Gene Watson Peer's Quote from Kenny Malone: November 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 Kenny Malone, which he submitted to this site on Wednesday 10 November 2010.

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

Kenny Malone
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 10 November 2010.

'Gene Watson is one of the all time greats.

What a wonderful talent he is.

I'm thankful I got a chance to play music with him'.

Thank you, Kenny Malone, for your support of Gene Watson.

About Kenny Malone...

Kenny Malone has made a reputation as a master of the free-flowing groove, of the organic, never-know-what’s-coming-next whir of percussive improvisation and sure has had a lot of formal training.

From whacking a snare at the age of five and progressing to drum and marimba lessons at the age of nine, to learning to read music and the parts for the rest of the orchestra at the age of twelve for the Denver Junior Police Band, Kenny was well prepared for a life of music-making.

By the time he was fifteen years old, Kenny Malone was splitting his time between gigs with a sixteen-piece accordion band from the Wells School of Music and the pit orchestra of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company.

Still a teenager, Kenny Malone saw the world as part of the US Navy Big Band, playing Eisenhower’s South American tour and JFK’s inauguration before switching to the service’s School of Music, eventually writing the manual as Head of the Percussion Department.  Then Kenny moved to Nashville and his real career began.

Thanks to the help of the legendary Cowboy Jack Clement, Kenny Malone broke into the big time.  Among various sessions he did soon after moving to Music City in 1970, was one for Don Williams, a writer for Cowboy’s publishing house, Jack Music, and an artist on the roster of Cowboy’s record label JMI Records.

The production was turned over to another writer there, Allen Reynolds, and the result was a surprise hit record on the song 'Amanda', which was included on 'Don Williams: Volume 1' (JMI Records, 1973), Don Williams' debut album.

Almost simultaneously, the Kenny Malone beat propelled another unknown to the top of the Billboard country music singles chart when Dobie Gray hit with 'Drift away'.

Kenny Malone found himself 'in demand' and, for the next forty years, Kenny’s graceful rhythms complemented the most subtle of lyricists, as well as the most virtuosic of instrumentalists.

And, although he has mostly been in the studio, behind the scenes, Kenny Malone found time to play in some adventurous performing bands with other stellar musicians - Barefoot Jerry, Tone Patrol, Cowboy's Ragtime Band and as a trio with Darrell Scott and Danny Thompson.

Kenny Malone has played on an astonishing array of country music albums, including the following releases:

Charlie McCoy's 'Charlie McCoy' (Monument Records, 1972)

Doc Watson's 'Elementary Doctor Watson' (Poppy Records, 1972)

Townes Van Zandt's 'The Late Great Townes Van Zandt' (Tomato Records, 1972)

Doc Watson And Merle Watson's 'Now and Then' (Poppy Records, 1972)

Mickey Newbury's 'Heaven Help The Child' (Elektra Records, 1973)

Tony Joe White's 'Homemade Ice Cream' (Warner Bros. Records, 1973)

Billy Joe Shaver's 'Old Five And Dimers' (Monument Records, 1973)

John Prine's 'Sweet Revenge' (Atlantic Records, 1973)

Henson Cargill's 'This Is Henson Cargill Country' (Atlantci Records, 1973)

Linda Hargrove's 'Blue Jean Country Queen' (Elektra Records, 1974)

Mickey Newbury's 'I Came To Hear The Music' (Ellektra Records, 1974)

Charlie McCoy's 'Nashville Hit Man' (Monument Records, 1974)

Ronnie Milsap's 'Pure Love' (RCA Records, 1974)

Ronnie Milsap's 'A Legend In My Time' (RCA Records, 1975)

Waylon Jennings' 'Dreaming My Dreams' (RCA Records, 1975)

Gene Watson's 'Love in the Hot Afternoon' (Capitol Records, 1975)

Charlie McCoy's 'Harpin' The Blues' (Monument Records, 1975)

Ronnie Milsap's 'Night Things' (RCA Records, 1975)

Buddy Emmons' 'Steel Guitar' (Flying Fish Records, 1975)

Moe Bandy's 'Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life' (Columbia Records, 1976)

Gene Watson's 'Because You Believed in Me' (Capitol Records, 1976)

Wanda Jackson's 'I'll Still Love You' (DJM Records, 1976)

John Prine's 'Prime Prine' (Atlantic Records, 1976)

Don Everly's 'Brother Jukebox' (Sundown Records, 1977)

Buddy Emmons and Buddy Spicher's 'Buddies' (Flying Fish Records, 1977)

Ronnie Milsap's 'It Was Almost Like A Song' (RCA Records, 1977)

Gene Watson's 'Paper Rosie' (Capitol Records, 1977)

