Gene Watson Peer's Quote from Mark Chesnutt: October 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 the Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Mark Chesnutt, which he submitted to this site on Monday 4 October 2004.

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

Mark Chesnutt
This quote was submitted on Monday 4 October 2004.

'I have been a Gene Watson fan all my life. I was singing his songs in the clubs in south east Texas for years before I got a record deal.

I have had the chance to be in a show with Gene a few times and even recorded 'Love In The Hot Afternoon' on one of my CDs.

He is truly one of country music's best voices and an all round great man'.

Thank you, Mark Chesnutt, for your support of Gene Watson.

About Mark Chesnutt...

Mark Chesnutt was born Mark Nelson Chesnutt on Friday 6 September 1963 in Beaumont, Texas.

Mark Chesnutt is the second son of Bob Chesnutt and Norma Jean Nicholas.  He learned to love music from his father, who was a singer and record collector.  Mark Chesnutt dropped out of school after his sophomore year of high school to begin playing with his father in clubs around the south-east of
Texas.

When he was seventeen years old, Mark's father began to take him to Nashville, to begin recording.  For the next ten years, Mark Chesnutt began to record on small regional labels while he was the house band for local Beaumont nightclub Cutters.  He slowly gathered a large fanbase who loved to hear his traditional country music style.



By the late 1980s, Mark Chesnutt had seen the release of eight singles, which would later be released together on 'Doing My Country Thing' (Axbar Records, 1988).

Mark Chesnutt recorded and released his first album, 'Doing My Country Thing' (Axbar Records, 1988), in 1988, on private independent record label, Axbar Records, with the vinyl album version now a collector's item.



Mark Chesnutt signed to MCA Records in 1990 and saw the release, on Friday 14 September 1990, of his second album, 'Too Cold At Home' (MCA Records, 1990).

Mark Chesnutt's national debut came in 1990 with the Billboard country music single, 'Too Cold At Home', the debut single from 'Too Cold At Home' (MCA Records, 1990), which peaked at No.3.

Mark Chesnutt's 'Too Cold At Home' (MCA Records, 1990) included five tracks which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:

'Too Cold At Home' (No.3, 1990)
'Brother Jukebox' (No.1, 1990)
'Blame It On Texas' (No.5, 1991)
'Your Love Is A Miracle' (No.3, 1991)
'Broken Promise Land' (No.10, 1991)

Mark Chesnutt's 'Too Cold At Home' (MCA Records, 1990) also included Jim Rushing's 'Hey You There In The Mirror' (co-written with Herb McCullough).



Two of these singles were previously recorded by other artists; 'Broken Promise Land' was recorded by Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 - Wednesday 13 February 2002) and included on 'Turn The Page' (RCA Records, 1985), and 'Brother Jukebox' was recorded by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 - Tuesday 9 May 1989) and included on 'I Wonder Do You Think of Me' (RCA Records, 1989), and before that by Don Everly, whose version reached No.96 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1977.



Mark Chesnutt's 'Too Cold At Home' (MCA Records, 1990) also included 'Friends In Low Places', which was recorded by Garth Brooks, who included the track on 'No Fences' (Capitol Records, 1990).  Garth's rendition of the song, released as a single in late 1990, spent four weeks at No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart that year.



Mark Chesnutt's second album for MCA Records, 'Longnecks And Short Stories' (MCA Records, 1992), was released on Saturday 21 March 1992.

Mark Chesnutt's 'Longnecks And Short Stories' (MCA Records, 1992) included four tracks which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:

'Old Flames Have New Names' (No.5, 1992)
'I'll Think Of Something' (No.1, 1992)
'Bubba Shot The Jukebox' (No.4, 1992)
Ol' Country' (No.4, 1993)



'I'll Think Of Something" was originally a Billboard Top Ten country hit in 1974 for Hank Williams Junior, who included the track on 'Living Proof' (MGM Records, 1974); the track reached No.7.



'It's Not Over (If I'm Not Over You)' was originally recorded by Reba McEntire and included on 'My Kind Of Country' (MCA Records, 1984).  Mark Chesnutt later included the track on 'Thank God For Believers' (MCA Records, 1997), releasing it as a single from that album in 1998; the track reached No.34.



Mark Chesnutt's third album for MCA Records, 'Almost Goodbye' (MCA Records, 1993), was released on Tuesday 22 June 1993.

