Gene Watson Peer's Quote from Gail Davies: September 2004
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 2004 were most gracious with their time and words. It is here, within this special part of gene-watson.com, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Gail Davies, which she submitted to this site on Sunday 26 September 2004.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Gail Davies who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
Gail Davies
This quote was submitted on Sunday 26 September 2004.
'Although I don't really know Gene Watson personally, I have always admired his music and the high level of integrity that he has brought to the country music industry'.
Thank you, Gail Davies, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Gail Davies...
Gail Davies was born Patricia Gail Dickerson Broken Row, Oklahoma on Saturday 5 June 1948 and is considered to be one of the most important and influential female singer/songwriters to have been involved in country music in the years since the early 1980s. Gail Davies was the first female record producer in country music and is cited by many of today's country divas as their role model.
Though often best known for her pioneering production work, Gail Davies is also a gifted vocalist and a prolific songwriter. She is the writer of Lynn Anderson's 'Bucket To The South', The Whites' 'Hometown Gossip' and Jann Browne's 'Tell Me Why', as well as her own Billboard Top 10 country music singles, 'Grandma's Song' and 'Someone Is Looking For Someone Like You'.
Lynn Anderson recorded Gail Davies' 'Bucket To The South' and included the track on 'From The Inside' (Columbia Records, 1978).
The Whites recorded Gail Davies' 'Hometown Gossip' and included the track on 'Whole New World' (MCA Records, 1985).
Gail Davies' compositions are some of today's country radio standards and have been recorded around the world by internationally known artists such as Nana Mouskouri, Ireland’s Susan McCann and Japan's Mari Nagatomi.
As a singer, Gail Davies' voice has earned her numerous nominations from the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM), as well as the coveted award from the 'DJs of America' for 'Best Female Vocalist'.
One of the few artists to have ever received a standing ovation on the Grand Ole Opry, Gail Davies is a consummate performer who has played venues from the Ryman Auditorium with Del McCoury to London’s Royal Concert Hall with John Prine.
Gail Davies began her life as Patricia Gail Dickerson in Broken Bow, Oklahoma on Saturday 5 June 1948. Her father, Tex Dickerson, was a country singer who played around the Texas/Oklahoma club circuit during the 1940s and occasionally appeared on the famed Louisiana Hayride. Gail was steeped in the music of traditional country from an early age but was later influenced by the 1960s British invasion and the music of Bob Dylan.
Gail left Oklahoma at the age of five and moved, with her mother and two brothers, to Washington State. Her name was changed when her mother remarried and Gail and her siblings were adopted by their kind and loving stepfather, Darby Davies.
After graduating from South Kitsap High School in 1966, Gail Davies moved to Los Angeles where she met and married a Jazz musician. She attempted a brief career in jazz but quit soon after they divorced and began working as a session singer at A&M studios.
Gail's initial interest in record production began when she was befriended by songwriter Joni Mitchell. Gail cites Joni as a major influence in her life, but it was A&M’s top recording engineer, Henry Lewy, who spent hours in the studio teaching Gail how to produce her own music.
During her days at A&M (late 1960s to the mid-1970s), Gail was invited to sit in on a number of landmark sessions including one with ex-Beatle, John Lennon, along with sessions involving Joe Cocker, The Carpenters and Carole King.
Gail Davies made her national television debut as Roger Miller’s duet partner in 1974 singing on the Merv Griffin Show. Gail’s song, 'I’m Hungry, I’m Tired', which was featured on her live album, was written for Roger Miller (Thursday 2 January 1936 - Sunday 25 October 1992).
Surrounded by so many great songwriters, including Gail’s older brother, Ron Davies (the writer of 'It Ain't Easy' for Three Dog Night and David Bowie), Gail bought a guitar in a pawnshop and began writing songs. She signed with EMI Publishing in 1975 and then moved to Nashville where she immediately scored as the author of Ava Barber’s hit single 'Bucket To The South'.
The exposure led to a contract with CBS/Lifesong Records in 1978 and the release of Gail Davies’ first album; 'Gail Davies' (Lifesong Records, 1978) was later re-released on CD.
'Gail Davies' (Lifesong Records, 1978) included the Billboard country music hits 'No Love Have I' (No.23, 1978), 'Poison Love' (No.27, 1978) and 'Someone Is Looking For Someone Like You' (No.11, 1979).
