Gene Watson Discography
'Ultimate Collection'
Universal/Hip-O Records 088 112
730-2 (2001)
'Ultimate Collection' was released on the Universal/Hip-O Records label in
2001 & is a glorious celebration of some of Gene
Watson's finest work from his days with Capitol Records (1975-1980), MCA
Records (1981-1985), Epic Records (1985-1987) & Warner Bros. Records
(1988-1991).
'Ultimate Collection' discography information is presented on this site for
educational purposes only & no infringement of copyright is intended.
About 'Ultimate Collection'...
Album Sleeve Notes
'Gary Gene Watson never intended on a career in music. When you take a look
at the tracks on this 'Ultimate Collection', it becomes evident his absence
would have left a gaping hole in country music, for as one of Nashville's
premiere country journalists, Robert K. Oermann, has said, 'The world stops
spinning when he sings'.
So, while, Watson says, 'I never did go looking for music, music found me',
music was obviously destined for this unassuming man born in Palestine,
Texas, and raised in Paris, Texas. But because he took his singing in
church, and with his 6 siblings, for granted, never considering that it
could be a profession, to this day it is difficult for him to trace the
origin of his realisation that indeed it would end up being the crux of his
life.
'As far back as I can remember talking, I can remember singing. My brother,
just younger than me, played lead guitar and I was the singer, and we would
entertain at a lot of the school functions and local get-togethers. But
music was never one of my goals. All I ever dreamed of was working on cars',
says Watson, who still enjoys dabbling on cars in his little shop in
Houston.
By 17, he was married (still is, to the same woman he married in 1961), and
had to lie about his age to get a job building missile silos in Abilene.
Five years later, in 1966, Watson moved to Dallas where an uncle helped him
get his first professional job as a singer at a club called The Palms.
Still, he didn't take the possibility of making a living at music seriously,
until moving to Houston where he formed a band called Gene Watson & the
Other Four, dropping the Gary from his name. 'I got tired of everybody
calling me Larry and Gerry and all of that', he says with a laugh. 'So I
decided to just use my middle name. And even then, people were bad about
thinking my name was Eugene, which it's not'.
There were lots of lean times, living hand to mouth, apartment to apartment,
but finally, right after he put a new band together, he got his first big
break in 1974. Managers Roy Stone and Russ Reeder saw the band called the
Hailball Express, in honour of the '72 Ford he drove, pitted by hail stones,
or 'hailballs', as locals called them, and approached Watson to record
locally, and finally in Nashville.
When the two managers split, Stone chose to take the masters they had
recorded and Reeder was happy to assume full management of Watson, whose
desire was to record only in Nashville. He and Reeder formed Resco Records,
named for a one-stop distributing company Reeder owned called Record Service
Company, for which Watson recorded 'Bad water', a song previously done by
Ray Charles' background singers, The Raelettes.
It was his first charted single, although he only remembers it was 'way down
there', but more important is that it drew the attention of a Capitol
Records executive who flew to Houston to check out the singer. A five-year
recording contract was the result of that fateful meeting.
Watson had already recorded 'Love in the hot
afternoon', which had just been released on Resco, when he signed with
Capitol. The song, previously recorded by several others, including Jim Ed
Brown, became a regional hit. 'Everyone else had changed the lyrics around
where they felt there would be a chance of playing it on the radio. Back in
'74, that was a pretty spicy song for airplay. It kinda scared me, I have to
admit. When we went up to record it, I told Russ, 'We may never get this
thing played on the radio, but if I'm going to record it, I'm going to
record it exactly the way it was written'. It took off like a house on
fire'.
But, Watson explains, the Resco-issued single hit a very large region
including Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, so by the time Capitol re-issued it
on their own label with a sleeve that said 'Rush', it had already become
huge in that market and was beginning to descend. Ultimately, that thwarted
the song from going to the top.
'Because it had already hit No.1 in so many areas in the South, and was
already on its way down, by the time it was going No.1 in the other areas,
it could only get to No.3 in the nation'.
No.3 right out of the gate was still no small accomplishment, and 'Love in the hot
afternoon' was also pronounced the No.4 song for the entire year of
1975. All of a sudden Watson had a career!
'I was scared to death', he admits now with a laugh. 'I was thinking, 'What
am I going to do next?' That's always been one of my quirks - it's not what
I have out right now, it's what am I going to come up with next? I'm a
stickler for material, and while I've always had the freedom to pick and
choose my own material, it's always been a heavy burden on my back. Even
though Russ Reeder was my producer, he never told me what to record or what
not to record. He might suggest something or bring me a song, but never once
did he say, 'We're gonna do this'. He worked inside the control room and I
worked inside the studio with the musicians.
