Gene Watson has been singing professionally since the late 1950s and has been a country music album recording artist since the late 1960s.
Gene Watson’s contribution to the country music genre is immeasurable.
It is here where you have an opportunity to read a review of Gene Watson’s ‘Outside The Box‘ (Fourteen Carat Music, 2022), as published in the September 2022 issue of Country Music People.
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Country Music People have long ago nailed its colours to the mast where Gene Watson is concerned.
CMP has rigorously championed Gene Watson’s cause down through the years and have published a number of reviews of his album releases.
All reviews have been reproduced with the kind permission of Country Music People.
‘Outside The Box‘ (Fourteen Carat Music, 2022)
Country Music People, September 2022
This review of Gene Watson’s ‘Outside The Box‘ (Fourteen Carat Music, 2022) by Duncan Warwick (Tuesday 18 July 1961 – Sunday 17 November 2024) was published in the September 2022 issue of Country Music People, and is reproduced here with the kind permission of the publishers.
Album Review by Duncan Warwick (Tuesday 18 July 1961 – Sunday 17 November 2024)
CD of the Month
(***** out of 5)
‘When Gene Watson sings of pain, lost love, or loneliness, there’s no way you could hear that and not think he has experienced it first hand. It’s the mark of a truly soulful singer, and as well as being one of the most reliable, and hardcore, country singers for decades, it might be Watson’s song selection that is his greatest strength.
Whether he’s picked them because he thinks he can do them justice, or it’s as simple as just liking the song, Watson’s material never lets him down. Even now, well into his seventies, Watson still sounds terrific and his song selection is as strong as ever. Whether it’s the bluesy Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 – Saturday 9 April 1988) and Margie Singleton song, ‘Lie To Me’, or the Skip Ewing waltz, ‘Some Fools’, they sound as if they were written for Watson.
No doubt it will be the Willie Nelson duet that grabs the headlines. The song is a waltz from Willie’s ‘Nashville Was The Roughest’ (Bear Family Records, 1998) years, and was first suggested by Gene’s son. Coincidentally, not long after, Willie’s daughter Paula, shared with Gene that her dad’s biggest regret, after missing the opportunity to hang out at Frank Sinatra’s house due to a gig commitment, was that he’s never gotten to sing one with Watson. It doesn’t disappoint.
Then there’s the duet with Rhonda Vincent on ‘I’ve Got One of Those Too’. They are regular collaborators and the song is one of three here on which Erin Enderlin is a writer. It’s another in three-quarter time and it’s as old school as they come.
The others with an Erin Enderlin credit are ‘The Blues Are Alive & Well’, which was on her wonderful ‘Whiskeytown Crier’ (Erin Enderlin Independent Release, 2017) album, and the sensational ‘They Played It’, which honours Nashville’s finest session players in fine style.
Gene Watson has been partial to a Joe Allen song over the years. These have included ‘One Sided Conversation‘ (United States: No.8, 1978 and Canada: No.6, 1978) and ‘Should I Come Home (Or Should I Go Crazy)‘ (United States: No.3, 1979 and Canada: No.6, 1979), and here Watson sings his stone country heartbreaker, ‘Who Do You Think You Are’.
Ultimately though, this is stone country done hard, and it’s what Gene Watson does best. It could have been made at just about any time since 1974. It’s piano heavy, which I absolutely adore, it’s bluesy when it needs to be, and it can stand as a testament of how real country music should and can be done. And then there’s that song choice. There’s not a duff one here.
For some reason, Gene Watson rarely seems to get the credit he deserves. Maybe he’s just too country for most folks these days and they can’t handle the pain. If it is that, I think he’d be rather pleased. Prepare to be impressed, because this new album is as good as anything he’s ever done’
Duncan Warwick (Tuesday 18 July 1961 – Sunday 17 November 2024)
Country Music People
September 2022
