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 2011, 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 Freddie Hart, which he submitted to this site on Wednesday 12 October 2011.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Freddie Hart who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Freddie Hart
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 12 October 2011.
‘Over the years, I’ve done shows with Gene Watson and found he is a very down to earth person and is as real as pure water.
He loves to meet fans and treat them like he should.
A great singer and wonderful entertainer who is under rated and should be given more credit.
Gene has really paid his dues and I’m proud to know him as a friend’
Thank you, Freddie Hart, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Freddie Hart…
Freddie Hart was born Frederick Segrest on Tuesday 21 December 1926, to a sharecropper family in Lochapoka, Alabama and spent his childhood in nearby Phoenix City, Alabama along with his fourteen siblings.
Freddie Hart learned to play guitar when he was five years old and quit school by the time he was twelve. When he was fifteen years old, Freddie Hart lied about his age in order to join the United States Marine Corps during World War II, seeing combat action on Guam and Iwo Jima.
Following World War II, Freddie Hart lived in California where he taught classes in self-defence at Los Angeles Police Academy.
During the early 1950s, Freddie Hart and his family moved to California to further the growing country music scene there.
During the 1950s, Freddie Hart performed regularly on the television show ‘Town Hall Party’, and recorded for Capitol Records, Columbia Records, Monument Records and Kapp Records. during the 1950s and 1960s, building up an impressive catalogue of songs, most of which were largely self written.
In 1951, Freddie Hart joined Lefty Frizzell’s band for a year.
It was through Lefty Frizzell (Saturday 31 March 1928 – Saturday 19 July 1975) that Freddie Hart obtained his first recording contract with Capitol Records in 1953; he released several singles, including his version of ‘Loose Talk’, but none of these singles were successful.
Between 1953 and 1956, Freddie Hart saw the release of a number of singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
‘Butterfly Love’ / this track, which featured The Brazos Valley Boys, the backing band of Hank Thompson (Thursday 3 September 1925 – Tuesday 6 November 2007), was released as a single in 1953, but it did not chart
‘My Heart Is A Playground’ / this track was released as a single in 1953, but it did not chart
‘Loose Talk’ (written by Freddie Hart and Ann Lucas) / this track was released as a single in 1954, but it did not chart
‘Caught At Last’ / this track was released as a single in 1954, but it did not chart
‘Please Don’t Tell Her’ / this track was released as a single in 1954, but it did not chart
‘Miss Lonely Heart’ / this track was released as a single in 1955, but it did not chart
‘No Thanks To You’ / this track was released as a single in 1955, but it did not chart
‘Hiding In The Darkness’ / this track was released as a single in 1955, but it did not chart
‘Dig, Boy, Dig’ / this track was released as a single in 1956, but it did not chart
‘Snatch It & Grab It’ / this track was released as a single in 1956, but it did not chart
In 1955, Freddie Hart got an early career break when Carl Smith (Tuesday 15 March 1927 – Saturday 16 January 2010) recorded his ‘Loose Talk’ (written by Freddie Hart and Ann Lucas); the track, which was included on ‘Carl Smith’ (Columbia Records, 1955), was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for seven weeks in January / February 1955.
In 1958, Freddie Hart signed with Columbia Records and achieved his first chart hit single with ‘The Wall’, which reached No.24 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1959.
Freddie Hart’s biggest hit single for Columbia Records was ‘The Key’s In The Mailbox’, which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002), and reached No.18 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1960.
Patsy Cline (Thursday 8 September 1932 – Tuesday 5 March 1963) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Lovin’ In Vain’ and included the track on ‘That’s How My Heartache Begins’ (Decca Records, 1964); the track was the ‘B’ side of Patsy’s hit single ‘I Fall To Pieces’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) and Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002) (No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1961).
In 1962, Freddie Hart saw the release of his debut album, ‘The Spirited Freddie Hart’ (Columbia Records, 1962), which included seven tracks, which were released as singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
‘Drink Up & Go Home’ / this track was released as a single in 1956, but it did not chart
‘Fraulein’, which was written by Lawton Williams (Monday 24 July 1922 – Thursday 26 July 2007) / this track was released as a single in 1957, but it did not chart
‘I’m No Angel’ / this track was released as a single in 1958, but it did not chart
‘The Wall’ (No.24, 1959)
‘Chain Gang’ (No.17, 1959)
‘The Key’s In The Mailbox’, which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002) (No.18, 1960)
‘What A Laugh’ (No.23, 1961)
Freddie Hart’s debut album, ‘The Spirited Freddie Hart’ (Columbia Records, 1962), also included the following tracks:
‘Loose Talk’ (written by Freddie Hart and Ann Lucas)
‘Heaven Only Knows’
‘Heart Attack’
‘Two of A Kind’
‘Farther Than My Eyes Can See’
In 1966, Freddie Hart’s debut album, ‘The Spirited Freddie Hart’ (Columbia Records, 1962), was re-issued, by Harmony Records, as ‘The Best of Freddie Hart’ (Harmony Records, 1966).