As far as the arrangements, 99% of that was my doings - I worked that up
with the musicians', says Watson, who initially used such Nashville session
greats as fiddle players Lisa Silver &
Buddy Spicher ('He's the one who
played that real neat fiddle ride on 'Love in the hot
afternoon'),
Lloyd Green and Sonny Garrish on steel guitar,
Junior Husky on bass, Tommy Alsup (guitar), drummers such as DJ Fontana,
Buddy Harmon and Kenny Malone, and would reschedule his sessions if Pig
Robbins (piano) was not available. In the mid '80s, he began to use his own
band in the studio.
After his explosive introduction to radio, life changed quite dramatically
for the man who had never considered music a viable way to earn a living. 'I
still didn't take it for granted, though. I thought, 'I got me this major
recording contract with a big label', but I also had enough sense to know
that they can drop you just as quick as they sign you. So, instead of
selling my (auto) tools, I rolled them in my garage. Not for a minute did I
forget how to work on cars, so if this didn't work, I could always go back
to doing that'.
He never had to. Not that it was easy, though. Watson still remembers an
early tour, opening for Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty. 'Of course they had
their busses and I'm driving a four-wheeler', he says with a laugh. 'I'll
never forget one night when I had driven until my eyeballs were about to
fall out, trying to keep up with those busses - I spent my time catching up
with them, stopping and fuelling up, and then catching them again, and
Loretta said, 'Gene, why don't you take that car home and fly back. We'll
pick you up and you can finish the tour on my bus'. We were in Lansing,
Michigan, and I drove, non-stop, to Houston, parked that car, caught a plane
and flew into Augusta, Maine. They picked me up and I finished up the tour
riding Loretta's bus. We were so close, and the bands thought so much of me,
that one night Loretta's band would back me up, and the next night Conway's
band would back me up. I was in hog heaven'. Watson was able to find another
winner in 'Where Love Begins', when, after a recording session one night,
writer Ray Griff
took Watson to his office to
play him demo tapes. Watson ended up recording several
Ray Griff compositions, including 'Between
this time & the next time', also on this collection.
Watson wasn't so sure of Dallas Harms' 'Paper Rosie', though. Frank Jones, head of the Capitol country division at the
time, found the song in Canada where it had been the song of the year for
its composer/singer. Whereas, everyone who heard the song said it was a hit,
Watson didn't hear it.
'There was just something about the way he did it and the way I heard it -
it just didn't gel. I've always felt that, no matter how good a song is, if
it's not my song, I don't want to waste the song or my time. But everyone
kept saying, 'This is a great song', and I thought, 'This many people can't
be wrong'. I went in and recorded it, but, just as I thought, it didn't suit
me at all. I went back out on the road and was in my motel room in Chicago
when I touched base with the office and Frank Jones said, 'Gene, I believe
if you come back in and re-record this song, it'll be a smash'.
Because Jones felt so strongly about it, Watson gave it another chance and
re-recorded it, this time with a flute part and re-examining of the song's
lyrics and meaning. 'When I went back into the studio, the song was the
same. I was what was different'. Persistence paid off. The second time in
the studio, the production came together easily and its outcome pleased Gene
and his fans, who helped take the song to the Top 5 of the country charts.
Sheer determination is responsible for Watson even hearing the demo of
'Fourteen carat mind', the first No.1 record of 1982, written by Larry Lee
and Dallas Frazier. (Frazier also had a No.1 hit with the Oak Ridge
Boys' 'Elvira' that same year.) Watson recalls one night as the bus was
going down the road, listening to a pile of tapes loaded in a huge box after
signing with MCA Records.
'I had listened to tapes until my ear was about to fall off, and I finally
got down to the bottom of the box where there was a reel-to-reel box. I
thought, 'Who in the world would send me a demo on a reel-to-reel tape?' I
had a reel-to-reel machine on the bus, I dug it out, blew the cobwebs off
it, and I could hardly get it threaded up. But I put this tape on that
reel-to-reel recording, and I knew, within 16 bars, that it was a hit, and I
had to record it'.
Around that time, Watson's entire appearance changed, from the slicked-back
'Elvis' look, to the longer haired, facial haired presence of today. It was
such a radical change, that it became the focal point of nearly every
interview and article printed about Watson at the time. Finally, he tells
the story of how it happened.
'We were playing a place called Lake Norman, North Carolina, and all of a
sudden, before I went on stage, here came two carloads of police and they
were going to impound my bus. I had no idea why. They didn't know all the
details, they were just there with their orders to impound the bus. It
turned out that there was a guy who had had me booked in North Carolina
whose job I had to cancel because I was sick, under medication. Someone told
him I was playing somewhere else the same night, so he filed a suit against
me, and there was a warrant that the first time I came into the state of
North Carolina, they would seize my bus and take me to court.