Mark Chesnutt's 'Almost Goodbye' (MCA Records, 1993) included four tracks which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:

'It Sure Is Monday' (No.1, 1993)
'Almost Goodbye' (No.1, 1993)
'I Just Wanted You To Know' (No.1, 1993)

A fourth single released from Mark Chesnutt's 'Almost Goodbye' (MCA Records, 1993) was a cover of Don Gibson's 1972 No.1 Billboard hit 'Woman (Sensuous Woman)' and was Mark's first single to land outside the Billboard country music Top Ten when it peaked at No.21.



Don Gibson (Tuesday 3 April 1928 - Monday 17 November 2003) recorded 'Woman, Sensuous Woman' and included the track on 'Woman (Sensuous Woman)'; the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in September 1972.



Mark Chesnutt's fourth album for MCA Records, 'What A Way To Live' (MCA Records, 1994), was released on Tuesday 13 September 1994.

Mark Chesnutt's 'What A Way To Live' (MCA Records, 1994) included four tracks which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:

'She Dreams' (No.6, 1994)
'Goin' Through The Big D' (No.2, 1994)
'Gonna Get A Life' (No.1, 1995)
'Down In Tennessee' (No.23, 1995)



'She Dreams', which was wriiten by Tim Mensy and Gary Harrison, was recorded by Tim Mensy and included on 'This Ol' Heart' (Giant Records, 1992); the track reached No.74 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1993.



Mark Chesnutt's 'What A Way To Live' (MCA Records, 1994) also included 'This Side Of The Door', which was written by Tim Mensy and Shawn Camp.

Gene Watson recorded 'This Side Of The Door' and included the track on 'In A Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007).



It was also in 1994 that Mark Chesnutt contributed the song 'Goodbye Comes Hard For Me' to the AIDS benefit album 'Red Hot + Country', which was produced by the Red Hot Organization.

For his next album, 'Wings' (Decca Records, 1995), which was released on Tuesday 3 October 1995, Mark Chesnutt was transferred to Decca Records' newly re-established Nashville branch, of which he served as the flagship artist.

Mark Chesnutt's 'Wings' (Decca Records, 1995) included tracks which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:

'Trouble' (No.18, 1995)
'It Wouldn't Hurt To Have Wings' (No.7, 1996)
'Wrong Place, Wrong Time' (No.37, 1996)

George Strait recorded Mark Chesnutt's 'I ain't never seen no one like you' (co-written with Roger Springer and Bruce Bouton) and included the track on 'Blue Clear Sky' (MCA Records, 1996), which was released on Tuesday 23 April 1996.



On Tuesday 19 November 1996, Decca Records issued a 'Greatest Hits' package; this album, 'Greatest Hits' (Decca Records, 1996), reprised eight of Mark Chesnutt's biggest hits and included two new songs, 'It's A Little Too Late' (No.1, 1996) and 'Let It Rain' (No.8, 1997), both of which were released as Billboard country music singles.



Mark Chesnutt's second album for Decca Records, 'Thank God for Believers' (Decca Records, 1997), was released on Tuesday 23 September 1997.

Mark Chesnutt's 'Thank God for Believers' (Decca Records, 1997) included four tracks which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:

'Thank God For Believers' (No.2, 1997)
'It's Not Over (If I'm Not Over You)' (No.34, 1997) (featuring guest vocals from Vince Gill and Alison Krauss)
'I Might Even Quit Lovin' You' (No.18, 1998)
'Wherever You Are' (No.45, 1998)



Mark Chesnutt's third and final album for Decca Records, 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing' (Decca Records, 1999) was released on Tuesday 9 February 1999.

Mark Chesnutt's 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing' (Decca Records, 1999) included a cover of the Aerosmith hit, which returned him to No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart, and brought him to No.17 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart.

Despite the success of this single, Mark Chesnutt's 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing' (Decca Records, 1999) album's only other release was 'This Heartache Never Sleeps' (No.17, 1999), which was issued before Decca Records once again closed its country music division.



Mark Chesnutt returned to MCA Records and saw the release, on Tuesday 17 October 2000, of 'Lost In The Feeling' (MCA Records, 2000).

Mark Chesnutt's 'Lost In The Feeling' (MCA Records, 2000) included two tracks which were minor hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:

'Fallin' Never Felt So Good' (No.52, 2000)
'Lost In The Feeling' (No.59, 2000)



Mark Chesnutt's 'Lost In The Feeling' (MCA Records, 2000) included 'Fallin' Never Felt So Good' (written by Shawn Camp and Will Smith) and 'Confessin' My Love' (written by Shawn Camp and John Scott Sherrill), both of which had reviously been included on Shawn Camp's self-titled debut album 'Shawn Camp' (Warner Bros. Records/WEA Records, 1993).

