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 2010, 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 Kenny Malone, which he submitted to this site on Wednesday 10 November 2010.

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





Kenny Malone
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 10 November 2010.

'Gene Watson is one of the all time greats.

What a wonderful talent he is.

I'm thankful I got a chance to play music with him'

Thank you, Kenny Malone, for your support of Gene Watson.



About Kenny Malone...



Photo of Kenny Malone courtesy of Rick Malkin

Kenny Malone, who was born on Thursday 4 August 1938, made a reputation as a master of the free-flowing groove, of the organic, never-know-what’s-coming-next whir of percussive improvisation and sure had a lot of formal training.

From whacking a snare at the age of five and progressing to drum and marimba lessons at the age of nine, to learning to read music and the parts for the rest of the orchestra at the age of twelve for Denver Junior Police Band, Kenny Malone was well prepared for a life of music-making.

By the time he was fifteen years old, Kenny Malone was splitting his time between gigs with a sixteen-piece accordion band from Wells School of Music and the pit orchestra of D’Oyly Carte Opera Company.

Still a teenager, Kenny Malone saw the world as part of the United States Navy Big Band, playing Eisenhower’s South American tour and John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, before switching to the service's School of Music, eventually writing the manual as Head of the Percussion Department.

Then Kenny Malone moved to Nashville and his real career began.

Thanks to the help of legendary Cowboy Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013), Kenny Malone broke into the big time.

Among various sessions he did soon after moving to Nashville in 1970, was one for Don Williams (Saturday 27 May 1939 - Friday 8 September 2017), a writer for Cowboy’s publishing house, Jack Music, and an artist on the roster of Cowboy’s record label JMI Records.



The production was turned over to another writer there, Allen Reynolds, and the result was a surprise hit record with 'Amanda' (written by Bob McDill), which was included on 'Don Williams: Volume 1' (JMI Records, 1973), the debut album from Don Williams (Saturday 27 May 1939 - Friday 8 September 2017), which was released in June 1973.

Don Williams' recording of 'Amanda' (written by Bob McDill) was a charted 'b' side, reaching No.33 in 1973, while the 'a' side, 'Come Early Morning' (written by Bob McDill), reached No.12 in 1973.



Almost simultaneously, the Kenny Malone beat propelled another unknown to the Top 5 of the Billboard pop music singles chart, when Dobie Gray (Friday 26 July 1940 - Tuesday 6 December 2011) hit with 'Drift Away', which was written by Mentor Williams (Tuesday 11 June 1946 - Wednesday 16 November 2016) (No.5, 1973).

Kenny Malone found himself 'in demand' and, for the next forty years, Kenny’s graceful rhythms complemented the most subtle of lyricists, as well as the most virtuosic of instrumentalists.

And, although he has mostly been in the studio, behind the scenes, Kenny Malone found time to play in some adventurous performing bands with other stellar musicians - Barefoot Jerry, Tone Patrol, Cowboy's Ragtime Band and, as a trio, with Darrell Scott and Danny Thompson.

Between 1972 and 2007, Kenny Malone played on an astonishing array of country music albums.



Between 1972 and 1979, Kenny Malone played on an astonishing array of country music albums, including the following releases:



Charlie McCoy's 'Charlie McCoy' (Monument Records, 1972)



Doc Watson's 'Elementary Doctor Watson' (Poppy Records, 1972)



Townes Van Zandt's 'The Late Great Townes Van Zandt' (Tomato Records, 1972)



Doc Watson & Merle Watson's 'Now & Then' (Poppy Records, 1972)



Mickey Newbury's 'Heaven Help The Child' (Elektra Records, 1973)



Tony Joe White's 'Homemade Ice Cream' (Warner Bros. Records, 1973)



Billy Joe Shaver's 'Old Five & Dimers' (Monument Records, 1973)



John Prine's 'Sweet Revenge' (Atlantic Records, 1973)



Henson Cargill's 'This is Henson Cargill Country' (Atlantci Records, 1973)



Linda Hargrove's 'Blue Jean Country Queen' (Elektra Records, 1974)



Mickey Newbury's 'I Came to Hear The Music' (Elektra Records, 1974)



Charlie McCoy's 'Nashville Hit Man' (Monument Records, 1974)



Ronnie Milsap's 'Pure Love' (RCA Records, 1974)



Ronnie Milsap's 'A Legend in My Time' (RCA Records, 1975)



Waylon Jennings' 'Dreaming My Dreams' (RCA Records, 1975)



Gene Watson's 'Love in the Hot Afternoon' (Capitol Records, 1975)



Charlie McCoy's 'Harpin' The Blues' (Monument Records, 1975)



Ronnie Milsap's 'Night Things' (RCA Records, 1975)



Buddy Emmons' 'Steel Guitar' (Flying Fish Records, 1975)



Moe Bandy's 'Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life' (Columbia Records, 1976)



Gene Watson's 'Because You Believed in Me' (Capitol Records, 1976)



Wanda Jackson's 'I'll Still Love You' (DJM Records, 1976)



John Prine's 'Prime Prine' (Atlantic Records, 1976)



