Gene Watson's Peers: Leona Williams
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 2006 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
Leona Williams, which she
submitted to this site on Monday 19 June 2006.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to
Leona Williams who has made a
special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone
Star Hero'.
Leona Williams
This quote was submitted on Monday 19 June 2006
'Gene Watson is one of the greatest singers in the
industry. His voice is unmatched in its ability to capture an audience with
sincerity and communicate that feeling to everyone in the building.
Gene Watson is pure country at its finest'.
Thank you, Leona Williams, for
your support of Gene Watson.
About Leona Williams...
Leona Williams was born (Leona
Belle Helton) in Vienna, Missouri in January 1943 & picked up her
professional last name from her first husband. She sang in her family
band as a child & by 1958 had landed her own radio show on Jefferson City's
KWOS called 'Leona Sings'.
It was also in 1958 that Leona married bassist Ron Williams & they both
joined Loretta Lynn's road-show. It was as a result of appearances on
Jefferson City's KWOS that brought her to the attention of Loretta Lynn, who
asked Williams to join her touring band as a bassist and backup vocalist.
It was at this time (in 1966) that Loretta Lynn enjoyed her first No.1 on
the Billboard country music singles chart with 'Don't come home a-drinkin'
(with lovin' on your mind)'.
'Get what you want & go' (co-written by Loretta Lynn, Ron Williams & Leona
Williams) was included on Loretta Lynn's 'Don't Come Home A-Drinking' (Decca
Records, 1967).
Leona's goal, however, was to be an artist in her own right so she signed as
a solo artist with Hickory Records in 1968 where she cut a few minor hits
for the label, including 'Once more', 'Country girl with hot pants on' &
'Yes, ma'am he found me in a honky tonk'. It was also at this time
that her marriage to Ron Williams broke up.
Bobbie Gentry recorded Leona's 'Papa's medicine show' & included the track
on 'Local Gentry' (Capitol Records, 1968), while Roy Acuff recorded Leona's
'Once more' & included the track on 'Time' (Hickory Records, 1970).
Although she had joined Hickory Records in 1968, it wasn't until 1970 that
she saw the release of he first album for the label 'That Williams Girl,
Leona'. Her second album for Hickory Records, 'The Best of Leona
Williams', which was mostly a collection of singles that she'd recorded, was
not released until 1972.
In 1974, with a broken marriage behind her & three children to bring up,
Leona decided to sign with RCA Records; she had a couple of songs produced
by Ray Pennington but nothing came of them.
In 1974, Connie Smith recorded Leona's
'Dallas' & included the track on 'That's the Way Love Goes' (Columbia
Records, 1974).
Then, in January 1975, Leona met Merle Haggard.
Haggard was putting the finishing touches to 'My Love Affair with Trains'
(Capitol Records, 1976) so he asked Leona to add harmony vocals to 'Where
have all the hobos gone', a track written by Leona's future husband Dave
Kirby.
Leona Williams moved from Hickory Records to MCA Records, where she recorded
the landmark 'San Quentin's First Lady' album in 1976; it was the first
country album to be recorded by a female country artist inside a prison &
featured the Strangers, Merle Haggard's backing band. The album was
subsequently released on CD in 2005.
Leona became Merle Haggard's third
wife on 7 October 1978, a ceremony at which Bonnie Owens (Merle's second
wife) served as a bridesmaid. (Merle had married Bonnie Owens in 1965,
but they separated in 1976). Bonnie Owens had also been married to
country music legend Buck Owens in the years between 1948 & 1953.
Leona became an invaluable member of Merle's backing group; she & Merle enjoyed a Top 10 hit on the Billboard country music singles
chart with 'The bull and the beaver' in early 1979 (the single
actually reached No.8). Leona & Merle also recorded an album of duets,
'Heart to Heart', for Mercury Records in 1983.
In 1982, Merle Haggard recorded Leona Williams' 'After I sing all my songs';
the track was included on the Merle Haggard/George
Jones duet album 'A Taste of Yesterday's Wine' (Epic Records, 1982).
In 1983, Merle Haggard recorded Leona Williams' 'All the soft places to
fall'; the track was included on the Merle Haggard/Willie Nelson duet album
'Poncho & Lefty' (Epic Records, 1983.
Leona Williams also contributed a number of songs to Merle Haggard, two of
which reached No.1 on Billboard's country music singles chart; 'You take me
for granted' spent one week at No.1 in May/June 1983, while 'Someday when
things are good' spent one week at No.1 in June 1984.
The track, 'We're strangers again', charted in 1983, but the song also
marked the dissolution of Leona's relationship with Haggard. In 1991,
Tammy Wynette & Randy Travis recorded 'We're strangers again' & the song
earned a CMA nomination for 'Duet of the Year' for Tammy & Randy.
In 1983, Leona left Merle & filed for divorce. She moved back to
Vienna, Missouri where she lived on a farm with her new husband Dave Kirby
(a former member of Merle Haggard's band, the Strangers) who she married in
1985.
Sadly, Dave Kirby passed away on 17 April 2004 - he was 63. Dave, a
native of Brady, Texas where he was born on 10 July 1938, was a masterful
songwriter & had had the privilege of having twenty four of his compositions
recorded by Gene Watson.
Leona Williams recorded 'Memories to burn' & included the track on 'Honorary
Texan' (Heart of Texas Records, 2003).
Gene Watson recorded 'Cold summer day in Georgia' & included the track on 'Memories
to Burn' (Epic Records, 1985); the track features beautiful backing
vocals from Leona Williams, along with the exquisite guitar work of Dave
Kirby (RIP).
'Cold summer day in Georgia' was included (for the first time on CD) on 'Ultimate
Collection' (Universal/Hip-O Records, 2001).
In 1999, Leona Williams saw the release of her solo album 'Melted Down
Memories'. And, in 2008, in what was seen as both a smart & obvious
move, the album 'Leona Williams Sings Merle Haggard' was released.
It was also in 2008 that Leona Williams' 'New Patches' album was released on
Heart of Texas Records; the album includes 'You put out an old flame last
night', a track that Gene Watson originally recorded in 1983 & included on 'Sometimes
I Get Lucky' (MCA Records, 1983).
Gene Watson pictured with Darrell McCall & Leona Williams.
Visit Leona Williams' Official Site
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