Eddie Rabbitt's 'Rabbitt' (Elektra Records, 1977)

Gene Watson's 'Beautiful Country' (Capitol Records, 1977)

Carl Smith's 'This Lady Loving Me' (Hickory Records, 1977)

Vern Gosdin's 'Till The End' (Elektra Records, 1977)

Don Williams' 'Visions' (Dot Records, 1977)

Crystal Gayle's 'We Must Believe In Magic' (United Artists Records, 1977)

Margo Smith's 'Don't Break The Heart That Loves You' (Warner Bros. Records, 1978)

Don Williams' 'Expressions' (ABC Records, 1978)

Gene Watson's 'Reflections' (Capitol Records, 1978)

Gail Davies' 'Gail Davies' (Lifesong Records, 1978)

Mickey Newbury's 'His Eye Is On The Sparrow' (Hickory Records, 1978)

Crystal Gayle's 'We Should Be Together' (United Artists Records, 1979)

Crystal Gayle's 'Classic Crystal' (United Artists Records, 1979)

Ronnie Milsap's 'Images' (RCA Records, 1979)

Crystal Gayle's 'Miss The Mississippi' (Columbia Records, 1979)

Gene Watson's 'Should I Come Home' (Capitol Records, 1979) (Kenny Malone played drums on the track 'Beautiful you')

Lacy J Dalton's 'Lacy J Dalton' (Columbia Records, 1980)

Con Hunley's 'Don't It Break Your Heart' (Warner Bros. Records, 1980)

Lacy J Dalton's 'Hard Times' (Columbia Records, 1980)

John Anderson's 'John Anderson' (Warner Bros. Records, 1980)

Johnny Cash's 'Rockabilly Blues' (Columbia Records, 1980)

Emmylou Harris' 'Cimarron' (Warner Bros. Records, 1981)

Crystal Gayle's 'Hollywood, Tennessee' (Columbia Records, 1981)

David Allan Coe's 'DAC' (Columbia Records, 1982)

Sylvia's 'Just Sylvia' (RCA Records, 1982)

Keith Whitley's 'Sad Songs And Waltzes' (Rounder Records, 1982)

Reba McEntire's 'Unlimited' (Mercury Records, 1982)

Lacy J Dalton's 'Dream Baby' (Columbia Records, 1983)

Merle Haggard's 'That's The Way Love Goes' (Epic Records, 1983)

Kenny Rogers' 'We've Got Tonight' (Liberty Records, 1983)

Don Williams' 'Yellow Moon' (MCA Records, 1983)

John Prine's 'Aimless Love' (Oh Boy Records, 1984)

David Allan Coe's 'Just Divorced' (Columbia Records, 1984)

Nanci Griffith's 'Once In A Very Blue Moon' (Philo Records, 1984)

Statler Brothers' 'Pardners In Rhyme' (Mercury Records, 1985)

Nanci Griffith's 'Last Of The True Believers' (Philo Records, 1985)

Ricky Skaggs' 'Love's Gonna Get Ya' (Epic Records, 1986)

Marty Stuart's 'Marty Stuart' (Columbia Records, 1986)

Statler Brothers' 'Radio Gospel Favourites' (Mercury Records, 1986)

Kathy Mattea's 'Walk The Way The Wind Blows' (Mercury Records, 1986)

Townes Van Zandt's 'At My Window' (Sugar Hill Records, 1987)

George Jones' 'Too Wild Too Long' (Epic Records, 1987)

Kathy Mattea's 'Untasted Honey' (Mercury Records, 1987)

Marty Stuart's 'Let There Be Country' (Columbia Records, 1987)

Mark O'Connor's 'Elysian Forest' (Warner Bros. Records, 1988)

Jerry Jeff Walker's 'Gypsy Songman' (Rycodisc Records, 1988)

Hank Thompson's 'Here's To Country Music' (Step One Records, 1988)

Maura O'Connell's 'Just In Time' (Philo Records, 1988)

Moe Bandy's 'No Regrets' (Curb Records, 1988)

Johnny Cash's 'Water From The Wells Of Home' (Mercury Records, 1988)

John Prine's 'Live' (Oh Boy Records, 1989)

Emmylou Harris' 'Bluebird' (Reprise Records, 1989)

Laurie Lewis' 'Love Chooses You' (Flying Fish Records, 1989)

Rhonda Vincent's 'New Dreams And Sunshine' (Rebel Records, 1989)

Mark O'Connor's 'Stone From Which The Arch Was Made' (Warner Bros. Records, 1990)

Emmylou Harris' 'Brand New Dance' (Reprise Records, 1990)

