Gene Watson Peer's Quote from Holly Dunn: August 2005
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 2005 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 Holly Dunn, which she submitted to this site on Tuesday 30 August 2005.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Holly Dunn who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
Holly Dunn
This quote was submitted on Tuesday 30 August 2005.
'Gene Watson has the quintessential country voice. Most country singers, including myself, bow to his greatness.
May I wish him, and his fan-based website, all the very best'.
Thank you, Holly Dunn, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Holly Dunn...
Holly Dunn was born in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday 22 August 1957 and was one of the most popular female country singers of the late 1980s.
Holly Dunn's self-titled debut album, 'Holly Dunn' (MTM Records, 1986), was released by Mary Tyler Moore's MTM Records in 1986 and produced her first Billboard Top 10 hit; 'Daddy's Hands', which was written by Holly Dunn, reached No.7.
'Holly Dunn' (MTM Records, 1986) also included four other Holly Dunn compositions, 'Two Too Many' (No.39, 1986), 'Your Memory (Won't Let Go Of Me)' (co-written with Bud Lee), 'Hideaway Heart' (co-written with Mac Gayden and David Malloy) and 'It'll Be All Right'.
'Holly Dunn' (MTM Records, 1986) also included Radney Foster's 'Burnin' Wheel" (co-written with Billy Aerts and Mickey Cates), Hugh Prestwood's 'My Heart Holds On' and Holly Dunn's brother's Chris Waters' 'That's A Real Good Way To Get Yourself Loved' (co-written with Michael Garvin and Tom Shapiro).
New Grass Revival recorded Holly Dunn's 'Love Someone Like Me' (co-written with Radney Foster) and included the track on 'New Grass Revival' (Capitol Records, 1986).
Holly Dunn's 'Cornerstone' (MTM Records, 1987) was released in 1987 and included three Billboard Top 10 country music hit singles; Radney Foster's 'Love Someone Like Me' (co-written with Holly Dunn) (No.2, 1987), 'Only When I Love' (written by Holly Dunn, Chris Waters and Tom Shapiro) (No.4, 1987) and 'Strangers Again' (written by Holly Dunn and Chris Waters) (No.7, 1987).
'Cornerstone' (MTM Records, 1987) also included Verlon Thompson's 'Small Towns (Are Smaller For Girls)', which was co-written with Mark D. Sanders and Alice Randall.
Holly Dunn's 'Cornerstone' (MTM Records, 1987) also included 'Fewer Threads Than These' (written by Bucky Jones, Kevin Welch and Gary Nicholson), which had been recorded by Dan Seals (Sunday 8 February 1948 - Wednesday 25 March 2009) and included on 'On The Frontline' (Capitol Records, 1986), 'Why Wyoming' (written by Chris Waters, Tom Shapiro and Kix Brooks), 'Wrap Me Up' (written by Holly Dunn and Radney Foster) and 'Little Frame House' (written by Holly Dunn).
'Cornerstone' (MTM Records, 1987) also attained the highest Billboard Top Country Albums rating in Holly Dunn's career; it was also in 1987 that Holly Dunn was awarded the Country Music Association's 'Horizon Award'.
Holly Dunn produced her 1988 follow-up album, 'Across The Rio Grande' (MTM Records, 1988) herself, resulting in the Billboard country music hits 'That's What Your Love Does To Me' (No.5, 1988) and '(It's Always Gonna Be) Someday' (No.11, 1988).
Holly Dunn's 'Across the Rio Grande' (MTM Records, 1988) included six Holly Dunn compositions; 'City Limit" (co-written with Tom Shapiro and Chris Waters), 'Have A Heart' (co-written with Tom Shapiro and Chris Waters), 'If Nobody Knew My Name' (co-written with Tom Shapiro and Chris Waters), '(It's Always Gonna Be) Someday' (co-written with Tom Shapiro and Chris Waters), 'Lonesome Highway' (co-written with Bud Lee) and 'On The Wings Of An Angel' (co-written with Don Schlitz).
Holly Dunn's 'Across the Rio Grande' (MTM Records, 1988) also included a highly spirited rendition of Billy Joel's 'Travelin' Prayer'.
When MTM Records subsequently went bankrupt, Holly Dunn signed with Warner Bros. Records and saw the release of 'Blue Rose Of Texas' (Warner Bros. Records, 1989), which produced her first-ever Billboard No. 1 country music single; 'Are You Ever Gonna Love Me' was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in August/September 1989, while 'There Goes My Heart Again' (co-written by Joe Diffie) reached No.4 the same year.
'Blue Rose Of Texas' (Warner Bros. Records, 1989), includes Holly Dunn's powerful rendition of Dolly Parton's 'Most Of All Why', with Dolly Parton providing supporting vocals on the track.
Gene Watson recorded Dolly Parton's 'Most Of All Why' and included the track on 'Paper Rosie' (Capitol Records, 1977); Dolly Parton originally recorded 'Most Of All Why' and included the track on 'The Seeker / We Used To' (RCA Victor, 1975).
In 1989, Holly Dunn became a member of The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
In 1989, Holly Dunn was a guest vocalist on 'Maybe', a track which was included on Kenny Rogers' 'Something Inside So Strong' album (Reprise Records, 1989).
Holly Dunn saw the release, on Warner Bros. Records, of 'Heart Full Of Love' (Warner Bros. Records, 1990) in 1990, which included two Billboard country music hit singles; 'You Really Had Me Going' (No.1, 1990) and 'Heart Full Of Love' (No.19, 1990).
Subsequent Holly Dunn albums included 'Milestones: Greatest Hits' (Warner Bros. Records, 1991), 'Getting It Dunn' (Warner Bros. Records, 1992), 'Life And Love And All The Stages' (River North Records, 1995), 'Leave One Bridge Standing' (River North Records, 1997) and 'Full Circle' (OMS Records, 2003).
Sadly, in 2003, Holly Dunn announced her retirement from her country music career in order to devote her attention full time to her other passion, art.
Holly Dunn's paintings, which deal primarily with subjects from the south-western United States, are available through the Pena Studio and Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico and online at her official website.
Visit Holly Dunn's Official Site