1981); the track reached No.16 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1981.

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Friday Night Fever', which was co-written with Blake Mevis and Frank Dycus (Friday 5 December 1939 - Friday 23 November 2012) and included the track on 'Strait Country' (MCA Records, 1981).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'She's Playing Hell (Trying To Get Me To Heaven)' (co-written with David Wills and Charles Quillen) and included the track on 'Strait Country' (MCA Records, 1981).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Her Goodbye Hit Me In The Heart', which was co-written with Frank Dycus (Friday 5 December 1939 - Friday 23 November 2012) and included the track on 'Strait Country' (MCA Records, 1981).

David Allan Coe recorded Dean Dillon's 'Tennessee Whiskey' (co-written with Linda Hargrove) and included the track on 'Tennessee Whiskey' (Columbia Records, 1981).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Honky Tonk Crazy', which was co-written with Frank Dycus (Friday 5 December 1939 - Friday 23 November 2012) and included the track on 'Strait From The Heart' (MCA Records, 1982).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Marina Del Rey', which was co-written with Frank Dycus (Friday 5 December 1939 - Friday 23 November 2012) and included the track on 'Strait From The Heart' (MCA Records, 1982); the track reached No.6 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1982.

Alabama recorded Dean Dillon's 'Changes Comin' On' and included the track on 'Mountain Music' (RCA Records, 1982).

Hank Williams Junior recorded Dean Dillon's 'Leave Them Boys Alone' (co-written with Gary Stewart, Tanya Tucker and Hank Williams Junior) and included the track on 'Strong Stuff' (Elektra Records, 1983); special vocal guests on the track were Waylon Jennings & Ernest Tubb.

George Jones recorded Dean Dillon's 'Tennessee Whiskey' (co-written with Linda Hargrove) and included the track on 'Shine On' (Epic Records, 1983).

Alabama recorded Dean Dillon's '(She Won't Have A Thing To Do With) Nobody But Me' (co-written with Buzz Rabin and Flash Gordon) and included the track on 'Forty Hour Week' (RCA Records, 1985).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'You Sure Got This Old Redneck Feelin' Blue' (co-written with Buzz Rabin) and included the track on 'Something Special' (MCA Records, 1985).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'The Chair', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and included the track on 'Something Special' (MCA Records, 1985); the track was No.1 for one week on the Billboard country music singles chart in December 1985.

Keith Whitley recorded Dean Dillon's 'Miami, My Amy', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and Royce Porter) and included the track on 'LA To Miami' (RCA Records, 1986).

Keith Whitley recorded Dean Dillon's 'Homecoming '63' (co-written with Royce Porter) and included the track on 'LA To Miami' (RCA Records, 1986).

Keith Whitley recorded Dean Dillon's 'Nobody In His Right Mind Would've Left Her' and included the track on 'LA To Miami' (RCA Records, 1986).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Nobody In His Right Mind Would've Left Her' and included the track on 'No.7' (MCA Records, 1986); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in August 1986.

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'It Ain't Cool To Be Crazy About You' and included the track on 'No.7' (MCA Records, 1986); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in December 1986.

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'For Christ's Sake, It's Christmas', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and included the track on 'Merry Christmas Strait To You' (MCA Records, 1986).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Ocean Front Property', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and Royce Porter) and included the track on 'Ocean Front Property' (MCA Records, 1987); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in April 1987.

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Without You Here' (co-written with Royce Porter) and included the track on 'Ocean Front Property' (MCA Records, 1987).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'I'm All Behind You Now' and included the track on 'Ocean Front Property' (MCA Records, 1987).

Tanya Tucker recorded Dean Dillon's 'Hope You Find What You're Loving For', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and included the track on 'Love Me Like You Used To' (Capitol Records, 1987).

Gary Stewart (Sunday 28 May 1944 - Tuesday 16 December 2003) recorded Dean Dillon's 'Empty Glass' and included the track on 'Brand New' (Hightone Records, 1988).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Famous Last Words Of A Fool' (co-written with Rex Huston) and included the track on 'If You Ain't Loving' (MCA Records, 1988); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart in April 1988.

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Is It That Time Again', which was co-written with Buddy Cannon and Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 - Tuesday 28 April 2009) and included the track on 'If You Ain't Loving' (MCA Records, 1988).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Back To Bein' Me', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and included the track on 'If You Ain't Loving' (MCA Records, 1988).

Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 - Tuesday 28 April 2009) recorded Dean Dillon's 'Is It Raining At Your House' and included the track on 'Chiseled In Stone' (Columbia Records, 1988).

Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 - Tuesday 28 April 2009) recorded Dean Dillon's 'Set 'Em Up Joe', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010), Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 - Tuesday 28 April 2009) and Buddy Cannon) and included the track on 'Chiseled In Stone' (Columbia Records, 1988); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in July 1988.

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'I've Come To Expect It From You' (co-written with Buddy Cannon) and included the track on 'Livin' It Up' (MCA Records, 1990).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'We're Supposed To Do That Now And Then' (co-written with David Anthony and Joe Royer) and included the track on 'Livin' It Up' (MCA Records, 1990).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'If I Know Me' (co-written with Pamela Belford) and included the track on 'Chill Of An Early Fall' (MCA Records, 1991).

Paul Overstreet recorded Dean Dillon's 'If I Could Bottle This Up' and included the track on 'Heroes' (RCA Records, 1991).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Holding My Own' (co-written with Pamela Belford) and included the track on 'Holding My Own' (MCA Records, 1992).

John Michael Montgomery recorded Dean Dillon's 'A Great Memory' (co-written with Trey Bruce) and included the track on 'Life's A Dance' (Atlantic Records, 1992).

Doug Stone recorded Dean Dillon's 'She Used To Love Me A Lot' (co-written with Doug Stone) and included the track on 'More Love' (Epic Records, 1993).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Easy Come, Easy Go' (co-written with Aaron Barker) and included the track on 'Easy Come, Easy Go' (MCA Records, 1993).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Without Me Around' (co-written with John Northrup) and included the track on 'Easy Come, Easy Go' (MCA Records, 1993).

Tracy Byrd recorded Dean Dillon's 'Back In The Swing Of Things', which was co-written with Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 - Tuesday 28 April 2009) and Buddy Cannon) and included the track on 'Tracy Byrd' (MCA Records, 1993).

Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) recorded Dean Dillon's 'I'll Never Forgive My Heart' (co-written with Ronnie Dunn and Janine Dunn) and included the track on 'Waitin' On Sundown' (Arista Records, 1994).

Pam Tillis recorded Dean Dillon's 'Spilled Perfume' (co-written with Pam Tillis) and included the track on Sweetheart's Dance' (Arista Records, 1994).

Sammy Kershaw recorded Dean Dillon's 'If You're Gonna Walk, I'm Gonna Crawl' (co-written with Radney Boudreaux and John Northrup) and included the track on 'Feelin' Good Train' (Mercury Records, 1994); the track reached No.18 on the Billboard Hot Country Tracks and Singles Chart in 1994.

Dean Dillon's 'If You're Gonna Walk, I'm Gonna Crawl' (co-written with Radney Boudreaux and John Northrup) was also included on Sammy Kershaw's 'The Ultimate Collection' (HumpHead Country, 2008).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Lead On' (co-written with Teddy Gentry) and included the track on 'Lead On' (MCA Records, 1994).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Any Old Love Won't Do' (co-written with Frank Dycus) and included the track on 'Strait Out Of The Box' (MCA Records, 1995).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'What Would Your Memories Do', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and included the track on 'Strait Out Of The Box' (MCA Records, 1995).

Ty Herndon recorded Dean Dillon's 'Summer Was A Bummer', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and included the track on 'What Mattered Most' (Epic Records, 1995).

Shenandoah recorded Dean Dillon's 'Darned If I Don't, Danged If I Do' and included the track on 'In The Vicinity Of The Heart' (Liberty Records, 1995).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Rockin' In The Arms Of Your Memory' (co-written with Norro Wilson) and included the track on 'Blue Clear Sky' (MCA Records, 1996).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'I'd Just As Soon Go' (co-written with Aaron Barker) and included the track on 'Blue Clear Sky' (MCA Records, 1996).

George Jones recorded Dean Dillon's 'Back Down To Hung Up On You' (co-written with Larry Butler) and included the track on 'I've Lived To Tell It All' (MCA Records, 1996).

Rhett Akins recorded Dean Dillon's 'Somebody New' (co-written with Larry Bastian) and included the track on 'Somebody New' (Decca Nashville Records, 1996).

