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 2024, 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 Brice Long, which he submitted to this site on Thursday 28 November 2024.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Brice Long who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Brice Long
This quote was submitted on Thursday 28 November 2024.
‘I became a fan of Gene Watson as a kid growing up in Kentucky.
The first time I heard Gene sing ‘Fourteen Carat Mind’ it blew me away.
I started searching for anything and everything I could find that he was singing!
That search lead me to some of my favourite songs in country music that I still go back and listen to today…songs like ‘From Cotton To Satin’, ‘Should I Come Home (Or Should I Go Crazy)’, ‘You Gave Me A Mountain’, ‘Paper Rosie’, just to name a few!
Truly one of my favourite singers ever!
He’s a legend and I’m proud to know him!’
Thank you, Brice Long, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Brice Long…
Brice Long has enjoyed a successful 25+ year music career.
Brice Long was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on Wednesday 25 August 1971.
In the 1990s, Brice Long pursued a career in the rodeo, until his father persuaded him to pursue musical goals instead.
For the next several years, Brice Long toured as an opening act for other artists, including Eddie Rabbitt (Thursday 27 November 1941 – Thursday 7 May 1998).
Eddie Rabbitt’s manager persuaded Brice Long to move to Nashville, which he did in 1993, after graduating from Middle Tennessee State University.
In 1996, Brice Long signed to a songwriting contract at the publishing division of Reba McEntire’s Starstruck Entertainment Company.
While in internship, Brice Long was roommates with Darryl Worley, who later achieved success as a singer-songwriter himself.
On Tuesday 26 October 1999, Gary Allan saw the release of ‘Smoke Rings In The Dark’ (MCA Records, 1999), which was produced by Mark Wright, Tony Brown and Byron Hill, and included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Smoke Rings In The Dark’ (written by Rivers Rutherford and Houston Robert) (No.12, 1999) / this track also reached No.5 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1999
‘Lovin’ You Against My Will’, which was written by Jamie O’Hara (Friday 18 August 1950 – Thursday 7 January 2021) (No.34, 2000) / this track also reached No.30 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 2000
‘Right Where I Need To Be’ (written by Casey Beathard and Kendell Marvel) (No.5, 2000)
Gary Allan’s ‘Smoke Rings In The Dark’ (MCA Records, 1999) also included the following tracks:
‘Don’t Tell Mama’, which was written by Buddy Brock, Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Jerry Laseter
‘Sorry’ (written by Shawn Camp, Brice Long and Wynn Varble)
‘Cryin’ For Nothin’ ‘ (written by Kevin Welch)
‘Bourbon Borderline’, which was written by John Wiggins, Harley Allen (Monday 23 January 1956 – Wednesday 30 March 2011) and Jennifer Bibeau
‘Runaway’, which was written by Del Shannon (Sunday 30 December 1934 – Thursday 8 February 1990) and Maxfield Doyle Crook (Monday 2 November 1936 – Wednesday 1 July 2020) / Gary Allan’s rendition of this track reached No.74 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 2000 based on unsolicited American country music radio airplay / the original version of this track was recorded by Del Shannon, who included it on ‘Runaway With Del Shannon’ (Bigtop Records, 1961); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles for 4 consecutive weeks in 1961
‘Learning To Live With Me’, which was written by Gary Burr and Harley Allen (Monday 23 January 1956 – Wednesday 30 March 2011)
‘Cowboy Blues’ (written by George McCorkle, Mike Geiger and Mike Huffman)
‘I’m The One’, which was written by Gary Allan, Odie Blackmon and Jamie O’Hara (Friday 18 August 1950 – Thursday 7 January 2021)
‘Greenfields’, which was written by Shawn Camp and Frank Dycus (Tuesday 5 December 1939 – Friday 23 November 2012)
Personnel involved in the recording of Gary Allan’s ‘Smoke Rings In The Dark’ (MCA Records, 1999) included the following:
Gary Allan (lead vocals)
Lisa Cochran, Christy Cornelius, Randy Hardison (Saturday 11 March 1961 – Tuesday 4 June 2002), Brice Long, Marilyn Martin, John Wesley Ryles, Lisa Silver, Harry Stinson, Wynn Varble, Bergen White and Curtis Young (background vocals)
David Campbell (string arranger, conductor)
Chad Cromwell (drums)
Dan Dugmore (pedal steel guitar, acoustic guitar)
Steve Gibson and Brent Rowan (electric guitar)
Jake Kelly (acoustic guitar, electric guitar)
The Nashville String Machine (strings)
Steve Nathan (piano, keyboards)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass guitar)
Hank Singer (fiddle)
John Willis (acoustic guitar)
Gary Allan’s ‘Smoke Rings In The Dark’ (MCA Records, 1999) reached No.9 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1999.
