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 2021, 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 Michael White, which he submitted to this site on Saturday 15 May 2021.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Michael White who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Michael White
This quote was submitted on Saturday 15 May 2021.
‘Gene has always been a singer’s singer and especially a songwriter’s singer.
Every songwriter I know who ever got a cut on Gene Watson couldn’t wait to play it for everyone they knew.
That’s how you know an artist is special.
I’ve been a fan since I was 12 years old and first heard ‘Love In A Hot Afternoon‘, which was written by Kent Westberry and Vincent Wesley Matthews (1940 – Saturday 22 November 2003).
I hope the man never stops making records’
Thank you, Michael White, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Michael White…
Michael White was born Larry Michael White in Knoxville, Tennessee and is an acclaimed American country music artist and songwriter.
image courtesy of Nashville Sounds Official Souvenir Program, 1978
The son of songwriter, L.E. White (1930 – Tuesday 7 September 2004), who had written for Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993), Michael White had a song he wrote recorded when he was still a teenager; ‘You Make It Hard To Take The Easy Way Out’ appeared on the B-side of Conway Twitty’s hit single, ‘You’ve Never Been This Far Before’ (written by Conway Twitty), which was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in ).
Randy Cornor (Wednesday 28 July 1954 – Thursday 24 March 2022) recorded Michael White’s ‘She’s Just Not Over You Yet’, which was co-written with Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993), and included the track on ‘My First Album’ (ABC Records / Dot Records, 1976).
Dana McVicker recorded Michael White’s ‘Rock-A-Bye Heart’ (co-written with Skip Ewing) and included the track on ‘Dana McVicker’ (Capitol Records Nashville, 1988); the track reached No.65 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1988.
Skip Ewing recorded Michael White’s ‘Still Under The Weather’, which was co-written with Skip Ewing and L.E. White (1930 – Tuesday 7 September 2004), and included the track on his debut album, ‘The Coast of Colorado’ (MCA Records, 1988).
Andy Williams (Saturday 3 December 1927 – Tuesday 25 September 2012) recorded Michael White’s ‘Still Under The Weather’, which was co-written with Skip Ewing and L.E. White (1930 – Tuesday 7 September 2004), and included the track on ‘Nashville’ (Curb Records Nashville, 1991).
Davis Daniel recorded Michael White’s ‘Fighting Fire With Fire’ (co-written with Conley White) and included the track on ‘Fighting Fire With Fire’ (Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1991); the track reached No.27 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in early 1992.
Davis Daniel recorded Michael White’s ‘No Place To Go’ (co-written with Larry Alderman and Conley White) and included the track on ‘Fighting Fire With Fire’ (Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1991).
In 1992, Michael White signed a recording contract with Reprise Records, and saw the release of his debut album, ‘Familiar Ground’ (Reprise Records, 1992), which was produced by Robert Byrne (Saturday 10 July 1954 – Monday 27 June 2005) and Alan Schulman; the album included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Professional Fool’ (written by Michael White) (No.32, 1992)
‘Familiar Ground’ (written by Tim Lancaster and Michael White) (No.43, 1992) / this track also reached No.55 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1992
‘She Likes To Dance’, which was written by Robert Byrne (Saturday 10 July 1954 – Monday 27 June 2005), Alan Schulman and Michael White (No.63, 1992)
Michael White’s debut album, ‘Familiar Ground’ (Reprise Records, 1992), also included the following tracks:
‘The River & The Rain’ (written by Jackson Leap)
‘Back To Texarkana’, which was written by Steve Clark and Johnny MacRae (Friday 15 February 1929 – Wednesday 3 July 2013)
‘One of My Near Mrs.’ (written by Craig Wiseman and Dave Gibson)
‘If I Had A Mind To’ (written by Michael White and Tim Lancaster)
‘Up To Down’ (written by Michael White, Tim Lancaster and Conley White)
‘The Boy Next Door’, which was written by Troy Seals and Edward F. Setser (1945 – Monday 27 January 2020)
‘Me Or The Misery’ (written by Michael White and Conley White)
In 1993, Michael White saw the release, on Reprise Records, of ‘A Country Conscience’, a non-album single, which did not chart.
Shania Twain recorded Michael White’s ‘Still Under The Weather’, which was co-written with Skip Ewing and L.E. White (1930 – Tuesday 7 September 2004), and included the track on ‘Shania Twain’ (Polygram Records / Mercury Records, 1993).
Roger Ballard recorded Michael White’s ‘A Little Piece of Heaven’ (co-written with Don Sampson and Skip Ewing) and included the track on ‘A Little Piece of Heaven’ (Atlantic Records, 1993); the track was released as a single on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1993, but it did not chart.
Wesley Dennis recorded Michael White’s ‘Bubbaland’ (co-written with Larry Alderman) and included the track on his self-titled debut album, ‘Wesley Dennis’ (Mercury Records, 1995); the album was produced by Keith Stegall and John Kelton.
Wesley Dennis recorded Michael White’s ‘This Hat Ain’t No Act’ (co-written with Keith Stegall and Carson Chamberlain) and included the track on his self-titled debut album, ‘Wesley Dennis’ (Mercury Records, 1995), which was produced by Keith Stegall and John Kelton.
Mark Wills recorded Michael White’s ‘Squeeze Box’ (co-written with Monty Criswell) and included the track on ‘Mark Wills’ (Mercury Records, 1996); the album was produced by Carson Chamberlain and Keith Stegall.
John Anderson recorded Michael White’s ‘Who’s Who’ (co-written with Wesley Dennis) and included the track on ‘Takin’ The Country Back’ (Mercury Records, 1997); the album was produced by Keith Stegall.
