Gene Watson Peer's Quote from Judy Rodman: October 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 & words. It is here, within this special part of the Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Judy Rodman, which she submitted to this site on Saturday 2 October 2010.

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

Judy Rodman
This quote was submitted on Saturday 2 October 2010.

'The voice of Gene Watson is a shining example of the very best in traditional country music.

His confident, legendary voice still moves crowds & makes them hear 'home'.

Thank you, Judy Rodman, for your support of Gene Watson.

About Judy Rodman...

Judy Rodman was born the daughter of an air-traffic controller and part-time bluegrass musician in Riverside, California on Wednesday 23 May 1951.  She began singing at the age of four and was a competent guitar player by the time she was eight years old, when she debuted with her father's band at a cruise ship party.

During her family's many moves, Judy Rodman developed an interest in different forms of music ranging from classical to Cajun to calypso.  At the age of seventeen, she began singing commercial jingles; her voice was heard nationally, in the USA, on one for Jeno's Pizza.

Judy later studied music in college, where she and her roommate Janie Fricke became jingle singers at the Tanner Agency in Memphis; Judy also sang with Phase II, a local nightclub band.

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on three Billboard No.1 country music hits achieved by Janie Fricke; 'It ain't easy bein' easy' (No.1 for one week in November/December 1982), 'He's a heartache (looking for a place to happen)' (No.1 for one week in August 1983) and 'Tell me a lie' (No.1 for one week in December 1983) were all included on 'It Ain't Easy' (Columbia Records, 1982).

Judy Rodman worked as a backup singer during the mid-1970s for country music performers, including Johnny Cash (Friday 26 February 1932 - Friday 12 September 2003), Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 - Monday 6 April 1998) and Ray Charles (Tuesday 23 September 1930 - Thursday 10 June 2004).

After marrying professional bass fisherman and drummer John Rodman, in 1980, the couple moved to Nashville, where Judy built her resume with jingles/commercials for Kellogg's, Chevrolet, United Airlines, Miller Beer, McDonalds, Lay's Potato Chips, Biz Bleach, Opryland and Piedmont, along with thousands of radio identification spots and voice-overs.

T.G. Sheppard recorded 'Only one you' and included the track on 'Finally' (Warner Bros. Records, 1981); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in February 1982 and featured Judy Rodman on harmony vocals.

T.G. Sheppard recorded 'War is hell (on the home-front, too)' and included the track on 'Perfect Stranger' (Warner Bros. Records, 1982); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in November 1982 and featured Judy Rodman on harmony vocals.

T.G. Sheppard and Karen Brooks recorded 'Faking love' and included the track on (TG Sheppard's) 'Perfect Stranger' (Warner Bros. Records, 1982); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in February 1983 and featured Judy Rodman on harmony vocals.

George Strait recorded 'You look so good in love' and included the track on 'Right or Wrong' (MCA Records, 1983); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in January 1984 and featured Judy Rodman on harmony vocals.

George Strait recorded 'Let's fall to pieces together' and included the track on 'Right or Wrong' (MCA Records, 1983); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in September 1984 and featured Judy Rodman on harmony vocals.

When Mary Tyler Moore opened her record label in Nashville during 1984, MTM Records signed Judy Rodman first.  The company named former Jim Croce producer Tommy West as its senior vice president and hired Meredith Stewart, from Loretta Lynn's Coal Miner's Music, to run the publishing company.

Judy Rodman had done back-up work for Ed Bruce, so Tommy West was suitably impressed with her credentials and produced Judy's first recording session.  Tommy suggested that they try to get Judy a recording deal and put forward his own money in order to record five songs, one of which was 'Until I met you'.

Loretta Lynn recorded Judy Rodman's 'When I'm in love all alone' (co-written with Dave Loggins) and included the track on 'Just A Woman' (MCA Records, 1985).

Judy Rodman's debut Billboard single was 'I've been had by love before' (No.40, 1985) and was followed by the release of 'You're gonna miss me when I'm gone' (No.33, 1985) and 'I sure need your loving' (No.30, 1986).

Tanya Tucker recorded 'I'll come back as another woman' and included the track on 'Girls Like Me' (Capitol Records, 1986); the track reached No.2 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1986 and featured Judy Rodman on harmony vocals.

In 1986, Judy Rodman made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and recorded her debut album 'Judy' (MTM Records, 1986), an album that included the three hit songs mentioned above.

'Judy' (MTM Records, 1986) also included Judy's one and only No.1 country hit on the Billboard country music singles chart, 'Until I met you' (No.1 for one week in July 1986); Loretta Lynn originally recorded 'Until I met you' and included the track on 'Lookin' Good' (MCA Records, 1980).

Judy Rodman's follow-up single was 'She thinks that she'll marry', which reached No.9 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1986.

Because of this success, Judy Rodman was nominated for and won the Academy of Country Music's 'Top Female Vocalist' Award in 1985, her only major award from the country music community.