'Fallin' Never Felt So Good' (written by Shawn Camp and Will Smith) and 'Confessin' My Love' (written by Shawn Camp and John Scott Sherrill) were minor hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart for Shawn Camp, both reaching No.39 in 1993.

Mark Chesnutt recorded 'Love in the hot afternoon' (written by Kent Westberry and Vincent Wesley Matthews) and included the track on 'Lost in the Feeling' (MCA Records, 2000); the original version of 'Love in the hot afternoon' can be found on Gene Watson's 'Love in the Hot Afternoon' (Capitol Records, 1975).

Tracy Byrd recorded Rivers Rutherford's 'A Good Way To Get On My Bad Side' (co-written with George Teren); the track, which was a duet with Mark Chesnutt, was included on Tracy Byrd's 'Ten Rounds' (RCA Records, 2001) and reached No.21 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 2001.



Mark Chesnutt signed to Columbia Records in 2002 and saw the release of his self-titled album, 'Mark Chesnutt' (Columbia Records, 2002), on Tuesday 21 May 2002.

Mark Chesnutt's 'Mark Chesnutt' (Columbia Records, 2002) included three tracks which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:

'She Was' (No.11, 2002) (written by Jimmy Melton and Neal Coty)
'I Want My Baby Back' (No.47, 2002)
'I'm In Love With A Married Woman' (No.48, 2003)

Mark Chesnutt's 'Mark Chesnutt' (Columbia Records, 2002) also included 'Population Minus One', which was written by Neil Thrasher, Wendell Mobley and Kent Blazy, and 'I Drew Me', which was written by Casey Beathard and Dean Dillon.

Following the release of 'I'm In Love With A Married Woman', Mark Chesnutt exited Columbia Records.



In 2004, Mark Chesnutt signed with the independent record label Vivaton Records and saw the release, on Tuesday 21 September 2004, of 'Savin' The Honky Tonk' (Vivaton Records, 2004).

Mark Chesnutt's 'Savin' The Honky Tonk' (Vivaton Records, 2004) included three tracks which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:

'The Lord Loves The Drinkin' Man' (No.34, 2004)
'I'm A Saint' (No.33, 2005)
'A Hard Secret To Keep' (No.59, 2005)

The single 'The Lord Loves The Drinkin' Man', which was written by Kevin Fowler, was pulled by Vivaton Records after religious groups started boycotting radio stations deeming the song 'blasphemous'.  After the single 'A Hard Secret To Keep' reached No.59 in, Vivaton Records closed its doors.

Mark Chesnutt's 'Savin' The Honky Tonk' (Vivaton Records, 2004) also included the following tracks:

'Somebody Save the Honky Tonks' (written by Mark Chesnutt, Bob Regan and Jimmy Ritchey)
'Would These Arms Be In Your Way', written by Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 - Tuesday 28 April 2009), Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) and Red Lane
'You Can't Do Me This Way', written by Roger Miller (Thursday 2 January 1936 - Sunday 25 October 1992)
'A Hard Secret To Keep' (written by Jim McBride and Jerry Salley)
'Mama's House' (written by Neal Coty and Jimmy Melton)
'Since You Ain't Home' (written by Shawn Camp, Ken Mellons and Dale Dodson)
'Then We Can All Go Home' (written by Bob Regan and Jimmy Ritchey)



In 2006, Mark Chesnutt signed with CBuJ Records and saw the release, on Tuesday 5 September 2006, of 'Heard It In A Love Song' (CBuJ Records, 2006).

Mark Chesnutt's 'Heard It In A Love Song' (CBuJ Records, 2006) included two tracks which were released as singles on the Billboard country music singles chart, but 'Heard It In A Love Song' and 'That Good, That Bad' both failed to chart, and Mark Chesnutt departed the label shortly afterwards.

Mark Chesnutt's 'Heard It In A Love Song' (CBuJ Records, 2006) also included a reprise of 'A Hard Secret To Keep' (written by Jim McBride and Jerry Salley), which was originally included on Mark's 'Savin' The Honky Tonk' (Vivaton Records, 2004).



Mark Chesnutt's 'Heard It In A Love Song' (CBuJ Records, 2006) also included a cover of 'Apartment No.9', which was written by Johnny Paycheck (Tuesday 31 May 1938 - Wednesday 19 February 2003) and was recorded by Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 - Monday 6 April 1998).