Sammy Kershaw recorded Michael White’s ‘Shootin’ The Bull (In An Old Cowtown)’ (co-written with Monty Criswell) and included the track on ‘Labor of Love’ (Mercury Records, 1997), which was produced by Keith Stegall.
Sammy Kershaw recorded Michael White’s ‘Arms Length Away’ (co-written with Monty Criswell and Lee Miller) and included the track on ‘Labor of Love’ (Mercury Records, 1997), which was produced by Keith Stegall.
Alan Jackson recorded Michael White’s ‘Dancin’ All Around It’ (co-written with Carson Chamberlain and Brian Tabor) and included the track on ‘High Mileage’ (Arista Nashville Records, 1998).
Mark Wills recorded Michael White’s ‘Emily Harper’ (co-written with Lee Thomas Miller) and included the track on ‘Wish You Were Here’ (Mercury Records, 1998).
Trace Adkins recorded Michael White’s ‘Everything Takes Me Back’ (co-written with Casey Beathard and Michael P. Heeney) and included the track on ‘More…’ (Capitol Records Nashville, 1999).
Sammy Kershaw recorded Michael White’s ‘How Much Does The World Weigh’ (co-written with Lee Thomas Miller) and included the track on his final album for Mercury Records, ‘Maybe Not Tonight’ (Mercury Records, 1999), which was produced by Keith Stegall.
Mark Wills recorded Michael White’s ‘In My Arms’ (co-written with Mark Wills and Monty Criswell) and included the track on ‘Permanently’ (Mercury Records, 2000).
Gene Watson recorded Michael White’s ‘Would It Be Cheating’ (co-written with Jeff Bates and Carson Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘From The Heart‘ (RMG Records, 2001).
Mark Wills recorded Michael White’s ‘Loving Every Minute’ (co-written with Tom Shapiro and Monty Criswell) and included the track on ‘Loving Every Minute’ (Mercury Records, 2001); this track, which reached No.18 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 2001, earned Michael White an ASCAP Award for being among the most performed country songs of the year, on American country music radio, in 2002.
Blake Shelton recorded Michael White’s ‘The Baby’, which was co-written with Harley Allen (Monday 23 January 1956 – Wednesday 30 March 2011), and included the track on ‘The Dreamer’ (Warner Bros. Records, 2003); the track, which was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for three weeks in February / March 2003, earned Michael White an ASCAP Award for being among the most performed country songs of the year, on American country music radio, in 2003.
Billy Currington recorded Michael White’s ‘That’s Just Me’ (co-written with Lee Thomas Miller and Billy Currington), and included the track on ‘Billy Currington’ (Mercury Nashville Records, 2003).
George Strait recorded Michael White’s ‘By The Light of A Burning Bridge’ (co-written with Walt Aldridge) and included the track on ‘Somewhere Down In Texas’ (MCA Nashville Records, 2005).
Jeff Bates recorded Michael White’s ‘Hands On Man’ (co-written with Carson Chamberlain and Mark D. Sanders) and included the track on ‘Leave The Light On’ (RCA Nashville Records, 2006).
Trace Adkins recorded Michael White’s ‘Ain’t No Woman Kile You’ (co-written with Casey Beathard) and included the track on ‘Dangerous Man’ (Capitol Records Nashville, 2006).
Hank Williams Jr. recorded Michael White’s ‘Sounds Like Justice’ (co-written with Phil Barnhart and Carson Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘127 Rose Avenue’ (Curb Records, 2009).
Craig Campbell recorded Michael White’s ‘That Going Away Look (About Her)’ (co-written with Carson Chamberlain and Wade Kirby) and included the track on ‘Craig Campbell’ (Bigger Picture Music Group, 2011).
Craig Campbell recorded Michael White’s ‘You Probably Ain’t’ (co-written with Craig Campbell and Keith Stegall) and included the track on ‘Craig Campbell’ (Bigger Picture Music Group, 2011).
Easton Corbin recorded Michael White’s ‘Hearts Drawn In The Sand’ (co-written with Jason Saenz) and included the track on ‘All Over The Road’ (Mercury Nashville Records, 2012).
Kenny Chesney recorded Michael White’s ‘Coconut Tree’ (co-written with Casey Beathard and Monty Criswell) and included the track on ‘Life On A Rock’ (Blue Chair Records / Columbia Nashville Records, 2013); this track featured guest vocals from Willie Nelson.
Craig Campbell recorded Michael White’s ‘Lotta Good That Does Me Now’ (co-written with Craig Campbell and Justin Wilson) and included the track on ‘Craig Campbell’ (Bigger Picture Music Group, 2013).
Alan Jackson recorded Michael White’s ‘Gone Before You Met Me’ (co-written with Michael P. Heeney) and included the track on ‘Angels and Alcohol’ (Alan’s Country Records / EMI Nashville, 2015).
Michael Ray recorded Michael White’s ‘Kiss You In The Morning’ (co-written with Justin Wilson) and included the track on ‘Michael Ray’ (Atlantic Nashville Records, 2015); the track reached No.10 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2015.
John King recorded Michael White’s ‘On Your Lips’ and included the track on the ‘On Your Lips’ extended play (EP) disc (Black River Entertainment, 2015); the track was released as a single in 2015, but it did not chart.
Alan Jackson recorded Michael White’s ‘Things That Matter’ (co-written with Keith Stegall) and included the track on ‘Where You Have Gone’ (Alan’s Country Records / EMI Nashville, 2021).
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