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 by The Gene Watson Fan Site, during 2016, 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 Ashton Shepherd, which she submitted to this site on Wednesday 14 December 2016.

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

Ashton Shepherd
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 14 December 2016.

'Gene Watson seems to only get better with time.

He is one of the greatest and deserves to be in The Country Music Hall of Fame'

Thank you, Ashton Shepherd, for your support of Gene Watson.

About Ashton Shepherd...



Ashton Shepherd was born Ashton Delilah Shepherd in Coffeeville, Alabama on Saturday 16 August 1986.

Ashton Shepherd began singing at an early age, and started writing songs at the age of five.

By the time she was eight years old, Ashton Shepherd had entered her first talent competition, where she sang Patsy Cline (Thursday 8 September 1932 - Tuesday 5 March 1963) songs, and soon afterward, she began performing at various local venues.

Ashton Shepherd's parents helped her finance a self-titled CD, which she released independently at the age of fifteen.

In June 2006, Ashton Shepherd entered and won a talent contest in Gilbertown, Alabama.  The prize was being the opening act for Lorrie Morgan in concert.

Ashton Shepherd won the opening slot, and while performing as Lorrie Morgan's opening act, she was spotted by a representative of MCA Records, who then signed her to Universal Music Group Nashville in April 2007.

Ashton Shepherd's debut single, 'Takin' Off This Pain' (written by Ashton Shepherd), was released in September 2007, the same month in which she made her debut on the hallowed stage of The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

'Takin' Off This Pain' (written by Ashton Shepherd), which peaked at No.20 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2007, was the first single from her debut album, 'Sounds So Good' (MCA Records, 2008), which was produced by Buddy Cannon; the album was released on Tuesday 4 March 2008.



Ashton Shepherd's debut album, 'Sounds So Good' (MCA Records, 2008) included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart:

'Takin' Off This Pain' (written by Ashton Shepherd) (No.20, 2007) / this track was released in September 2007
'Sounds So Good' (written by Ashton Shepherd) (No.21, 2008) / this track was released in May 2008

Ashton Shepherd's debut album, 'Sounds So Good' (MCA Records, 2008), also included the following tracks:

'Lost In You' (written by Ashton Shepherd)
'I Ain't Dead Yet' (written by Ashton Shepherd)
'Not Right Now' (written by Ashton Shepherd)
'Old Memory' (written by Ashton Shepherd and Adam Cunningham)
'The Pickin' Shed' (written by Ashton Shepherd)
'Regular Joe' (written by Ashton Shepherd)
'How Big Are Angel Wings' (written by Ashton Shepherd and Adam Cunningham)
'The Bigger The Heart' (written by Ashton Shepherd and Adam Cunningham
'Whiskey Won The Battle' (written by Adam Cunningham)

Personnel involved in the recording of Ashton Shepherd's debut album, 'Sounds So Good' (MCA Records, 2008), included the following:

Wyatt Beard, Shelby Kennedy and John Wesley Ryles (background vocals)
Buddy Cannon (acoustic guitar, background vocals)
Chad Cromwell (drums)
Dan Dugmore and Scotty Sanders (steel guitar)
Kevin 'Swine' Grantt and Larry Paxton (bass guitar)
Kenny Greenberg and John Jorgenson (electric guitar)
B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar)
Randy McCormick (piano, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano, synthesizer)
Gary Prim (piano)
Ashton Shepherd (lead vocals)
Joe Spivey (fiddle, mandolin)
Scott Vestal (banjo)
Chip Young (acoustic guitar)

Ashton Shepherd's debut album, 'Sounds So Good' (MCA Records, 2008), reached No.16 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2008, and No.90 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 2008.



Ashton Shepherd's debut album, 'Sounds So Good' (MCA Records, 2008), was released, in the United Kingdom, by Hump Head Country / Wrasse Records.

On Wednesday 5 March 2008, Ashton Shepherd appeared on CMT's 'Unplugged at Studio 330' television program, and its subsequent interview.



On Tuesday 30 June 2009, Cledus T. Judd saw the release of 'Polyrically Uncorrect' (E1 Music, 2009); one of the included tracks was 'Polyrically Uncorrect', which was a duet with Ashton Shepherd.

'Polyrically Uncorrect' was a parody of 'Politically Uncorrect' (written by Leslie Satcher, Danny Steagall and Billy Henderson), which was recorded by Gretchen Wilson and Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016), and was included on Gretchen Wilson's 'All Jacked Up' (Epic Records, 2005); Gretchen Wilson and Merle Haggard's recording of 'Politically Uncorrect' (written by Leslie Satcher, Danny Steagall and Billy Henderson) reached No.23 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2006.



