Gene Watson Peer's Quote from Sarah Jory: September 2007
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 2007 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 Sarah Jory, which she submitted to this site on Monday 3 September 2007.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Sarah Jory who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
Sarah Jory
This quote was submitted on Monday 3 September 2007.
'I became aware of the music of Gene Watson when I was about 11 or 12 years of age.
It was through the song 'Farewell Party' and the steel guitarist on that song was my hero Lloyd Green and he played the most beautiful solo in the middle of the song and I really wanted to learn how to play it.
I had just gone from a few years of playing the Hawaiian steel onto the pedal steel guitar and Lloyd was one of my favourites and learning to play that solo was a landmark turning point for me.
I then went on to buy just about every album that Gene Watson made over the years because for me his voice did, and still does, demonstrate the true meaning of a perfect country sound.
He has made some of the very best country albums you will find anywhere and he not only can truly sell you the song on album, I have had the great pleasure of seeing him live many times over the years and he is just as amazing live.
Gene Watson will always be a king pin in my collection of country music greats!'
Thank you, Sarah Jory, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Sarah Jory...
Sarah Jory, a native of Reading in Berkshire, England where she was born Sarah Elizabeth Jory on Thursday 20 November 1969, graduated to playing steel guitar at an extraordinarily early age; she got her first steel guitar when she was five, played her first concert when she was six and joined her first band when she was nine years old.
In 1978, Sarah Jory was a featured artist on BBC Radio 2's 'Live From Golder's Green' where she was backed by the group Poacher. It was also in 1978 that Sarah's dad Arthur noted an advertisement for a steel guitarist to join a four-piece band called Colorado Country. Arthur secured an audition and Sarah was subsequently hired; the band also changed their name to Sarah and Colorado Country. Sarah worked with Colorado Country for four years, followed by an assortment of gigs while she completed her schooling.
In 1980, when she was eleven years old, Sarah Jory saw the release of her first album; 'Sarah's Steel Line' (Crow Records, 1980) was made with the Warrington band Poacher. As a result of 'Sarah's Steel Line', she was invited to play the important Peterborough Festival of Country Music in the east of England.
In 1982, when she was thirteen years old, international success began with Sarah Jory's first visit to America; she appeared at the annual Steel Guitar Convention in St. Louis, Missouri where she played a set with one of her biggest heroes Buddy Emmons.
Between 1984 and 1992, Sarah Jory played major steel guitar conventions in the United States of America on thirteen occasions and shared the same stage as Buddy Emmons, Lloyd Green and Paul Franklin. It was during these visits to the United States, that Sarah worked with country music stars Ricky Skaggs, Porter Wagoner (Friday 12 August 1927 - Sunday 28 October 2007) and Gene Watson.
In 1985, Sarah Jory was voted the 'Most Promising New Act' by the British Country Music Association and, for eight consecutive years in the 1990s, she was voted 'Female Vocalist Of The Year' by the BCMA and, since 1997, she has been voted 'European Country Rock Entertainer Of The Year'.
Sarah Jory made her first vocal tape, 'No Time At All', in 1988 and spent some time developing a new act around the pub circuit in Bristol, England. It was also in 1988 that she formed a new, fully professional band and, in 1991, she opened for Eric Clapton in Dublin, Ireland and undertook a nationwide tour with Glen Campbell.
Sarah Jory plays banjo, mandolin, guitar and keyboards as well as steel guitar but, when she signed with Ritz Records, she grasped the opportunity to show off her vocal talents with the release of 'New Horizons' (Ritz Records, 1992).
Sarah Jory was featured in a major UK television documentary about female country singers; 'The South Bank Show' was produced by London Weekend Television and was shown on the ITV network. Sarah Jory was awarded the 'British Female Vocalist Of The Year' Award in 1995, 1996 and 1997 by the British Country Music Association.
Sarah Jory has a stunning vocal style, while she is also an accomplished musician whether on electric or acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar, mandolin or banjo.
At the time of the acquisition of this Gene Watson 'Peer's Quote', in September 2007, Sarah Jory was playing pedal steel guitar, dobro and banjo for Van Morrison.