Darryl Worley recorded Brice Long’s ‘Where You Think You’re Goin’?” (co-written with Shawn Camp and Wynn Varble) and included the track on ‘I Miss My Friend’ (DreamWorks Records, 2002).
Gary Allan recorded Brice Long’s ‘Nothing On But The Radio’ (co-written with Odie Blackmon and Byron Hill) and included the track on ‘See If I Care’ (MCA Nashville Records, 2003); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for one week in December 2004, No.6 on the Canadian Radio & Records Chart in 2004, and No.32 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 2004.
Randy Travis recorded Brice Long’s ‘A Place To Hang My Hat’ (co-written with Shawn Camp and Byron Hill) and included the track on ‘Passing Through’ (Word Records / Warner Bros. Records / Curb Records, 2004).
John Michael Montgomery recorded Brice Long’s ‘Cool’, which was co-written with Harley Allen (Monday 23 January 1956 – Wednesday 30 March 2011), and included the track on ‘Letters From Home’ (Warner Bros. Nashville Records, 2004).
In 2005, Brice Long was signed to Columbia Records, and saw the release of his debut single, ‘It’s Only Monday’, which did not chart.
‘Anywhere But Here’ (written by D. Vincent Williams and Wendell Mobley), Brice Long’s second single, peaked at No.51 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2005.
In 2006, Brice Long saw the release of a third single, ‘Meat & Potato Man’, but it did not chart.
In 2006, Brice Long performed at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which took place in Mount Vernon, Kentucky.
Josh Turner recorded Brice Long’s ‘No Rush’ (co-written with Shawn Camp and Billy Burnette) and included the track on ‘Your Man’ (MCA Nashville Records, 2006).
Chris Young recorded Brice Long’s ‘White Lightning Hit The Family Tree’ (co-written with Ronnie Rogers) and included the track on ‘Chris Young’ (Sony / BMG Records, 2006).
Porter Wagoner (Friday 12 August 1927 – Sunday 28 October 2007) recorded Brice Long’s ‘A Place To Hang My Hat’ (co-written with Shawn Camp and Byron Hill) and included the track on his final album, ‘Wagonmaster’ (ANTI- Records, 2007), which was produced by Marty Stuart for the ANTI- Records label, received the best reviews of Porter Wagoner‘s career and briefly charted on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart, reaching No.63 in 2007.
Randy Houser recorded Brice Long’s ‘Anything Goes’ (co-written with John Wiggins) and included the track on ‘Anything Goes’ (Universal South Records, 2008); the track reached No.16 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in December 2008.
Gary Allan recorded Brice Long’s ‘Today’ (co-written with Tommy Lee James) and included the track on ‘Get Off On The Pain’ (MCA Nashville Records, 2010); the track reached No.18 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in early 2010.
Randy Houser recorded Brice Long’s ‘They Call Me Cadillac’ (co-written with Randy Houser) and included the track on ‘They Call Me Cadillac’ (Show Dog-Universal Music, 2010).
Randy Houser recorded Brice Long’s ‘Will I Always Be This Way’ (co-written with Randy Houser) and included the track on ‘They Call Me Cadillac’ (Show Dog-Universal Music, 2010).
Randy Houser recorded Brice Long’s ‘Out Here In The Country’ (co-written with Randy Houser) and included the track on ‘They Call Me Cadillac’ (Show Dog-Universal Music, 2010).
Reba McEntire recorded Brice Long’s ‘A Little Want To’ (co-written with Terry McBride) and included the track on ‘All The Women I Am’ (Starstruck / Valory Music Group, 2010).
Chris Young recorded Brice Long’s ‘Don’t Leave Her (If You Can’t Let Her Go)’ (co-written with Chris Young) and included the track on the iTunes version of ‘Neon’ (RCA Nashville Records, 2011).