The officers were kind enough to let us get a few changes of clothes and
what instruments we could carry off the bus, and our next job was in New
York City at the Lone Star Cafe', says Watson of the incident which was
thrown out of court, but whose impounded bus engine froze, causing him to
have to buy a new bus. 'I had to get airline tickets, and with all the
ballyhoo going on, I forgot everything it took to shave with, so I said,
'What the hey', and I quit shaving and stopped getting my hair cut. I don't
know if it was in retaliation, or what, but the next time my fans went to
buy an album, they didn't even recognise who was on the cover'.
But the music would not change - he would still give the public the same
reliable Gene Watson sound they had come to expect, including 1983's 'Drinkin'
my way back home', which Watson says halted high on the charts, due to
protests from Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), and 1984's 'Got no
reason now for going home', which composer
Johnny Russell
pitched to Watson
one night while they were both guests on Ralph Emery's 'Nashville Now' TV
show.
'Johnny was one of my best friends in the music business and he said he
wanted me to take that tape back to Houston, learn it, and come back to
Nashville and record it. I said, 'John, I'll listen to it', and he said, 'I
can get anybody to listen to it. I said go learn it and record it!' We went
out on the bus after the taping of the show, he played it for me, and I
liked the song a lot, so I did exactly what he said'.
As Watson arrived at Nashville's Hilltop Studios to record 'Memories
to burn', Ray Price was finishing up his session, and lo and behold, he
was just completing his own recording of 'Memories to burn'.
'I never have been real long on intelligence', Watson says with a laugh. 'So
we went on in and I said, 'We're going to record this thing just like if he
never recorded it'. But, in fact, what he did next was very intelligent.
Upon completion of the recording, he headed quickly to the offices of his
new label, Epic Records, with the tape and said, 'You'd better get this out
as quick as you can because one of the big boys just got finished recording
it'. They rushed it out.
Singer Leona Williams
and guitarist Dave Kirby happened to drop by the
studio while Watson was recording 'Cold Summer day in Georgia', and 'Leona
jumped in there and sang harmony with me, and Dave Kirby sat down and played
guitar on it, so that one has some good memories', Watson reflects.
It was at his next label, Warner Brothers, where he would chart the final
three songs of this collection, including his last big country hit, 'Don't
waste it on the blues'.
Having wrestled with a bout of colon cancer recently, undergoing successful
surgery and precautionary chemotherapy, Watson is particularly thrilled to
be able to reminisce about the legacy of music he never imagined
contributing.
'I had no idea that I could rely on music to support my family', says Watson
who has two children and one grandchild, as a result of his enduring
marriage. 'And I owe all of it to the fans and the DJs and people who played
and bought my music'.
Robyn Flans
September 2001
'Ultimate Collection' was produced by
Mike Ragogna; the Executive Producer was Pat Lawrence & the
Production Coordinator was Michele Horie
Editorial assistance was given by Barry Korkin &
Licensing was undertaken by Robin Schwartz
The Head of Art Direction was Ilene Weingard, with Design by I Design Studio
Photo Research for the 'Ultimate Collection' was undertaken by Geary
Chansley/Chansley Entertainment Archives
'Ultimate Collection'
Universal/Hip-O Records 088 112
730-2 (2001)
1 'Love in the hot afternoon'
Written by Kent Westberry & Vince Matthews
Published by EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets
'Love in the hot afternoon'
was originally included on 'Love
in the Hot Afternoon' (Capitol Records, 1975)
2 'Where love begins'
Written by Ray Griff
Published by EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets
'Where love begins'
was originally included on 'Love
in the Hot Afternoon' (Capitol Records, 1975)
3 'Paper Rosie'
Written by Dallas Harms
Published by EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets
'Paper Rosie'
was originally included on 'Paper Rosie'
(Capitol Records, 1977)
4 'Pick the wildwood flower'
Written by
Joe Allen
Published by EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets
'Pick the wildwood flower' was originally included on 'Reflections'
(Capitol Records, 1978)
5 'Nothing sure looked good on you'
Written by Jim Rushing
Published by EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets
'Nothing sure looked good on you' was originally included on 'Should
I Come Home' (Capitol Records, 1979)
6 'Between this time & the next time'
Written by Ray Griff
Published by MCA Nashville / UMG Recordings, Inc.
'Between this time & the next time'
was
originally included on 'Between This Time
& the Next Time' (MCA Records, 1981)
7 'Maybe I should have been listening'
Written by Buzz Rabin
Published by MCA Nashville / UMG Recordings, Inc.
'Maybe I should have been listening' was
originally included on 'Between This Time
& the Next Time' (MCA Records, 1981)
8 'Fourteen carat mind'
Written by Dallas Frazier & Larry Lee
Published by MCA Nashville / UMG Recordings, Inc.
