Gene Watson's Peers: Jerry Salley
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's Peers who were contacted in 2009 were most gracious with their
time & words. It is here, within this special part of gene-watson.com, that
you have an opportunity to read a quote from
Jerry Salley, which he
submitted to this site on Friday 8 May 2009.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to
Jerry Salley who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online
'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
Jerry Salley
This quote was submitted on Friday 8 May 2009
'The legendary Gene Watson is one of the greatest
singers in country music history.
I remember well the first time I heard 'Love in the hot afternoon' & 'Paper
Rosie' - WOW! - and of course 'Farewell party' - they changed my whole
world!
These songs - and many others given life by Gene's voice - are a large part
of the reason I developed a dream to go to Nashville & become a songwriter
and singer. Gene Watson is the 'real deal'.
His never wavering, life-long commitment to traditional country music - its
'real-life' stories & melodies - has etched him a very important place in
our collective country music history.
Having a song recorded by Gene Watson is one of the greatest honours of my
career. I am a true fan!'
Thank you, Jerry Salley, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Jerry Salley...
Jerry Salley is
originally from Chillicothe, Ohio & has been writing & singing in Nashville
since 1982. Jerry is the 2003 'SESAC Country Music Songwriter of the Year'
and has been writing & singing in
Nashville since 1982.
To date, Jerry Salley has had over three hundred songs recorded in his
career, including the following:
Wild Rose recorded Jerry Salley's 'Breaking New Ground' & included
the track on 'Breaking New Ground' (Capitol Records, 1990)
John Anderson
recorded Jerry Salley's 'I fell in the water'
(co-written with Jeff Stevens)
& included the track on
'Solid Ground' (BNA Records, 1993)
Patty Loveless
recorded Jerry Salley's 'Love build the bridges (pride builds the walls)'
& included the track on
'Only What I Feel' (Epic Records, 1993)
Reba McEntire recorded Jerry
Salley's 'Close to crazy' (co-written with Melba Montgomery) &
included the track on
'What If It's You' (MCA Records, 1996)
Osborne Brothers
recorded Jerry Salley's 'You don't have to go home'
& included the track on
'Class of '96' (Pinecastle Records, 1996)
Rhonda Vincent
recorded Jerry Salley's 'Trouble Free' & Jerry Salley's 'An old
memory found itself back home again'; both tracks were included on
'Trouble Free' (Giant Records, 1996)
Wade Hayes
recorded Jerry Salley's 'How do you sleep at night'
& included the track on
'When the Wrong One Loves You Right' (Sony/Columbia Records, 1998)
Toby Keith recorded Jerry Salley's 'I know a wall when I see one' &
included the track on
'How Do You Like Me Now' (Dreamworks Records, 1999)
Neal McCoy recorded Jerry Salley's 'That's not her' & included
the track on
'Life of the Party' (Atlantic Records, 1999)
Loretta Lynn recorded Jerry Salley's 'Don't close that door' &
included the track on
'Still Country' (Audium Records, 2000)
Darryl Worley recorded Jerry Salley's 'Is it just us' & included the
track on
'Hard Rain Don't Last' (Dreamworks Records, 2000)
Rebecca Lynn Howard
recorded Jerry Salley's 'You're not a
memory yet' & included the track on
'Rebecca Lynn Howard' (MCA Nashville, 2000)
Tracy Lawrence recorded Jerry
Salley's 'It's got you all over it' (co-written with Lance
Miller & J.B. Rudd) & included the track on
'Tracy Lawrence' (Warner Bros. Records, 2001)
Joe Nichols
recorded Jerry Salley's 'You can't break the fall' & included
the track on
'Man with a Memory' (Universal South Records, 2002)