Gail Davies began producing her own records in 1980, beginning with 'The Game' (Warner Brothers Records, 1980).
'The Game' (Warner Brothers Records, 1980) included the Billboard country music hit singles 'Blue Heartache' (No.7, 1980), 'Good Lovin' Man' (No.21, 1980) and 'Like Strangers' (No.21, 1980).
Gail Davies' 'I'll Be There' (Warner Bros. Records, 1981) was released in 1981 and included the Billboard country music hits 'I'll Be There' (No.4, 1981), 'It's A Lovely, Lovely World' (No.5, 1981) and 'Grandma's Song' (No.9, 1981).
Gail Davies' 'Givin' Herself Away' (Warner Bros. Records, 1982) was released in 1982 and included the Billboard country music hits 'Round The Clock Loving' (No.9, 1982), 'Hold On' (No.18, 1982), 'Singing The Blues' (No.17, 1982) and 'Dawn' (No.17, 1982).
Gail Davies' 'What Can I Say' (Warner Bros. Records, 1983) was released in 1983 and included the Billboard country music hits 'Boys Like You' (No.19, 1983), 'You're A Hard Dog (To Keep Under The Porch)' (No.18, 1983) and 'It's You Alone' (No.55, 1983).
In 1984, Gail Davies signed with RCA Records and saw the release of 'Where Is A Woman To Go' (RCA Records, 1984), which included the Billboard country music hits 'Breakaway' (No.15, 1984), 'Nothing Can Hurt Me Now' (No.37, 1984), 'Unwed Fathers' (No.56, 1985) and 'Jagged Edge Of A Broken Heart' (No.20, 1985).
It was also in 1985 that Gail Davies travelled to England to perform at the Wembley Country Music Festival. Inspired by British country music singer, Hank Wangford, she returned to form a country/rock band called Wild Choir, a forerunner of the Americana movement. The group released one self-titled album, 'Wild Choir', (RCA Records, 1986), along with two singles, 'Safe In The Arms Of Love' and 'Heart To Heart'.
Gail Davies returned to a solo career in 1988 and signed with MCA Records to produce the album 'Pretty Words' (MCA Records, 1989) with label head Jimmy Bowen. Despite her choice for 'Tell Me Why' (written by Gail Davies and Harry Stinson) to be released as a single, MCA Records ignored her request and the song became a hit for newcomer, Jann Browne.
Jann Browne recorded Gail Davies' 'Tell Me Why' (co-written with Harry Stinson) and included the track on 'Tell Me Why' (Curb Records, 1990).
Gail Davies left MCA Records soon after and moved to Capitol/EMI Records, where she produced two albums, 'The Other Side of Love' (Capitol Records, 1990) and 'The Best of Gail Davies' (Capitol Records, 1991), before accepting a position at Liberty Records in 1991 as country music’s first female staff producer.
After three years of working with talented, new artists like Mandy Barnett, Gail Davies formed her own label, Little Chickadee Productions.
The first release, 'Eclectic' (Little Chickadee Productions, 1994), which included ten songs written, sung and produced by Gail, was chosen by Tower Pulse as one of the 'Ten Best Albums of the Year' in 1994.
Other Little Chickadee Productions releases included 'Gail Davies: Greatest Hits' (Little Chickadee Productions, 1996), 'Love Ain't Easy' (Little Chickadee Productions, 1998), 'Live And Unplugged at The Station Inn' (Valley Records, 2001) and 'The Songwriter Sessions' (Little Chickadee Productions, 2003).
In 2002, Gail Davies received an IBMA Award and a Grammy Award nomination for her duet with bluegrass patriarch Ralph Stanley.
Gail Davies was also nominated for an Americana Award for her production of 'Caught In The Webb' (Koch Records, 2002), a tribute to country legend Webb Pierce (Monday 8 August 1921 - Sunday 24 February 1991), which featured cuts by George Jones, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Pam Tillis, Jordanaires, Dwight Yoakam, Charley Pride, Del McCoury, Crystal Gayle, Dale Watson, Allison Moorer, Guy Clark, Mandy Barnett and BR549.
Visit Gail Davies' Official Site