Tracy Byrd recorded Dean Dillon's 'If I Stay' (co-written with Larry Bastian) and included the track on 'Big Love' (MCA Records, 1996).

Sammy Kershaw recorded Dean Dillon's 'One Day Left To Live' (co-written with Randy Boudreaux and John Northrup) and included the track on 'Labor Of Love' (Mercury Records, 1997); the track reached No.35 on the Billboard Hot Country Tracks and Singles Chart in 1997.

Dean Dillon's 'One Day Left To Live' (co-written with Randy Boudreaux and John Northrup) was also included on Sammy Kershaw's 'The Ultimate Collection' (HumpHead Country, 2008).

Pam Tillis recorded Dean Dillon's 'All The Good Ones Are Gone' and included the track on 'Greatest Hits' (Arista Records, 1997).

Kenny Chesney recorded Dean Dillon's 'She Always Says It First' (co-written with Kenny Chesney) and included the track on 'I Will Stand' (BNA Records, 1997).

Kenny Chesney recorded Dean Dillon's 'Chance' (co-written with Royce Porter) and included the track on 'I Will Stand' (BNA Records, 1997).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'A Real Good Place To Start' (co-written with Gary Nicholson) and included the track on 'Carrying Your Love With Me' (MCA Records, 1997).

Ty Herndon recorded Dean Dillon's 'Thinkin' With My Heart Again' (co-written with Donny Kees and Sanger D. Shafer) and included the track on 'Big Hopes' (Epic Records, 1998).

Aaron Tippin recorded Dean Dillon's 'Don't Stop (We're Just Gettin' Started)' (co-written with Al Anderson) and included the track on 'What This Country Needs' (Lyric Street Records, 1998).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'That's The Break' (co-written with Royce Porter) and included the track on 'One Step At A Time' (MCA Records, 1998).

Wade Hayes recorded Dean Dillon's 'Summer Was A Bummer', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and included the track on 'When The Wrong One Loves Me Right' (Columbia Records, 1998).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Peace Of Mind' (co-written with Aaron Barker) and included the track on 'Always Never The Same' (MCA Records, 1999).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'That's Where I Wanna Take Our Love', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and included the track on 'Always Never The Same' (MCA Records, 1999).

Mark Chesnutt recorded Dean Dillon's 'Tonight I'll Let My Memory Take Me Home' (co-written with Roger Springer and Robert Arthur) and included the track on 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing' (Decca Records, 1999).

Lee Ann Womack recorded Dean Dillon's 'Thinkin' With My Heart Again' (co-written with Sanger D. Shafer and Donny Kees) and included the track on 'I Hope You Dance' (MCA Nashville, 2000).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'The Best Day Of My Life' (co-written with Carson Chamberlain) and included the track on 'Latest Greatest Straitest Hits' (MCA Records, 2000).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'If It's Gonna Rain' (co-written with Donny Kees and Scott Emerick) and included the track on 'George Strait' (MCA Records, 2000).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'She Took The Wind From His Sails' (co-written with Donny Kees) and included the track on 'George Strait' (MCA Records, 2000).

Craig Morgan recorded Dean Dillon's 'I Want Us Back' (co-written with Maria Cannon-Goodman and Buddy Cannon) and included the track on 'Craig Morgan' (Atlantic Records, 2000).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Road Less Traveled' (co-written with Buddy Brock) and included the track on 'Road Less Traveled' (MCA Records, 2001).

John Anderson recorded Dean Dillon's 'I Ain't Afraid Of Dying' (co-written with John Anderson) and included the track on 'Nobody's Got It All' (Columbia Records, 2001).

John Anderson recorded Dean Dillon's 'Go To Town' (co-written with John Anderson) and included the track on 'Nobody's Got It All' (Columbia Records, 2001).

Bill Anderson recorded Dean Dillon's 'A Lot Of Things Different' (co-written with Bill Anderson) and included the track on 'A Lot Of Things Different' (Varese Records, 2001).

Kenny Chesney recorded Dean Dillon's 'Lot Of Things Different' (co-written with Bill Anderson) and included the track on 'No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems' (BNA Records, 2002).