Darryl Worley
recorded Jerry Salley's 'I built this wall'
& included the track on
'I Miss My Friend' (Dreamworks Records, 2002)
Reba McEntire recorded Jerry Salley's 'I’m gonna take that mountain'
& included the track on 'Room to Breathe' (MCA Records, 2003)
Brad Paisley recorded Jerry Salley's 'The best thing that I had going'
& included the track on
'Mud on the Tires' (Arista Records, 2003)
Mark Chesnutt
recorded Jerry Salley's 'Hard
secret to keep' (co-written with Jim McBride) & included the track on
'Savin' the Honky Tonks' (Vivaton Records, 2004)
Darryl Worley recorded Jerry Salley's 'If I could tell the truth' &
included the track on
'Darryl Worley' (Dreamworks Records, 2004)
Alecia Nugent recorded Jerry Salley's 'Paper & pen' &
included the track on 'Alecia Nugent' (Rounder Records, 2004)
Travis Tritt recorded Jerry Salley's 'Small doses' & included the
track on
'My Honky Tonk History' (Columbia Records, 2004)
Alecia Nugent recorded Jerry Salley's 'Somewhere else to fall', 'You've still
got it' & 'Breaking new ground'; all tracks were included on
'A Little Girl...A Big Four Lane' (Rounder Records, 2006)
Mark Chesnutt
recorded Jerry Salley's 'Hard
secret to keep' (co-written with Jim McBride) & included the track on
'Heard It In A Love Song' (CBUJ Records, 2006)
Bradley Walker
recorded Jerry Salley's 'He
carried her memory' & included the track on
'Highway of Dreams' (Rounder Records, 2006)
Gene Watson
& Rhonda Vincent recorded Jerry Salley's 'Staying together'
(co-written with Monty Holmes); the track was
included on Gene Watson's 'A Taste of the Truth'
(Shanachie Records, 2009)
Gene Watson recorded 'We've got a pulse' (co-written with
Billy Yates) & included the track on 'A Taste of the Truth'
(Shanachie Records, 2009)
Jerry Salley is a
six-time Dove Award nominee, having won a prestigious Dove for the 1990
Inspirational Song of the Year 'His strength is perfect', which was recorded by
&
co-written with Steven Curtis Chapman.
Numerous other
nationally known country, gospel & bluegrass artists have also recorded
Jerry Salley’s songs, including IIIrd Time Out, Seldom Scene,
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Del McCoury Band,
Lonesome River Band, Dale Ann Bradley, Woody Lee, Gina Jeffries, Adam
Harvey, Beccy Cole, Melba Montgomery,
The Wilburns, Margo Smith, Susi Luchsinger,
Gary Stewart & Shenandoah.
As an artist, Jerry Salley has performed on numerous stage shows, including
the honour of performing as a soloist many times on the world famous Grand
Ole Opry in Nashville. Jerry's television appearances have included 'Late Night
with David Letterman', Regis & Kathy Lee, NBC’s 'Today Show', along with several different TNN
(The Nashville Network) shows.
In addition to his Dove recognition from the
Gospel Music Association, Jerry Salley has received numerous awards from different
associations for his song-writing accomplishments (IBMA, NSAI, SESAC & Gospel
Voice magazine).
Along with friends Carl Jackson &
Larry Cordle, the
trio (Cordle, Jackson &
Salley) have recorded the song 'You’re running wild'
on the Louvin Brothers tribute on Universal South Records, which
features numerous country music stars singing songs made famous by the
legendary duo.
Entitled 'Livin’, Lovin’, Losin’ - Songs of the Louvin
Brothers' (Universal South Records, 2003), the project won the 2003 Grammy for 'Country Album of the Year'.
Jerry Salley saw the release of 'New Songs, Old Friends' (Mountain Home
Records, 2006), which includes 'The distance', a heartbreaking duet with Rhonda Vincent.
Gene Watson &
Jerry Salley backstage at Douglas Corner Cafe, Nashville on Thursday 18
March 2010
Visit Jerry Salley's Official Site
Visit Jerry Salley's Official
MySpace Site