Don Everly's 'Brother Jukebox' (Sundown Records, 1977)



Buddy Emmons & Buddy Spicher's 'Buddies' (Flying Fish Records, 1977)



Ronnie Milsap's 'It Was Almost Like a Song' (RCA Records, 1977)



Gene Watson's 'Paper Rosie' (Capitol Records, 1977)



Eddie Rabbitt's 'Rabbitt' (Elektra Records, 1977)



Gene Watson's 'Beautiful Country' (Capitol Records, 1977)



Carl Smith's 'This Lady Loving Me' (Hickory Records, 1977)



Vern Gosdin's 'Till The End' (Elektra Records, 1977)



Don Williams' 'Visions' (Dot Records, 1977)



Crystal Gayle's 'We Must Believe In Magic' (United Artists Records, 1977)



Margo Smith's 'Don't Break The Heart That Loves You' (Warner Bros. Records, 1978)



Don Williams' 'Expressions' (ABC Records, 1978)



Gene Watson's 'Reflections' (Capitol Records, 1978)



Gail Davies' 'Gail Davies' (Lifesong Records, 1978)



Mickey Newbury's 'His Eye is on The Sparrow' (Hickory Records, 1978)



Crystal Gayle's 'We Should Be Together' (United Artists Records, 1979)



Crystal Gayle's 'Classic Crystal' (United Artists Records, 1979)



Ronnie Milsap's 'Images' (RCA Records, 1979)



Crystal Gayle's 'Miss The Mississippi' (Columbia Records, 1979)



Gene Watson's 'Should I Come Home' (Capitol Records, 1979) / Kenny Malone played drums on the track 'Beautiful you', which was written by Joe Eddie Gough (Friday 27 January 1939 - Friday 14 August 2009)



Between 1980 and 1989, Kenny Malone played on an astonishing array of country music albums, including the following releases:



Lacy J. Dalton's 'Lacy J Dalton' (Columbia Rnecords, 1980)



Con Hunley's 'Don't It Break Your Heart' (Warner Bros. Records, 1980)



Lacy J. Dalton's 'Hard Times' (Columbia Records, 1980)



John Anderson's 'John Anderson' (Warner Bros. Records, 1980)



Johnny Cash's 'Rockabilly Blues' (Columbia Records, 1980)



Emmylou Harris' 'Cimarron' (Warner Bros. Records, 1981)



Crystal Gayle's 'Hollywood, Tennessee' (Columbia Records, 1981)



David Allan Coe's 'DAC' (Columbia Records, 1982)



Sylvia's 'Just Sylvia' (RCA Records, 1982)



Keith Whitley's 'Sad Songs & Waltzes' (Rounder Records, 1982)



Reba McEntire's 'Unlimited' (Mercury Records, 1982)



Lacy J. Dalton's 'Dream Baby' (Columbia Records, 1983)



Merle Haggard's 'That's The Way Love Goes' (Epic Records, 1983)



Kenny Rogers' 'We've Got Tonight' (Liberty Records, 1983)



Don Williams' 'Yellow Moon' (MCA Records, 1983)



John Prine's 'Aimless Love' (Oh Boy Records, 1984)



David Allan Coe's 'Just Divorced' (Columbia Records, 1984)



Nanci Caroline Griffith's 'Once In A Very Blue Moon' (Philo Records, 1984)



The Statler Brothers' 'Pardners in Rhyme' (Mercury Records, 1985)



Nanci Caroline Griffith's 'Last of The True Believers' (Philo Records, 1985)



Ricky Skaggs' 'Love's Gonna Get Ya' (Epic Records, 1986)



Marty Stuart's 'Marty Stuart' (Columbia Records, 1986)



The Statler Brothers' 'Radio Gospel Favourites' (Mercury Records, 1986)



Kathy Mattea's 'Walk The Way The Wind Blows' (Mercury Records, 1986)



Townes Van Zandt's 'At My Window' (Sugar Hill Records, 1987)



George Jones' 'Too Wild Too Long' (Epic Records, 1987)



Kathy Mattea's 'Untasted Honey' (Mercury Records, 1987)



Marty Stuart's 'Let There Be Country' (Columbia Records, 1987) / this album, although recorded in 1987, was not released by Columbia Records until 1992



Mark O'Connor's 'Elysian Forest' (Warner Bros. Records, 1988)



Jerry Jeff Walker's 'Gypsy Songman' (Rycodisc Records, 1988)



Hank Thompson's 'Here's To Country Music' (Step One Records, 1988)



Maura O'Connell's 'Just In Time' (Philo Records, 1988)



Moe Bandy's 'No Regrets' (Curb Records, 1988)



Johnny Cash's 'Water From The Wells of Home' (Mercury Records, 1988)



John Prine's 'John Rine: Live' (Oh Boy Records, 1989)



Emmylou Harris' 'Bluebird' (Reprise Records, 1989)



Laurie Lewis' 'Love Chooses You' (Flying Fish Records, 1989)



Rhonda Vincent's 'New Dreams & Sunshine' (Rebel Records, 1989)