Mark Chesnutt recorded Dean Dillon's 'I Drew Me' (co-written with Casey Beathard) and included the track on 'Mark Chesnutt' (Columbia Records, 2002).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Honkytonkville' (co-written with Buddy Brock and Kim Williams) and included the track on 'Honkytonkville' (MCA Records, 2003).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Honk If You Honky Tonk' (co-written with Ken Mellons and John Northrup) and included the track on 'Honkytonkville' (MCA Records, 2003).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Four Down And Twelve Across' (co-written with Tom Douglas) and included the track on 'Honkytonkville' (MCA Records, 2003).

Vince Gill recorded Dean Dillon's 'Whippoorwill River' (co-written with Vince Gill) and included the track on 'Next Big Thing' (MCA Records, 2003).

Brad Paisley recorded Dean Dillon's 'Is It Raining At Your House', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and Vern Gosdin) and included the track on 'Mud On The Tires' (Arista Nashville, 2003).

Kenny Chesney recorded Dean Dillon's 'Angel At The Top Of My Tree' (co-written with Kenny Chesney and Buddy Cannon) and included the track on 'All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan' (BNA Records, 2003).

Ken Mellons recorded Dean Dillon's 'Climb my tree' (co-written with John Northrup & Billy Lawson) & included the track on 'Sweet' (Home Records, 2004).

Ken Mellons recorded Dean Dillon's 'You can't make my heart believe' (co-written with John Northrup & Ken Mellons) & included the track on 'Sweet' (Home Records, 2004).

Lee Ann Womack recorded Dean Dillon's 'Twenty years & two husbands ago' & included the track on 'There's More Where That Came From' (MCA Records, 2005).

Toby Keith recorded Dean Dillon's 'Knock yourself out' (co-written with Scott Emerick & Toby Keith) & included the track on 'Honky Tonk University' (DreamWorks Records, 2005).

Toby Keith recorded Dean Dillon's 'You ain't leaving' (co-written with Scott Emerick & Toby Keith) & included the track on 'Honky Tonk University' (DreamWorks Records, 2005).

Kenny Chesney recorded Dean Dillon's 'Be as you are' (co-written with Kenny Chesney) & included the track on 'Be As You Are' (BNA Records, 2005).

Kenny Chesney recorded Dean Dillon's 'Soul of a sailor' (co-written with Scott Emerick & Kenny Chesney) & included the track on 'Be As You Are' (BNA Records, 2005).

Kenny Chesney recorded Dean Dillon's 'Guitars & tiki bars' (co-written with Mark Tamburino & Kenny Chesney) & included the track on 'Be As You Are' (BNA Records, 2005).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Good news, bad news' (co-written with Dale Dodson & Lee Ann Womack) & included the track on 'Somewhere Down in Texas' (MCA Records, 2005); this track was a duet with Lee Ann Womack.

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'She let yourself go' (co-written with Kerry Kurt Philips) & included the track on 'Somewhere Down in Texas' (MCA Records, 2005).

Toby Keith recorded Dean Dillon's 'A little too late' (co-written with Scott Emerick & Toby Keith) & included the track on 'White Trash with Money' (Show Dog Nashville Records, 2006).

Toby Keith recorded Dean Dillon's 'I ain't already there' (co-written with Scott Emerick & Toby Keith) & included the track on 'White Trash with Money' (Show Dog Nashville Records, 2006).

Toby Keith recorded Dean Dillon's 'Note to self' (co-written with Scott Emerick & Toby Keith) & included the track on 'White Trash with Money' (Show Dog Nashville Records, 2006).

Toby Keith recorded Dean Dillon's 'Too far this time' (co-written with Scott Emerick & Toby Keith) & included the track on 'White Trash with Money' (Show Dog Nashville Records, 2006).

Toby Keith recorded Dean Dillon's 'Ain't no right way' (co-written with Scott Emerick & Toby Keith) & included the track on 'White Trash with Money' (Show Dog Nashville Records, 2006).



Ronnie Milsap recorded Dean Dillon's 'If It's Gonna Rain' (co-written with Scott Emerick and Donny Kees) & included the track on 'My Life' (RCA Nashville Records, 2006).

