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 2006, 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 Roger Wallace, which he submitted to this site on Tuesday 10 October 2006.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Roger Wallace who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Roger Wallace
This quote was submitted on Tuesday 10 October 2006.
‘Gene Watson is an inspiration to anyone who wants to sing a real country song.
In today’s music business, where a pretty face and willingness to change to the whims of pop music take precedence over talent and passion, Gene Watson stands as a true symbol of what real country music is.
The phrase ‘a singer’s singer’ holds completely true about Gene Watson – one listen to ‘Love In The Hot Afternoon‘ is all you need to know about what it’s all about’.
Thank you, Roger Wallace, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Roger Wallace…
Roger Wallace is an acclaimed country music artist based in Austin, Texas who has earned a reputation for creating classic country music which mixes deep rural roots with a cosmopolitan refinement and eloquence.
Roger Wallace was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee where his parents played the local country music radio station all day, every day. As he entered his teenage years, Roger Wallace developed a love for blues music.
Roger Wallace sang in blues and rockabilly bands and hosted the blues show on his college radio station at the University of Tennessee.
However, country music soon captured Roger Wallace’s imagination, particularly when he discovered Willie Nelson’s classic ‘Red Headed Stranger’ (Columbia Records, 1975).
Willie Nelson’s ‘Red Headed Stranger’ (Columbia Records, 1975), which was released in May 1975, included two tracks which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
‘Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain’, which was written by Fred Rose (24 August 1898 – Wednesday 1 December 1954) (No.1 for two weeks in October 1975) / this track also reached No.21 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1975
‘Remember Me (When The Candle Lights Are Gleaming)’ (written by Melba Mable Bourgeois) No.2, 1976) / this track also reached No.67 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart
Willie Nelson’s ‘Red Headed Stranger’ (Columbia Records, 1975) also included the following tracks:
‘Time of The Preacher’ (written by Willie Nelson)
‘I Couldn’t Believe It Was True’, which was written by Eddy Arnold (Wednesday 15 May 1918 – Thursday 8 May 2008) and Wally Fowler
‘Time of The Preacher Theme’ (written by Willie Nelson)
‘Medley: Blue Rock Montana / Red Headed Stranger’ (written by Willie Nelson / written by Carl Stutz and Edith Lindeman)
‘Red Headed Stranger’ (written by Carl Stutz and Edith Lindeman)
‘Time of The Preacher Theme’ (written by Willie Nelson)
‘Just As I Am’ (written by Charlotte Elliott and William B. Bradbury)
‘Denver’ (written by Willie Nelson)
‘O’er The Waves’ (written by Juventino Rosas and arranged by Willie Nelson)
‘Down Yonder’ (written by L. Wolfe Gilbert)
‘Can I Sleep In Your Arms’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010)
‘Hands On The Wheel’ (written by Bill Callery)
‘Bandera’ (written by Willie Nelson)
Willie Nelson’s ‘Red Headed Stranger’ (Columbia Records, 1975) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1975; the album was re-issued by Columbia Records / Legacy in 2000 and featured remastered sound, as well as the inclusion of previously unreleased songs.
In 1994, following his graduation, Roger Wallace landed a job doing blues radio promotion at Antone Records and moved to Austin. Roger Wallace soon ended up going out seven nights a week, inspired by Austin acts, including Wayne Hancock, Junior Brown, Don Walser (Friday 14 September 1934 – Wednesday 20 September 2006), The Derailers, and Ted Roddy.
Roger Wallace became a devotee of a number of acclaimed songwriters, including Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002), Roger Miller (Thursday 2 January 1936 – Sunday 25 October 1992) and Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010).
After two years in town checking out the talent and observing how they worked, Roger Wallace began to write his own songs.
Singer and songwriter Teri Joyce asked him to join her group, The Tagalongs, as a featured singer. Soon afterwards, Roger Wallace started gigging with his own band and quickly sparked a buzz around town.
Don Ayers, of the small local record label, Stockade Records, offered to finance some recordings. These tracks became the basis of Roger Wallace’s debut album, ‘Hillbilly Heights’ (Texas Round-Up Records, 1999), which was released on Tuesday 24 August 1999, and included the following tracks:
‘Wishful Drinking’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Nobody Loving Me’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘The Runaround’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Don’t Nobody Love Me (Like My Baby)’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Crazy Love’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Moonlight Never Shines On A Loner’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Your Time’s Comin’, which was written by Kris Kristofferson (Monday 22 June 1936 – Saturday 28 September 2024) and Shel Silverstein (Thursday 25 September 1930 – Monday 10 May 1999)
‘Wine By Wine’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘My Finer Moments’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Hang On, Sally’, which was written by Larry Kingston (Sunday 10 August 1941 – Sunday 20 February 2005)
‘That’s What I’m Gonna Do’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘I Don’t Feel At Home’, which was written by Wynn Stewart (Thursday 7 June 1934 – Wednesday 17 July 1985)
‘I’ve Had Enough’, which was written by Jerry Reed (Saturday 20 March 1937 – Monday 1 September 2008)
Roger Wallace’s debut album, ‘Hillbilly Heights’ (Texas Round-Up Records, 1999) received rave reviews and extensive airplay on Americana radio, as did its follow-up, ‘That Kind of Lonely’ (Texas Roundup Records, 2001), which included the following tracks:
‘Ain’t Gonna Waste My Time’ (written by J.D. Miller)
‘That Kind of Lonely’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘You’re Gonna Break My Heart’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Good Thing You Love Me’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘I Never Picked Cotton’ (written by Bobby George and Charlie Williams)
‘Drinking Or Crying’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘From The Time I Get Up’ (written by Tim Campbell)
‘Almost Good Tonight’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Square One’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Don’t Tell Me You’re Not Crying’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘The Last Word In Lonesome’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘First Train Heading South’, which was written by Johnny Horton (Thursday 30 April 1925 – Saturday 5 November 1960)
On Tuesday 4 June 2002, Roger Wallace saw the release of ‘The Lowdown’ (Lone Star Records, 2002), his debut album for Lone Star Records, which featured some of the most gifted musicians in Austin, including guest singer, Toni Price, on the track ‘Blow Wind Blow’, and noted producer and guitarist Derek O’Brien.
Roger Wallace’s ‘The Lowdown’ (Lone Star Records, 2002) included the following tracks:
‘The Lowdown’ (written by Roger Wallace and Kim Wilson)
‘Blow Wind Blow’, which was written by Muddy Waters (Friday 4 April 1913 – Saturday 30 April 1983) / this track featured guest vocals from Toni Price
‘There’s A Song In There Somewhere’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘I’ll Catch You When You Fall’, which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002)
‘What Did I Do (The Teardrop Song)’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘You’re A Heavenly Thing’ (written by Jack Little and Joe Young)
‘Stranger Pickin’ (written by Dave Biller)
‘The Wandering Fool’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Two Things’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘So Long (Be Gone)’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Me & Abalina Jane’ (written by Roger Wallace)
‘Rose Marie’ (written by Rudolf Friml, Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II and Herbert Stothart)
In the summer of 2007, Roger Wallace saw the release of ‘It’s About Time’ (Texas Roundup Records, 2007), which included the following tracks:
‘(My Little Corner of) Honky Tonk Hell’
‘It’s About Time’
‘Give Me A Reason’
‘If It Wasn’t For Me’
‘Everloving Sunday’
‘Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em’
‘I Want That Water’
‘Alone At Last’
‘Frantic’
‘All By My Lonesome’
‘Prodigal Daughter, Favorite Son’
‘My Way’s The Highway’
‘The Confession’
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