Mark O'Connor's 'New Nashville Cats' (Warner Bros. Records, 1991)

Garth Brooks' 'Ropin' The Wind' (Liberty Records, 1991)

Kathy Mattea's 'Time Passes By' (Mercury Records, 1991)

Rhonda Vincent's 'Timeless And True Love' (Rebel Records, 1991)

Johnny Cash's 'The Mystery Of Life' (Mercury Records, 1991)

Guy Clark's 'Boats To Build' (Asylum Records, 1992)

James Talley's 'The Road To Torreon' (Torreon Records, 1992)

Pat Alger's 'True Love And Other Short Stories' (Sugar Hill Records, 1993)

Crystal Gayle's 'Best Always' (Branson Entertainment Records, 1993)

Claire Lynch's 'Friends For A Lifetime' (Brentwood Records, 1993)

Statler Brothers' 'Home' (Mercury Records, 1993)

Sweethearts Of The Rodeo's 'Rodeo Waltz' (Sugar Hill Records, 1993)

Shawn Camp's 'Shawn Camp' (Reprise Records, 1993)

Kathy Mattea's 'Good News' (Mercury Records, 1993)

Ronnie Milsap's 'True Believer' (Liberty Records, 1993)

Alison Krauss And The Cox Family's 'I Know Who Holds Tomorrow' (Rounder Records, 1993)

Iris Dement's 'My Life' (Warner Bros. Records, 1994)

Blackhawk's 'Blackhawk' (Arista Records, 1994)

Various Artists' 'Mama's Hungry Eyes: A Tribute to Merle Haggard' (Arista Records, 1994)

Charley Pride's 'My 6 Latest And 6 Greatest' (Honest Entertainment Records, 1994)

Don Williams' 'Borrowed Tales' (American Harvest Records, 1995)

Guy Clark's 'Dublin Blues' (Asylum Records, 1995)

Vern Gosdin's 'The Gospel Album' (American Harvest Records, 1995)

Claire Lynch's 'Moonlighter' (Rounder Records, 1995)

Alison Krauss' 'Now That I've Found You: A Collection' (Rounder Records, 1995)

Blackhawk's 'Strong Enough' (Arista Records, 1995)

Chris Jones' 'Blinded By The Rose' (Rebel Records, 1996)

Emmylou Harris' 'Portraits' (Warner Bros. Records, 1996)

Beth & April Stevens' 'Sisters' (Rounder Records, 1996)

Angela Kaset's 'Sanctuary' (Winter Harvest Records, 1997)

Darrell Scott's 'Aloha From Nashville' (Sugar Hill Records, 1997)

Billy Yates' 'Billy Yates' (Almo Records, 1997)

Michael Martin Murphey's 'Horse Legends' (Warner Bros. Records, 1997)

Guy Clark's 'Keepers' (Sugar Hill Records, 1997)

Don Williams' 'I Turn The Page' (Giant Records, 1998)

Charlie McCoy's 'Precious Memories' (Revival Records, 1998)

Vern Gosdin's 'Time Stood Still' (American Harvest Records, 1998)

Blue Highway's 'Blue Highway' (Ceili Records, 1999)

Darrell Scott's 'Family Tree' (Sugar Hill Records, 1999)

Alison Krauss And Union Station's 'Forget About It' (Rounder Records, 1999)

Jerry Reed's 'Pickin' (Southern Tracks Records, 1999)

Ricky Skaggs And Kentucky Thunder's 'Soldier Of The Cross' (Skaggs Family Records, 1999)

Johnny Russell's 'Actin' Naturally' (OMS Records, 2000)

Shawn Camp's 'Lucky Silver Dollar' (Skeeterbit Records, 2001)

Rhonda Vincent's 'My Blue Tears' (Rebel Records, 2003)

Crystal Gayle's 'All My Tomorrows' (Southpaw Records, 2003)

Charley Pride's 'Comfort Of Her Wings' (Music City Records, 2003)

The Chieftains' 'Further Down The Old Plank Road' (RCA Records, 2003)

Jeannie Kendall's 'Jeannie Kendall' (Rounder Records, 2003)

Tim O'Brien's 'Traveler' (Sugar Hill Records, 2003)

Merle Haggard's 'Like Never Before' (Rounder Records, 2003)

Lyle Lovett's 'Smile' (MCA Records, 2003)

Randy Travis' 'Passing Through' (Word Records, 2005)

Eddy Arnold's 'After All These Years' (Sony Music Records, 2005)

Claire Lynch's 'Crowd Favourites' (Rounder Records, 2007)

Alison Krauss' 'A Hundred Miles Or More: A Collection' (Rounder Records, 2007)

Visit Kenny Malone's Official Site