Gene Watson's Peers: Kent Westberry
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 2007 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
Kent Westberry, which he
submitted to this site on Tuesday 9 October 2007.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to
Kent Westberry who has made a
special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone
Star Hero'.
Kent Westberry
This quote was submitted on Tuesday 9 October 2007
'Gene Watson is probably one of country music's
greatest singers; he's one of mine for sure.
And I'm so glad he recorded my song 'Love in the hot afternoon'.
Besides that, Gene is a nice guy'.
Thank you, Kent Westberry, for
your support of Gene Watson.
About Kent Westberry...
Kent Westberry is a native of
Miami, Florida & is a renowned songwriter, singer & entertainer.
While in high school, Kent formed his own band called The Chaperones & they
recorded 'My baby don't rock me now' for Art Records.
Following a move to Nashville in 1960, Mel Tillis
was instrumental in getting Kent signed with a major publishing company.
Kent Westberry also worked in Carl Perkins' band (as a bass player) & for
Tex Ritter before forming his own band called The Memory Makers, a band
named after the Mel Tillis
hit 'Memory maker' (which he had co-written with
Mel). Kent has also toured extensively around the US & other countries.
Skeeter Davis & Porter Wagoner recorded
Kent Westberry's 'Sorrow's tearing down the house' (co-written with
Mel Tillis) & included the track on 'Sing
Duets' (RCA Records, 1962)
Little Jimmy Dickens recorded Kent Westberry's 'It's me that hurts the most'
& included the track on 'Out Behind The Barn' (Columbia Records, 1962)
Little Jimmy Dickens recorded Kent Westberry's 'Sorrow's tearing down the
house' (co-written with Mel Tillis) & included
the track on 'Handle With Care' (Columbia Records, 1965)
Little Jimmy Dickens recorded Kent Westberry's 'Handle with care'
(co-written with Little Jimmy Dickens) & included the track on 'Handle With
Care' (Columbia Records, 1965)
Faron Young recorded Kent Westberry's 'I just don't know how to say no'
(co-written with Bill Irwin) & included the track on 'Unmitigated Gall'
(Mercury Records, 1967)
Faron Young recorded Kent Westberry's 'You don't treat me right' (co-written
with Benny Joy) & included the track on 'Unmitigated Gall' (Mercury Records,
1967)
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton recorded Kent
Westbury's 'Sorrow's tearing down the house' (co-written with
Mel Tillis) & included the track on 'Just Between You & Me' (RCA
Records, 1968)
Charley Pride recorded Kent Westberry's 'If you'd only taken the time'
(co-written with Merv Shiner) & included the track on 'Just Plain Charley'
(RCA Records, 1970)
Faron Young recorded Kent Westberry's 'I don't think I'd believe you'
(co-written with Hal Harbour) & included the track on 'Step Aside' (Mercury
Records, 1971)
Kitty Wells recorded Kent Westberry's 'I've got yesterday' (co-written with
Merv Shiner) & included the track on 'I've Got Yesterday' (Decca Records,
1972)
Jerry Reed recorded Kent Westberry's 'I just don't understand' (co-written
with Marijohn Wilkin) & included the track on 'Hot A' Mighty' (RCA Records,
1972)
Jim Ed Brown recorded Kent Westberry's
'Love
in the hot afternoon' (co-written with Vince Matthews) & included
the track on 'Evening' (RCA Records, 1972)
Kent Westberry is an accomplished & highly regarded songwriter & has written
major hit songs including 'Love in the hot afternoon' (recorded by Gene
Watson) & 'I just don't understand' (recorded by Ann Margret & The Beatles).
Kent Westberry's compositions, which total more than five hundred songs, have been recorded by
a diversity of artists including Bob Wills, Faron Young, Little Jimmy
Dickens, Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner &
Hank Williams Junior.
At the time of the acquisition of this Gene Watson quote (in October 2007),
Kent Westberry had recently moved to Lakeland in Florida & was looking
forward to the release of a new album.
Wanda Jackson recorded Kent Westberry's 'Funnel of
love' (co-written with Charlie McCoy) on
Monday 10 April 1961; the track was subsequently included on 'Heart Trouble'
(CMH Records, 2003)
Gene Watson recorded Kent Westberry's 'Love
in the hot afternoon' (co-written with Vince
Matthews) & included the cut as the title track of his debut album 'Love
in the Hot Afternoon' (Capitol Records, 1975)
Gene Watson recorded Kent Westberry's 'Winds of change' (co-written
with
Buzz Cason) & included the track on 'In
Other Words' (Broadland Records/Mercury Canada, 1992)
Mark Chesnutt
recorded Kent Westberry's 'Love
in the hot afternoon' (co-written with Vince Matthews) & included the
track on 'Lost in the Feeling' (MCA
Records, 2000)
Jody Nix recorded Kent Westberry's 'She won't
let me forget her' (co-written with Snuffy Smith) & included the track on
'Twin Fiddles Turn Me On' (Hillside Records, 2011)
Visit Kent Westberry's
Official MySpace Site