Between 1990 and 1999, Kenny Malone played on an astonishing array of country music albums, including the following releases:



Mark O'Connor's 'Stone From Which The Arch Was Made' (Warner Bros. Records, 1990)



Emmylou Harris' 'Brand New Dance' (Reprise Records, 1990)



Mark O'Connor's 'New Nashville Cats' (Warner Bros. Records, 1991)



Garth Brooks' 'Ropin' The Wind' (Liberty Records, 1991)



Kathy Mattea's 'Time Passes By' (Mercury Records, 1991)



Rhonda Vincent's 'Timeless & True Love' (Rebel Records, 1991)



Johnny Cash's 'The Mystery of Life' (Mercury Records, 1991)



Guy Clark's 'Boats To Build' (Asylum Records, 1992)



James Talley's 'The Road to Torreon' (Torreon Records, 1992)



Pat Alger's 'True Love & Other Short Stories' (Sugar Hill Records, 1993)



Crystal Gayle's 'Best Always' (Branson Entertainment Records, 1993)



Claire Lynch's 'Friends For A Lifetime' (Brentwood Records, 1993)



The Statler Brothers' 'Home' (Mercury Records, 1993)



Sweethearts of The Rodeo's 'Rodeo Waltz' (Sugar Hill Records, 1993)



Shawn Camp's 'Shawn Camp' (Reprise Records, 1993)



Kathy Mattea's 'Good News' (Mercury Records, 1993)



Ronnie Milsap's 'True Believer' (Liberty Records, 1993)



Alison Krauss & The Cox Family's 'I Know Who Holds Tomorrow' (Rounder Records, 1993)



Iris Dement's 'My Life' (Warner Bros. Records, 1994)



Blackhawk's 'Blackhawk' (Arista Records, 1994)



Various Artists' 'Mama's Hungry Eyes: A Tribute To Merle Haggard' (Arista Records, 1994) - Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016)



Charley Pride's 'My 6 Latest & 6 Greatest' (Honest Entertainment Records, 1994)



Don Williams' 'Borrowed Tales' (American Harvest Records, 1995)



Guy Clark's 'Dublin Blues' (Asylum Records, 1995)



Vern Gosdin's 'The Gospel Album' (American Harvest Records, 1995)



Claire Lynch's 'Moonlighter' (Rounder Records, 1995)



Alison Krauss' 'Now That I've Found You: A Collection' (Rounder Records, 1995)



Blackhawk's 'Strong Enough' (Arista Records, 1995)



Chris Jones' 'Blinded By The Rose' (Rebel Records, 1996)



Emmylou Harris' 'Portraits' (Warner Bros. Records, 1996)



Beth & April Stevens' 'Sisters' (Rounder Records, 1996)



Angela Kaset's 'Sanctuary' (Winter Harvest Records, 1997)



Darrell Scott's 'Aloha From Nashville' (Sugar Hill Records, 1997)



Billy Yates' 'Billy Yates' (Almo Records, 1997)



Michael Martin Murphey's 'Horse Legends' (Warner Bros. Records, 1997)



Guy Clark's 'Keepers' (Sugar Hill Records, 1997)



Don Williams' 'I Turn The Page' (Giant Records, 1998)



Charlie McCoy's 'Precious Memories' (Revival Records, 1998)



Vern Gosdin's 'Time Stood Still' (American Harvest Records, 1998)



Blue Highway's 'Blue Highway' (Ceili Records, 1999)



Darrell Scott's 'Family Tree' (Sugar Hill Records, 1999)



Alison Krauss & Union Station's 'Forget About It' (Rounder Records, 1999)



Jerry Reed's 'Pickin' (Southern Tracks Records, 1999)



Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's 'Soldier of The Cross' (Skaggs Family Records, 1999)



Between 2000 and 2007, Kenny Malone played on an astonishing array of country music albums, including the following releases:



Johnny Russell's 'Actin' Naturally' (OMS Records, 2000)



Shawn Camp's 'Lucky Silver Dollar' (Skeeterbit Records, 2001)



Rhonda Vincent's 'My Blue Tears' (Rebel Records, 2003)



Crystal Gayle's 'All My Tomorrows' (Southpaw Records, 2003)



Charley Pride's 'Comfort of Her Wings' (Music City Records, 2003)



The Chieftains' 'Further Down The Old Plank Road' (RCA Records, 2003)



Jeannie Kendall's 'Jeannie Kendall' (Rounder Records, 2003)



Tim O'Brien's 'Traveler' (Sugar Hill Records, 2003)



Merle Haggard's 'Like Never Before' (Rounder Records, 2003) - Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016)



Lyle Lovett's 'Smile' (MCA Records, 2003)



Randy Travis' 'Passing Through' (Word Records, 2005)



Eddy Arnold's 'After All These Years' (Sony Music Records, 2005)



Claire Lynch's 'Crowd Favourites' (Rounder Records, 2007)



Alison Krauss' 'A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection' (Rounder Records, 2007)



Kenny Malone (Thursday 4 August 1938 - Thursday 26 August 2021)

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