Byron Hill recorded Brice Long’s ‘Nothing On But The Radio’ (co-written with Odie Blackmon and Byron Hill) and included the track on ‘Radio Songs’ (BHP Music, 2011).
Casey James recorded Brice Long’s ‘Let’s Don’t Call It A Night’ (co-written with Casey James and Terry McBride) and included the track on ‘Casey James’ (BNA Records / 19 Recordings Inc., 2012); the track reached No.21 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2011.
Randy Houser recorded Brice Long’s ‘Like A Cowboy’ (co-written with Randy Houser) and included the track on ‘How Country Feels’ (Stoney Creek Records, 2013); the track, which reached No.9 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2013, garnered Brice Long a Country Music Association (CMA) nomination for ‘Song of The Year’.
Gretchen Wilson recorded Brice Long’s ‘Hey Love’ (co-written with Don Sampson) and included the track on ‘Right On Time’ (Redneck Records, 2013).
Gord Bamford recorded Brice Long’s ‘One Makes Me Want Another’ (co-written with Gord Bamford and Buddy Owens) and included the track on ‘Country Junkie’ (Cache / Sony Music Canada, 2013).
Garth Brooks recorded Brice Long’s ‘All-American Kid’ (co-written with Craig Campbell and Terry McBride) and included the track on ‘Man Against Machine’ (RCA Nashville Records / Pearl Records, 2014).
George Strait recorded Brice Long’s ‘Wish You Well’ (co-written with Clint Daniels and Jeff Hyde) and included the track on ‘Cold Beer Conversation’ (MCA Nashville Records, 2015).
Moe Bandy recorded Brice Long’s ‘A Place To Hang My Hat’ (co-written with Shawn Camp and Byron Hill) and included the track on ‘Lucky Me’ (Spur Records, 2016); the track featured guest vocals from The Oak Ridge Boys.
Moe Bandy recorded Brice Long’s ‘That’s What I Get For Loving You’ (co-written with Bubba Strait and Wil Nance) and included the track on ‘Lucky Me’ (Spur Records, 2016).
Hank Williams Jr. recorded Brice Long’s ‘Those Days Are Gone’ (co-written with Chris Janson and Terry McBride) and included the track on ‘It’s About Time’ (Nash Icon Records, 2016).
Jon Pardi recorded Brice Long’s ‘All Time High’ (co-written with Jon Pardi and Bart Butler) and included the track on ‘California Sunrise’ (Capitol Nashville Records, 2016).
Jon Pardi recorded Brice Long’s ‘Heartache On The Dance Floor’ (co-written with Jon Pardi and Bart Butler) and included the track on ‘California Sunrise’ (Capitol Nashville Records, 2016); the track reached No.3 on the Billboard Country Airplay Chart in 2016, and No.5 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2016.
Randy Houser recorded Brice Long’s ‘Yesterday’s Whiskey’ (co-written with Kylie Sackley) and included the track on ‘Fired Up’ (Stoney Creek Records, 2016).
Chris Stapleton recorded Brice Long’s ‘Scarecrow In The Garden’ (co-written with Chris Stapleton, Matt Fleener and Salvatore Polimeni) and included the track on ‘From A Room: Volume 2’ (Mercury Nashville Records, 2017).
Josh Ward recorded Brice Long’s ‘All About Lovin’ (co-written with Terry McBride and Chris Stapleton) and included the track on ‘More Than I Deserve’ (Josh Ward Music, 2018).
Josh Ward recorded Brice Long’s ‘Another Heartache’ (co-written with Brinley Aaron Addington and Terry McBride) and included the track on ‘More Than I Deserve’ (Josh Ward Music, 2018).
Cody Johnson recorded Brice Long’s ‘Where Cowboys Are King’ (co-written with Carlton Anderson and Wynn Varble) and included the track on ‘Ain’t Nothin’ To It’ (Warner Music Nashville, 2019).
Jon Pardi recorded Brice Long’s ‘Beer Light’ (co-written with Jon Pardi and Jeff Hyde) and included the track on the digital only version of ‘Heartache Medication’ (Capitol Nashville Records, 2019).
Randy Houser recorded Brice Long’s ‘High Time’ (co-written with Randy Houser) and included the track on ‘Magnolia’ (Stoney Creek Records, 2019).
