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 2012, 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 Steve Dean, which he from submitted to this site on Friday 15 June 2012.

Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Steve Dean who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.





Steve Dean
This quote was submitted on Friday 15 June 2012.



'It was, and still is, an honor to have Gene Watson record my songs.

Thank you for putting up the site.

I met Gene at the session, and he is a super nice guy'

Thank you, Steve Dean, for your support of Gene Watson.



About Steve Dean...



Steve Dean was raised in Little Rock, Arkansas on a steady diet of music from The Beatles, The Byrds and The Eagles, along with the early influences of Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 - Saturday 25 March 2006), Roger Miller (Thursday 2 January 1936 - Sunday 25 October 1992) and Johnny Cash (Friday 26 February 1932 - Friday 12 September 2003).

After earning a degree in advertising from University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Steve Dean moved to Nashville to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a hit songwriter.

Steve Dean has co-written six Billboard No.1 hit singles, 'Watching You' for Rodney Atkins, 'Round About Way' for George Strait, 'Southern Star' for Alabama, 'Walk On' for Reba McEntire, 'It Takes A Little Rain' for The Oak Ridge Boys and 'Hearts Aren't Made To Break' for Lee Greenwood.



Steve Dean's first single, 'Don't Your Memory Ever Sleep At Night', was recorded by Steve Wariner in 1983; the track was included on Steve Wariner's 'Midnight Fire' (RCA Records, 1983) and reached No.23 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1983.

Other Steve Dean Billboard country music hit singles included 'Fast Lanes & Country Roads' for Barbara Mandrell (No.4, 1986), 'One Bridge I Didn't Burn' for Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 - Saturday 5 June 1993) (No.57, 1990), 'The More I Learn (The Less I Understand About Love)' for Ronna Reeves (No.49, 1992), 'Just Enough Rope' for Rick Trevino (No.44, 1994) and 'Cool To Be A Fool' for Joe Nichols (No.18, 2003).

'Cool To Be A Fool' and 'Watching You' have earned Bethar Music, Steve Dean's publishing company, BMI Publisher awards.  To date, Steve Dean has earned ten BMI Awards.

Other acclaimed artists who have recorded Steve Dean's compositions include Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 - Wednesday 13 February 2002), Billy Dean, Ronnie Milsap, Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 - Friday 20 March 2020), Pure Prairie League, Craig Morgan, The ROYS (Lee & Elaine Roy), Dierks Bentley, John Michael Montgomery, Lee Ann Womack, Point of Grace, Neal McCoy and Ty Herndon.

Steve Dean is a performing songwriter, doing 'In the round' shows around the United States; Steve Dean enjoys taking his music to the people in it's purest form.



Sylvia recorded Steve Dean's 'Not Tonight', which was co-written with John Jarrard (Thursday 7 May 1953 - Thursday 1 February 2001), and included the track on 'Just Sylvia' (RCA Records, 1982).



Steve Wariner recorded Steve Dean's 'Don't Your Memory Ever Sleep At Night' and included the track on 'Midnight Fire' (RCA Records, 1983); the track reached No.23 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1983.



Barbara Mandrell recorded Steve Dean's 'Man's Not A Man' (co-written with Frank Myers) and included the track on 'Spun Gold' (MCA Records, 1983).



Ronnie Milsap recorded Steve Dean's 'Don't Your Memory Ever Sleep At Night' (co-written with Randy Hatch) and included the track on 'Keyed Up' (RCA Records, 1983).

Barbara Mandrell & Lee Greenwood recorded Steve Dean's 'I'll Never Stop Loving You' (co-written with Michael David) and included the track on 'Meant For Each Other' (MCA Records, 1984).



Dottie West (Tuesday 11 October 1932 - Wednesday 4 September 1991) recorded Steve Dean's 'We Know Better Now' (co-written with Frank Myers) and included the track on 'Just Dottie' (Permian Records, 1984 / First Generation Records, 2000).



Lee Greenwood recorded Steve Dean's 'Hearts Aren’t Made To Break (They're Made To Love)' (co-written with Roger Murrah) and included the track on 'Streamline' (MCA Records, 1985); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in July 1986.



Barbara Mandrell recorded Steve Dean's 'Fast Lanes & Country Roads' (co-written with Roger Murrah) and included the track on 'Get To The Heart' (MCA Records, 1985); the track reached No.4 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1986.

Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 - Wednesday 13 February 2002) recorded Steve Dean's 'The Shadow of Your Distant Friend' (co-written with Roger Murrah) and included the track on 'Will The Wolf Survive' (MCA Records, 1986).



The Oak Ridge Boys recorded Steve Dean's 'It Takes A Little Rain (To Make Love Grow)' (co-written with James Dean Hicks and Roger Murrah) and included the track on 'Where The Fast Lane Ends' (MCA Records, 1987); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in May / June 1987.



Alabama recorded Steve Dean's 'Southern Star' (co-written with Roger Murrah and Rich Alves) and included the track on 'Southern Star' (RCA Records, 1989); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for one week in February 1990.



Reba McEntire recorded Steve Dean's 'Walk On' (co-written with Lonnie Williams) and included the track on 'Sweet Sixteen' (MCA Records, 1989); the track reached No.2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in June 1990.



Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 - Saturday 5 June 1993) recorded Steve Dean's 'One Bridge I Didn't Burn' (co-written with Jim McBride) and included the track on 'Crazy In Love' (MCA Records, 1990); the track reached No.57 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1990.



Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 - Saturday 5 June 1993) recorded Steve Dean's 'Shadow of A Distant Friend' (co-written with Jim McBride and Roger Murrah) and included the track on 'Crazy In Love' (MCA Records, 1990).



Billy Dean recorded Steve Dean's 'Simple Things' (co-written with Billy Dean) and included the track on 'Billy Dean' (Capitol Records, 1991).



Billy Dean recorded Steve Dean's 'Daddy's Will' (co-written with Billy Dean) and included the track on 'Billy Dean' (Capitol Records, 1991).



Linda Davis recorded Steve Dean's 'Just Enough Rope' (co-written with Karen Staley) and included the track on 'In A Different Light' (Liberty Records, 1991).



Ronna Reeves recorded Steve Dean's 'The More I Learn (The Less I Understand About Love)' and included the track on 'The More I Learn' (Polygram Records / Mercury Records, 1992); the track reached No.49 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1992.



Darryl & Don Ellis recorded Steve Dean's 'No Sir' (co-written with Don Ellis and Billy Montana) and included the track on 'No Sir' (Epic Records, 1992).



Rick Trevino recorded Steve Dean's 'Just Enough Rope' (co-written with Karen Staley) and included the track on 'Rick Trevino' (Columbia Records, 1994); the track reached No.44 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1994.



Neal McCoy recorded Steve Dean's 'Same Boots' (co-written with Wil Nance) and included the track on 'Be Good At It' (Atlantic Records, 1997).



Ricochet recorded Steve Dean's 'The Last Love In This Town' (co-written with Billy Montana and Don Ellis) and included the track on 'Blink of An Eye' (Columbia Records, 1997).



George Strait recorded Steve Dean's 'Round About Way' (co-written with Wil Nance) and included the track on 'Carrying Your Love With Me' (MCA Records, 1997); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for one week in March 1998.



Lee Ann Womack recorded Steve Dean's 'The Preacher Won't Have To Lie' (co-written with Billy Montana) and included the track on 'Some Things I Know' (MCA Records, 1998).



John Michael Montgomery recorded Steve Dean's 'You Are' (co-written with Wil Nance and Noah Gordon) and included the track on 'Home To You' (Atlantic Records, 1999).



Ty Herndon recorded Steve Dean's 'That's What I Call Love' (co-written with Danny Orton) and included the track on 'Steam' (Sony Records, 1999).



Craig Morgan recorded Steve Dean's 'It's Me' (co-written with Wil Nance and Craig Morgan) and included the track on 'Craig Morgan' (Atlantic Records, 2000).



Gene Watson recorded Steve Dean's 'Next To Nothing', which was co-written with Wil Nance and Mack Vickery (Wednesday 8 June 1938 - Tuesday 21 December 2004), and included the track on 'From The Heart' (RMG Records, 2001).



Gene Watson recorded Steve Dean's 'Rose In The Sand' (co-written with Frank Myers) and included the track on 'From The Heart' (RMG Records, 2001).



Joe Nichols recorded Steve Dean's 'Cool To Be A Fool' (co-written with Joe Nichols and Wil Nance) and included the track on 'Man With A Memory' (Universal South Records, 2002); the track reached No.18 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 2003.



Craig Morgan recorded Steve Dean's 'What You Do To Me' (co-written with Wil Nance) and included the track on 'I Love It' (Broken Bow Records, 2003).



Rodney Atkins recorded Steve Dean's 'Watching You' (co-written with Rodney Atkins and Brian Gene White) and included the track on 'If You're Going Through Hell' (Curb Records, 2006); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for three weeks in January / February 2007.

Rodney Atkins recorded Steve Dean's 'Chasin' Girls' (co-written with Rodney Atkins and Ted Hewitt) and included the track on 'It's America' (Curb Records, 2009).



The ROYS (Lee Roy & Elaine Roy) recorded Steve Dean's 'Trailblazer' (co-written with Elaine Roy and Bethany Dean) and included the track on 'Lonesome Whistle' (Rural Rhythm Records, 2011).



The ROYS (Lee Roy & Elaine Roy) recorded Steve Dean's 'Everything I Ever Wanted' (co-written with Elaine Roy and Lee Roy) and included the track on 'Lonesome Whistle' (Rural Rhythm Records, 2011).



The ROYS (Lee & Elaine Roy) recorded Steve Dean's 'Enough For Me' (co-written with Lee Roy and Elaine Roy) and included the track on 'Gypsy Runaway Train' (Rural Rhythm Records, 2013).



Tony Jackson recorded Steve Dean's 'Go' (co-written with Cara Hogan and Ben Rue) and included the track on his self-titled debut album, 'Tony Jackson' (DDS Entertainment, 2017).



Kristy Cox recorded Steve Dean's 'Train' (co-written with Daisy Mallory and Bill Whyte) and included the track on 'No Headlights' (Mountain Fever Records, 2020).





• Visit Steve Dean's official site at stevedeanmusic.com