'Fourteen carat mind'
was
originally included on 'Old Loves Never Die'
(MCA Records, 1981)
9 'Speak softly (you're talking to my heart)'
Written by Steve Spurgin and J.D. Mendenall
Published by MCA Nashville / UMG Recordings, Inc.
'Speak softly (you're talking to my heart)'
was originally included on 'Old Loves Never Die'
(MCA Records, 1981)
10 'This dream's on me'
Written by Fred Koller
Published by MCA Nashville / UMG Recordings, Inc.
'This dream's on me' was
originally included on 'This Dream's on Me'
(MCA Records, 1982)
11 'What she don't know won't hurt her'
Written by Dave Lindsey & Ernie Rowell
Published by MCA Nashville / UMG Recordings, Inc.
'What she don't know won't hurt her'
was
originally included on 'This Dream's on Me'
(MCA Records, 1982)
12 'You're out doing what I'm here doing without'
Written by Bo Roberts & Allen Frizzell
Published by MCA Nashville / UMG Recordings, Inc.
'You're out doing what I'm here doing without'
was originally included on
'Sometimes I Get Lucky' (MCA Records, 1983)
13 'Sometimes I get lucky and forget'
Written by Ernie Rowell & Bob House
Published by MCA Nashville / UMG Recordings, Inc.
'Sometimes I get lucky and forget' was originally included on
'Sometimes I Get Lucky' (MCA Records, 1983)
Gene Watson re-recorded 'Sometimes I get lucky and
forget' & included the track on 'Gene Watson: Then & Now'
(Koch Records Nashville, 2005)
14 'Drinkin' my way back home'
Written by D. Scaife, R. Scaife & P. Thomas
Published by MCA Nashville / UMG Recordings, Inc.
'Drinkin' my way back home'
was originally included on 'Little by Little'
(MCA Records, 1984)
15 'Forever again'
Written by Warren Robb & Dave Kirby
Published by MCA Nashville / UMG Recordings, Inc.
'Forever again' was originally included on 'Little by Little'
(MCA Records, 1984)
16 'Got no reason now for going home'
Written by Johnny Russell
Published by MCA Nashville / UMG Recordings, Inc.
'Got no reason now for going home' was originally included on 'Heartaches, Love & Stuff'
(MCA
Records, 1984)
17 'Cold summer day in Georgia'
Written by D. Knutson & A. Owens
Published by Sony Music Special Products
'Cold summer day in Georgia' was originally included
on 'Memories to Burn' (Epic
Records, 1985) & appears on CD for the very first time
18 'Memories to burn'
Written by Warren Robb & Dave Kirby
Published by Sony Music Special Products
'Memories to burn' was originally included
on 'Memories to Burn' (Epic
Records, 1985)
19 'Everything I used to do'
Written by Ernie Rowell
Published by Sony Music Special Products
'Everything I used to do' was originally included on 'Starting New Memories'
(Epic Records, 1986) & appears on CD for the very first time
20 'Everybody needs a hero'
Written by Troy Seals & Max D. Barnes
Published by Sony Music Special Products
'Everybody needs a hero' was originally included on 'Honky Tonk Crazy'
(Epic Records, 1987)
Gene Watson re-recorded 'Everybody needs a hero' &
included the track on 'Gene Watson: Then & Now'
(Koch Records Nashville, 2005)
21 'Don't waste it on the blues'
Written by Sandy Ramos & Jerry Vandiver
Published by Warner Brothers Records, Inc.
'Don't waste it on the blues'
was originally included on 'Back in
the Fire' (Warner Bros. Records, 1989)
22 'Back in the fire'
Written by Rory Bourke & Mike Reid
Published by Warner Brothers Records, Inc.
'Back in the fire'
was originally included on 'Back in
the Fire' (Warner Bros. Records, 1989)
Gene Watson re-recorded 'Back in the fire' &
included the track on 'Gene Watson: Then & Now'
(Koch Records Nashville, 2005)
23 'The jukebox played along'
Written by K. Bell & C. Quillen
Published by Warner Brothers Records, Inc.
'The jukebox played
along' was originally included on 'Back in
the Fire' (Warner Bros. Records, 1989)
Gene Watson re-recorded 'The jukebox played along'
& included the track on 'Gene Watson: Then & Now'
(Koch Records Nashville, 2005)
You can read a CMP review of Gene Watson's 'Ultimate Collection'
here. The
review, which was written by Craig Babuley, was published in the May 2002
issue of the United Kingdom monthly publication
Country Music People.
'Ultimate Collection'
Universal/Hip-O Records 088 112
730-2 (2001)