George Strait recorded Brice Long’s ‘Some Nights’ (co-written with Bubba Strait and Philip White) and included the track on ‘Honky Tonk Time Machine’ (MCA Nashville Records, 2019).
George Strait recorded Brice Long’s ‘Honky Tonk Time Machine’ (co-written with Bubba Strait and Bart Butler) and included the track on ‘Honky Tonk Time Machine’ (MCA Nashville Records, 2019).
Terry McBride recorded Brice Long’s ‘Went For One’ (co-written with Terry McBride) and included the track on ‘Rebels & Angels’ (MV2 Entertainment, 2020); this track featured guest vocals from Delbert McClinton.
Terry McBride recorded Brice Long’s ‘Like Neon’ (co-written with Luke Laird, Marv Green and Terry McBride) and included the track on ‘Rebels & Angels’ (MV2 Entertainment, 2020).
Terry McBride recorded Brice Long’s ‘Love Me Some Texas’ (co-written with Terry McBride) and included the track on ‘Rebels & Angels’ (MV2 Entertainment, 2020).
Terry McBride recorded Brice Long’s ‘Lampasas’ (co-written with Terry McBride) and included the track on ‘Rebels & Angels’ (MV2 Entertainment, 2020).
Lainey Wilson recorded Brice Long’s ‘Sunday Best’ (co-written with Lainey Wilson and Shane Miner) and included the track on ‘Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ ‘ (BBR Music Group, 2021).
Trace Adkins recorded Brice Long’s ‘Careful Girl’ (co-written with Monty Criswell and Tony Lane) and included the track on ‘The Way I Wanna Go’ (Verge Records, 2021).
Sam Grow recorded Brice Long’s ‘Grew Up Red (co-written with Taylor Phillips and Sam Grow) and included the track on ‘This Town’ (Average Joe’s Entertainment, 2021).
Jon Pardi recorded Brice Long’s ‘Fill ‘Er Up’ (co-written with Jon Pardi and Ross Copperman) and included the track on ‘Mister Saturday Night’ (Capitol Nashville Records, 2022); the track was released as a promotional single.
Easton Corbin recorded Brice Long’s ‘Lonesome Drinkers’ (co-written with Easton Corbin, Shane Minor and Wade Kirby) and included the track on ‘Let’s Do Country Right’ (Stone Country Records, 2023).
Sam Grow recorded Brice Long’s ‘Sweet Jane’ (co-written with Alexandria Corn and James LeBlanc) and included the track on ‘Avalon Avenue’ (Average Joe’s Entertainment, 2024).
On Tuesday 5 November 2024, Gene Watson reflected on his Saturday (2 November 2024) show at The Oaks Event Center in Vidor, Texas when hit songwriters, Wynn Varble, Mark Nesler and Brice Long, were his opening act.
‘I had the greatest pleasure to meet and visit with three of the best songwriters in country music at the show in Vidor, Texas.
Wynn Varble, Brice Long and Mark Nesler offered up a fantastic songwriters show as the opening act.
Don’t miss them if they are performing near you! They’re terrific singers too and they told interesting stories about each song.
Mark Nesler has written songs for George Strait (‘Living & Living Well’, co-written with Tony Martin and Tom Shapiro) (No.1 for one week in June 2002), Tim McGraw (‘Just To See You Smile’, co-written with Tony Martin) (No.1 for six weeks in January/February 1998), and more for Luke Bryan, Darryl Worley, Keith Urban and others.
Brice Long has written songs for Jon Pardi (‘Heartache On The Dance Floor’, co-written with Jon Pardi and Bart Butler) (No.5, 2016), Gary Allan (‘Nothing On But The Radio’, co-written with Byron Hill and Odie Blackmon) (No.1 in December 2004), Cody Johnson, Garth Brooks, George Strait ,Randy Houser, and many more.
Wynn Varble’s notable songs include ‘Waiting On A Woman’ (co-written with Don Sampson) (No.1 in September 2008) by Brad Paisley, ‘Have You Forgotten’ (co-written with Darryl Worley) (No.1 for seven weeks in 2003) by Darryl Worley, plus songs for Trace Adkins, Willie Nelson, Garth Brooks, and plenty more.
I couldn’t do what I do without the powerful songs written over the years.
I enjoyed their visit, and hope to see them on the road again’
Visit Brice Long’s official site at bricelongmusic.com