On Tuesday 12 July 2011, Ashton Shepherd saw the release of 'Where Country Grows' (MCA Records, 2011), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart:

'Look It Up' (written by Angeleena Presley and Robert Ellis Orrall) (No.19 in May 2011) / this track was released on Monday 3 January 2011
'Where Country Grows' (written by Bobby Pinson and Ashton Shepherd) (No.42, 2011) / this track was released in July 2011

Ashton Shepherd's 'Where Country Grows' (MCA Records, 2011) also included the following tracks:

'I'm Good' (written by Ashton Shepherd, Dean Dillon and Dale Dodson)
'I'm Just A Woman' (written by Ashton Shepherd)
'More Cows Than People' (written by Bobby Pinson and Ashton Shepherd)
'Beer On A Boat' (written by Rhett Akins, Marv Green and Ben Hayslip)
'While It Ain't Rainin' (written by Troy Jones and Ashton Shepherd)
'Tryin' To Go To Church' (written by Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and Ashton Shepherd)
'That All Leads To One Thing' (written by Ashton Shepherd)
'Rory's Radio' (written by Ashton Shepherd)

Personnel involved in the recording of Ashton Shepherd's 'Where Country Grows' (MCA Records, 2011) included the following:

Wyatt Beard, Melonie Cannon and John Wesley Ryles (background vocals)
Mark Beckett (drums)
Jim 'Moose' Brown and John A. Hobbs (Saturday 11 February 1928 - Wednesday 12 June 2019) (Hammond B-3 organ, piano, Wurlitzer)
Pat Buchanan and J.T. Corenflos (electric guitar)
Dan Dugmore and Mike Johnson (steel guitar)
Kevin 'Swine' Grantt (bass guitar)
Tony Greasman (drums, percussion)
Kenny Greenberg (baritone guitar)
Rob Hajacos and Joe Spivey (fiddle)
Randy McCormick (clavinet, Hammond B-3 organ, piano, synthesizer)
Mickey Raphael (harmonica)
Ashton Shepherd (lead vocals)
Bobby Terry and Billy Joe Walker Jr. (Friday 29 February 1952 - Tuesday 25 July 2017) (acoustic guitar)
Scott Vestal (banjo)

Ashton Shepherd's 'Where Country Grows' (MCA Records, 2011) reached No.11 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2011, and No.37 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 2011.



Ashton Shepherd's 'Where Country Grows' (MCA Records, 2011) was released, in the United Kingdom, by Hump Head Country / Wrasse Records.



On Tuesday 9 August 2011, Luke Bryan saw the release of 'Tailgates & Tanlines' (Capitol Records, 2011); one of the included tracks was 'Tailgate Blues' (written by Brent Cobb and Neil Medley), which featured Ashton Shepherd on background vocals.

In mid-2012, Ashton Shepherd parted ways with MCA Records and started her own company in order to pursue releasing music independently.



On Friday 16 August 2013, Ashton Shepherd saw the release, on Pickin' Shed Records (Ashton Shepherd's own record label), of 'This Is America' (Pickin' Shed Records, 2013), which included two tracks, which were released as singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart:

'This Is America' / this track was released as the lead single in July 2013, but it did not chart
'Seventeen Again' / this track was released as a single in 2014, but it did not chart

Ashton Shepherd's 'This Is America' (Pickin' Shed Records, 2013) included the following tracks:

'Andy'
'Spinnin'
'Let Me Love Your Pain Away'
'Drinkin' Cap'
'The Next Time You Cross My Mind'
'For Boosin'
'Final'

'Golden Ring' (written by Bobby Braddock and Rafe VanHoy) / this track was a duet with Daryle Bruce Singletary (Wednesday 10 March 1971 - Monday 12 February 2018) / the original version of this track was recorded by George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 - Friday 26 April 2013) & Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 - Monday 6 April 1998), whose version was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in August 1976

'Little Bitty Lady'



On Tuesday 14 June 2016, Ashton Shepherd saw the release of 'Out of My Pocket' (Pickin' Shed Records, 2016), which included one track, which was released as a single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart:

'With Us' Tellin The Truth' / this track was released as a single in 2016, but it did not chart

Ashton Shepherd's 'Out of My Pocket' (Pickin' Shed Records, 2016) also included the following tracks:

'It's You'
'Come Here To Me'
'I Just Need A Minute'
'I Like Bein' Single'
'Take It Back Real Slow'
'This Rainy Sunday'
'Glass & Nails'
'Don't Wake Me Up'
'I Don't Why'
'Baby Doll'
'Can't Tell You No'

• Visit Ashton Shepherd's official site at ashtonshepherd.com 
• Follow Ashton Shepherd on Facebook