Tammy Wynette's version of 'Apartment No.9' reached No.44 on the Billboard country music singles chart in late 1966 and was subsequently included on 'Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad' (Epic Records, 1967).



Mark Chesnutt's 'Heard It In A Love Song' (CBuJ Records, 2006) also included a cover of 'Dreaming My Dreams With You' (written by acclaimed songwriter and producer Allen Reynolds), which was originally recorded by Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 - Wednesday 13 February 2002).

Waylon Jennings' version of 'Dreaming My Dreams' reached No.10 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1975.



Mark Chesnutt's 'Heard It In A Love Song' (CBuJ Records, 2006) also included a cover of 'You Can't Find Many Kissers' (written by Hank Williams Junior), which was originally recorded by Hank Williams Junior.

Hank Williams Junior's version of 'You Can't Find Many Kissers' was originally included on 'Rowdy' (Elektra Records, 1981).

 

Mark Chesnutt's 'Heard It In A Love Song' (CBuJ Records, 2006) also included a cover of 'A Shoulder To Cry On' (written by Merle Haggard), which was originally recorded by Merle Haggard and Charley Pride.

Merle Haggard's version of 'A Shoulder To Cry On' was originally included on 'It's Not Love But It's Not Bad' (Capitol Records, 1972).

Charley Pride's version of 'A Shoulder To Cry On' was originally included on 'Sweet Country' (RCA Records, 1973); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in April 1973.

'In a Perfect World', which was Gene Watson's debut album for Shanachie Records, was officially released on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

Gene Watson and Mark Chesnutt at the Curb recording studio in Nashville on Thursday 7 June 2007
(photo credit: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Lytle Management, Nashville)

Gene Watson's 'In a Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007) includes 'This side of the door' (co-written by Tim Mensy and Shawn Camp) and features a guest vocal from Mark Chesnutt.

'This side of the door' was recorded on Thursday 7 June 2007 when the photo (above) of Gene Watson and Mark Chesnutt pictured together was taken.

Mark Chesnutt recorded 'This side of the door' and included the track on 'What a Way to Live' (Decca Records, 1994); 'This side of the door' was also recorded by Tim Mensy who included the track on 'Tim Mensy' (PJM Records, 2002).



In 2008, Mark Chesnutt signed with Lofton Creek Records and saw the release of 'Rollin' With The Flow' (Lofton Creek Records, 2008).

Mark Chesnutt's 'Rollin' With The Flow' (Lofton Creek Records, 2008) included one track which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart:

'Rollin' With The Flow' (No.25, 2007)



Charlie Rich's version of 'Rolin' With The Flow' was originally included on 'Rollin' With The Flow' (Epic Records, 1977); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for two weeks in August 1977.

A further three singles were released from Mark Chesnutt's 'Rollin' With The Flow' (Lofton Creek Records, 2008); 'When You Love Her Like Crazy', '(Come On In) The Whiskey's Fine' and 'Things To Do In Wichita' (written by Jimmy Ritchey and Bob Regan), all failed to chart.

A fifth single was released from Mark Chesnutt's 'Rollin' With The Flow' (Lofton Creek Records, 2008); 'She Never Got Me Over You', which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 - Tuesday 9 May 1989), Dean Dillon and Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010), was released to US country radio in March 2009, debuted at No.60 on the Billboard country music singles chart in early April 2009 and subsequently peaked at No.49.

'She Never Got Me Over You' was the last song written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 - Tuesday 9 May 1989).  Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 - Thursday 15 July 2010) had held on to this song, until he offered it to Mark Chesnutt in 2007.

Mark Chesnutt's 'Rollin' With The Flow' (Lofton Creek Records, 2008) also included 'Going On Later On' (written by Jimmy Ritchey and Bob Regan) and 'When I Get This Close To You' (written by Phil O'Donnell, Buddy Owens and Billy Lawson).



In 2010, Mark Chesnutt signed with Saguaro Road Records and saw the release of 'Outlaw' (Saguaro Road Records, 2010), which consisted of covers of outlaw classics, including Billy Joe Shaver's 'Black Rose', Hank Williams Junior's 'Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound', David Allan Coe's 'Need A Little Time Off For Bad Behavior', Kris Kristofferson's 'Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down' and 'Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)', Willie Nelson's 'Bloody Mary Morning' and Guy Clark's 'Desperados Waiting For A Train'.

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