Ronnie Milsap's 'My Life' (RCA Nashville Records, 2006), which was produced by Keith Stegall, also included 'It's All Coming Back To Me Now' (written by Jon Mabe, Patrick Matthews and Jim McCormick), 'Somewhere Dry' (written by Billy Lawson and Wally Wilson) and 'Local Girls' (written by Bob DiPiero and Rivers Rutherford) (No.54, 2006).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'That's my kind of woman' (co-written with Tammy Hyler) & included the track on 'It Just Comes Natural' (MCA Records, 2006).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'I ain't her cowboy anymore' (co-written with Scott Emerick & Marla Cannon-Goodman) & included the track on 'It Just Comes Natural' (MCA Records, 2006).

Sarah Johns recorded Dean Dillon's 'It's hard to be a girl (in a young man's world)' (co-written with Sarah Johns & Dale Dodson) & included the track on 'Big Love in a Small Town' (BNA Records, 2007).

Toby Keith recorded Dean Dillon's 'Get my drink on' (co-written with Scott Emerick & Toby Keith) & included the track on 'Big Dog Daddy' (Show Dog Nashville Records, 2007).

Toby Keith recorded Dean Dillon's 'Burnin' moonlight' (co-written with Scott Emerick & Toby Keith) & included the track on 'Big Dog Daddy' (Show Dog Nashville Records, 2007).

Blake Shelton recorded Dean Dillon's 'Here I am' (co-written with Blake Shelton) & included the track on 'Pure BS' (Warner Bros. Records, 2007).

Blake Shelton recorded Dean Dillon's 'I don't care' (co-written with Casey Beathard) & included the track on 'Pure BS' (Warner Bros. Records, 2007).

Jeff Griffith recorded Dean Dillon's 'Holed up in some honky tonk' & included the track on 'If It Ain't One Thing, It's Another' (Arrowhead Records, 2007).

Joe Nichols recorded Dean Dillon's 'All good things' (co-written with Scotty Emerick) & included the track on 'Real Things' (Universal South Records, 2007).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Give me more time' (co-written with Al Anderson & Scott Emerick) & included the track on 'Troubadour' (MCA Records, 2008).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'When you're in love' (co-written with Kerry Kurt Philips) & included the track on 'Troubadour' (MCA Records, 2008).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'West Texas town' (co-written with Robert Earl Keen) & included the track on 'Troubadour' (MCA Records, 2008); this track was a duet with Dean Dillon.

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'If heartaches were horses' (co-written with Buddy Brock & Wil Nance) & included the track on 'Troubadour' (MCA Records, 2008).

Lee Ann Womack recorded Dean Dillon's 'Have you seen that girl' & included the track on 'Call Me Crazy' (MCA Records, 2008).

Lee Ann Womack recorded Dean Dillon's 'We called it everything but quits', as a duet with George Strait, & included the track on 'Call Me Crazy' (MCA Records, 2008).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'Living for the night' (co-written with Bubba Strait & George Strait) & included the track on 'Twang' (MCA Records, 2009).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'The breath you take' (co-written with Jessie Jo Dillon & Casey Beathard) & included the track on 'Twang' (MCA Records, 2009).

George Strait recorded Dean Dillon's 'He's got that something special' (co-written with Bubba Strait & George Strait) & included the track on 'Twang' (MCA Records, 2009).

John Anderson recorded Dean Dillon's 'Better news' (co-written with John Anderson) & included the track on 'Bigger Hands' (Country Crossing Records, 2009).

John Anderson recorded Dean Dillon's 'Missing her again' (co-written with John Anderson) & included the track on 'Bigger Hands' (Country Crossing Records, 2009).

Jamey Johnson recorded Dean Dillon's 'Set 'em up Joe', which was co-written with Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010), Buddy Cannon & Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 - Tuesday 28 April 2009) & included the track on 'The Guitar Song' (Mercury Records, 2010).

Rodney Atkins recorded Dean Dillon's 'The corner' (co-written with Jessie Jo Dillon and Dale Dodson) and included the track on 'Take a Back Road' (Curb Records, 2011).



Kellie Pickler recorded Dean Dillon's 'Long As I Never See You Again' (co-written with Kellie Pickler and Dale Dodson) and included the track on '100 Proof' (XIX/BNA Records, 2012).

Kellie Pickler recorded Dean Dillon's 'The Letter (To Daddy)' (co-written with Dale Dodson and Kellie Pickler) and included the track on '100 Proof' (XIX/BNA Records, 2012).

Dean Dillon and Gene Watson at BMI offices in Nashville on Monday 15 June 2009

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