Gene Watson Peer's Quote from J Fred Knobloch: January 2011
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 2011 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 J Fred Knobloch, which he submitted to this site on Thursday 20 January 2011.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to J Fred Knobloch who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
J Fred Knobloch
This quote was submitted on Thursday 20 January 2011.
'In the dictionary, the word 'essential' is defined as 'absolutely necessary; extremely important'.
The word 'wonderful' is defined as 'inspiring delight, pleasure or admiration; extremely good or marvellous'.
The word 'inspiration' is defined as 'being stimulated to do or feel something'.
Gene Watson's music is essential, wonderful and inspirational.
Gene has always been and will always be a songwriter's songwriter, a singer's singer and an inspiration to all of us who chase the muse'.
Thank you, J Fred Knobloch, for your support of Gene Watson.
About J Fred Knobloch...
J Fred Knobloch was born on Tuesday 28 April 1953 in Jackson, Mississippi and has been performing since the age of thirteen when he and some friends formed a band to play at school 'sock hops'.
In 1973, J. Fred left school to play music full-time; he began performing solo at night clubs across the south of the United States and landed a few dates as a session guitarist at Malaco Studios in Jackson.
While working for such R&B notables as Dorothy Moore, Eddie Floyd and Anita Ward, J Fred met drummer James Stroud and pianist Carson Whitsett; it was Carson who encouraged his writing and performing.
In 1980, it all paid off with 'Why Not Me'; co-written with Carson Whitsett and produced by James Stroud, J. Fred reached No.1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart and No.18 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
On the heels of that success, J Fred moved to Los Angeles and over the next two years enjoyed two Billboard Top 10 country music singles with 'Killin' Time' (a duet with Susan Anton) and a re-make of the Chuck Berry classic 'Memphis'. But it wasn't long before the South started calling him home and J Fred relocated to Nashville in January 1983.
Since moving to Nashville, Music Row has allowed J Fred Knobloch to make lots of 'noise with the boys' as an artist, session musician and songwriter.
In early 1986, in conjunction with two other songwriters, Thom Schuyler and Paul Overstreet, J Fred Knobloch formed the group SKO. Signed to Mary Tyler Moore's label, MTM Records, they scored immediately with two tracks on the Billboard country music singles chart.
'You Can't Stop Love' reached No.9 in 1987, while 'Baby's Got A New Baby', which was co-written by J. Fred with fellow Mississippian Dan Tyler, was No.1 for one week in March 1987. Both tracks were included on 'SKO' (MTS Records, 1986).
J Fred Knobloch's list of cuts include ones by artists including Faith Hill, George Strait, Delbert McClinton, Etta James, Ray Charles (Tuesday 23 September 1930 - Thursday 10 June 2004), The Wilkinsons, Lorrie Morgan, John Anderson, Trisha Yearwood, Larry Stewart, Neal McCoy, Confederate Railroad, Sawyer Brown, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Kenny Rogers.
J. Fred Knobloch has also composed for television and movies with songs appearing on 'Melrose Place' and 'Beverly Hills 90210', as well as the feature films 'Next Of Kin' and 'In Country'.
Married for the first time in 1989 to Kathryn Evans, the Knoblochs have two children, James David and Julia Louise, and live happily in Nashville 'til ever after comes....
Within the genre of country music, J Fred Knobloch is an extraordinarily gifted and talented song-writer, as evidenced by the following list of tracks:
BJ Thomas recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'The Whole World's In Love When You're Lonely' and included the track on 'Shining' (Columbia Records, 1984); the track reached No.10 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1984.
Ray Charles (Tuesday 23 September 1930 - Thursday 10 June 2004) recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'I Had It All' and included the track on 'Do I Ever Cross Your Mind' (Columbia Records, 1984).
Sawyer Brown recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Used To Blue' (co-written with Bill LaBounty) and included the track on 'Sawyer Brown' (Capitol Records, 1985); the track reached No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1985.
The Everly Brothers (Don and Phil Everly) recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Julianne' (co-written with Pat Alger) and included the track on 'Some Hearts' (Mercury Records, 1988).
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Turn Of The Century' and included the track on 'Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Volume 2' (MCA Records, 1989).
Gregg Allman and Lori Yates recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Brother To Brother'; the track was included on the various artists soundtrack of the movie 'Next of Kin' (Columbia Records, 1989).
Kenny Rogers recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'A Little More Love'; the track was included on the various artists compilation 'USA For Africa' (Polygram Records, 1990).
Glen Campbell recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Tied To The Tracks' (co-written with Gary Scruggs) and included the track on 'Walkin' In The Sun' (Capitol Records, 1990).
Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 - Tuesday 9 May 1989) recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Somebody's Doin' Me Right' in the early 1980s; the track was subsequently included on 'Kentucky Bluebird' (RCA Records, 1991) and reached No.15 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks Chart in January 1992.
Delbert McClinton recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Blues As Blues Can Get' and included the track on 'Never Been Rocked Enough' (Curb Records, 1992).
Delbert McClinton recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Why Me' and included the track on 'Never Been Rocked Enough' (Curb Records, 1992).
Chely Wright recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Woman In The Moon' (co-written with Gary Scruggs) and included the track on 'Woman In The Moon' (Polydor Records, 1994).
Confederate Railroad recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Three Verses' and included the track on 'Notorious' (Atlantic Records, 1994).
Lorrie Morgan recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Back In Your Arms Again', which was co-written with Paul Davis (Wednesday 21 April 1948 - Tuesday 22 April 2008), and included the track on 'Greatest Hits' (BNA Records, 1995); the track reached No.4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks Chart in 1995.
Neal McCoy recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Plain Jane' and included the track on 'You Gotta Love That' (Atlantic Records, 1995).
Rosanne Cash recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'A Lover Is Forever' and included the track on 'Retrospective' (Columbia Records, 1995).
John Anderson recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'The Band Plays On' (co-written with Gary Scruggs) and included the track on 'Paradise' (BNA Records, 1996).
Trisha Yearwood recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'A Lover Is Forever' and included the track on 'Everybody Knows' (MCA Records, 1996).
Larry Stewart recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Always A Woman' (co-written with Steve O'Brien) and included the track on 'Why Can't You' (Sony Records, 1996); the track reached No.70 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1996.
River Road recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'She Gets To Me' and included the track on 'River Road' (Capitol Nashville Records, 1997).
Faith Hill recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'If My Heart Had Wings' (co-written with Annie Roboff) and included the track on 'Breathe' (Warner Bros. Records, 1999); the track reached No.1 on the Gavin Chart in January 2001 and also reached No.2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart and No.2 on the R&R Country Charts.
George Strait recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Meanwhile' and included the track on 'Always Never The Same' (MCA Records, 1999).
Claudia Church recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'It's All Your Fault' and included the track on 'Claudia Church' (Warner/Reprise Records, 1999).
George Strait recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'Which Side Of The Glass' (co-written with Dana Hunt) and included the track on 'George Strait' (MCA Records, 2000); the track reached No.3 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart, No.4 on The Gavin Chart, and No.4 on the R&R Chart.
The Wilkinsons recorded J Fred Knobloch's 'One Of Us Is In Love' and included the track on 'Here And Now' (Warner Bros. Records, 2000).