Judy Rodman's second album, 'A Place Called Love' (MTM Records, 1987), was released in 1987 and featured several Billboard country music hits; 'Girls ride horses too' (No.7, 1987), 'I'll be your baby tonight' (No.5, 1987) and 'I want a love like that' (No.18, 1987).

Two singles from Judy Rodman's planned third album for MTM Records were also successful; 'Goin' to work' (No.43, 1988) and 'I can love you' (No.45, 1988), but MTM Records closed before the album, 'Goin to Work', was released.

Judy Rodman then went back to singing backup vocals and writing songs.  In the mid-1990s, Judy wrote for Warner-Chappell Music and began making plans for another bid for a new label and country music stardom.

Judy Rodman's successful compositions included 'Demons and angels' for Diamond Rio, 'Girl thang' for Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 - Monday 6 April 1998) with Wynonna Judd, and 'One way ticket' for LeAnn Rimes.

Diamond Rio recorded Judy Rodman's 'Demons and angels' (co-written with Ronnie Samoset) and included the track on 'Close to the Edge' (Arista Records, 1992).

Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 - Monday 6 April 1998) recorded Judy Rodman's 'Girl thang' and included the track on 'Without Walls' (Epic Records, 1994); the track, which was a duet with Wynnona, reached No.67 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1994.

LeAnn Rimes recorded Judy Rodman's 'One way ticket (because I can)' (co-written with Keith Hinton) and included the track on 'Blue' (Curb Records, 1996); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1997.

Randy Kohrs recorded Judy Rodman's 'A crack in my armour' (co-written with Billy Rodman) and included the track on 'A Crack In My Armour' (Junction Records, 2001).

At the time of the acquisition of this 'Peer's Quote', in October 2010, Judy Rodman was running her own website, informing visitors about how to have a good vocal technique; Judy's motto is 'power, path & performance'.

Today, Rodman Rodman is a singer, songwriter, producer and vocal instructor in Nashville.

Judy Rodman also provided exquisite harmony vocals on a number of country music albums, including the following:

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Bobby Bare's 'Ain't Got Nothing To Lose' (Columbia Records, 1982).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Merle Haggard's 'Going Where The Lonely Go' (Epic Records, 1982).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Crystal Gayle's 'True Love' (Elektra Records, 1982), which included three tracks which reached No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart; 'Til I gain control again' (No.1 for one week in February 1983), 'Our love is on the faultline' (No.1 for one week in June 1983) and 'Baby, what about you' (No.1 for one week in September 1983).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Merle Haggard's 'That's The Way Love Goes' (Epic Records, 1983).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Dolly Parton's 'Burlap & Satin' (RCA Records, 1983).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Dolly Parton's 'Real Love' (RCA Records, 1985), which included 'Don't call it love' (No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart in the winter of 1985).

Dolly Parton's 'Real Love' (RCA Records, 1985) also included two tracks which reached No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart; 'Real love', a duet with Kenny Rogers, was No.1 for one week in August 1985, while 'Think about love' was No.1 for one week in March 1986.

A further single from Dolly Parton's 'Real Love' (RCA Records, 1985), 'Tie our love (in a double knot)', reached No.17 on the Billboard country music shingles chart in late 1986.

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Reba McEntire's 'Whoever's in New England' (MCA Records, 1986).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Reba McEntire's 'What Am I Gonna Do About You' (MCA Records, 1986).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on David Allan Coe's 'Son of the South' (Columbia Records, 1986).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Asleep At The Wheel's 'Western Standard Time' (Epic Records, 1988).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Reba McEntire's 'Sweet Sixteen' (MCA Records, 1989).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Asleep At The Wheel's 'Keepin' Me Up Nights' (BMG Records, 1990).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on 'Smack dab in the middle of love', a track which was included on Lionel Cartwright's 'Chasin'' (MCA Records, 1991).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Wynonna's 'Wynonna' (MCA/Curb Records, 1992).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Janie Fricke's 'Now & Then' (Intersound Records, 1993).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Steve Wariner's 'Drive' (Arista Nashville Records, 1993).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Charley Pride's 'My 6 Latest and 6 Greatest' (Honest Entertainment Records, 1994).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on George Strait's 'Strait Out of the Box' (4-CD box set) (MCA Records, 1995).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Tanya Tucker's 'Fire to Fire' (Liberty Records, 1995).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Aaron Tippin's 'Greatest Hits...And Then Some' (RCA Records, 1997).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Lynn Anderson's 'Latest & Greatest' (Intersound Records, 1998).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Janie Fricke's 'Live at Billy Bob's, Texas' (Smith Music Group Records, 2002).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Sylvia's 'RCA Country Legends' (RCA Records, 2002).

Judy Rodman provided harmony vocals on Janie Fricke's 'The Bluegrass Sessions' (DM Records, 2004).

Visit Judy Rodman's Official Site
Visit Judy Rodman Productions' Official Site