George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘My Tears Are Overdue’ and included the track on ‘George Jones Sings More New Favorites’ (United Artists Records, 1964); the track reached No.15 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1964.
Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 – Tuesday 4 October 2022) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Loose Talk’ (co-written with Ann Lucas) and included the track on ‘Before I’m Over You’ (Decca Records, 1964).
Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 – Saturday 25 March 2006) & The Buckaroos recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Loose Talk’ (co-written with Ann Lucas) and included the track on ‘I Don’t Care’ (Capitol Records, 1964), an album which was re-issued, on CD, by Sundazed Records, in 1995.
Charlie Rich (Wednesday 14 December 1932 – Tuesday 25 July 1995) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Too Many Teardrops’ and included the track on ‘That’s Rich’ (RCA Victor Records, 1965).
In 1965, Freddie Hart signed with Kapp Records, where he scored several Billboard Top 40 country music hit singles between 1965 and 1968; the most successful of these hit singles were ‘Hank Williams’ Guitar’ (No.23, 1965), ‘Born A Fool’ (No.21, 1968) and ‘Togetherness’ (No.24, 1968).
In November 1965, Freddie Hart saw the release of ‘The Hart of Country Music’ (Kapp Records, 1965), which included four tracks, which were released as singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
‘Hurt Feels So Good’ / this track was released as a single in 1964, but it did not chart
‘You’ve Got It Coming To You’ / this track was released as a single in 1965, but it did not chart
‘Hank Williams’ Guitar’ (No.23, 1965)
‘Why Should I Cry Over You’ (No.45, 1966)
Freddie Hart’s ‘The Hart of Country Music’ (Kapp Records, 1965) also included the following tracks:
‘Loose Talk’ (written by Freddie Hart and Ann Lucas)
‘The Key’s In The Mailbox’, which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002)
‘Pretend’
‘What A Way To Go’
‘Loving You Again’
‘Love Can Make Or Break A Heart’
‘Excuse Me For Living’
‘I Created A Monster’
Freddie Hart’s ‘The Hart of Country Music’ (Kapp Records, 1965) reached No.19 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1965.
Hank Locklin (Friday 15 February 1918 – Sunday 8 March 2009) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Loose Talk’ (co-written with Ann Lucas) and included the track on ‘Once Over Lightly’ (RCA Victor Records, 1965).
In September 1966, Freddie Hart saw the release of ‘Straight From The Heart’ (Kapp Records, 1966), which included one track, which was released as a single on the Billboard country music singles chart:
‘Straight From The Heart’ / this track was released as a single in 1966, but it did not chart
Freddie Hart’s ‘Straight From The Heart’ (Kapp Records, 1966) also included the following tracks:
‘Together Again’, which was written by Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 – Saturday 25 March 2006)
‘You’re Next To Nothing’
‘From A Jack To A King’, which was written by Ned Miller (Sunday 12 April 1925 – Friday 18 March 2016)
‘Taste of Love’
‘They’re Bringing Johnny Home Today’
‘Queen of Hillbilly Heaven’
‘Rosalita’
‘Waiting For A Train’
‘On The Sidewalks of Nashville’
‘Lovin’ Kind of Woman’
‘Heartbeat’
Porter Wagoner (Friday 12 August 1927 – Sunday 28 October 2007) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Skid Row Joe’ and included the track on ‘Confessions of A Broken Man’ (RCA Records, 1966); the track reached No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1966.
It was also in 1966 when Freddie Hart saw the release of ‘The Best of Freddie Hart’ (Harmony Records, 1966), which included the following tracks:
‘Loose Talk’ (written by Freddie Hart and Ann Lucas) / this track was released as a single in 1954, but it did not chart
‘The Wall’ (No.24, 1959)
‘I’m No Angel’ / this track was released as a single in 1958, but it did not chart
‘The Key’s In The Mailbox’, which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002) (No.18, 1960)
‘What A Laugh’ (No.23, 1961)
‘Heart Attack’ / this track was originally included on Freddie Hart’s debut album, ‘The Spirited Freddie Hart’ (Columbia Records, 1962), but was not released as a single
‘Fraulein’, which was written by Lawton Williams (Monday 24 July 1922 – Thursday 26 July 2007) / this track was released as a single in 1957, but it did not chart
‘Chain Gang’ (No.17, 1959)
‘Two of A Kind’ / this track was originally included on Freddie Hart’s debut album, ‘The Spirited Freddie Hart’ (Columbia Records, 1962), but was not released as a single
‘Drink Up & Go Home’ / this track was released as a single in 1956, but it did not chart
In March 1967, Freddie Hart saw the release of ‘A Hurtin’ Man’ (Kapp Records, 1967), which included the following tracks:
‘I’m A Big Hurt Now’
‘Too Much of You (Left In Me)’
‘Portrait of A Lonely Man’
‘I Can’t Keep My Hands Off of You’
‘The Wall’ (No.24, 1959)
‘Misty Blue’
‘I’ll Hold You In My Heart’
‘Release Me (& Let Me Love Again)’
‘All of Me’
‘How Long Has It Been’
‘There Goes My Everything’, which was written by Dallas Frazier (Friday 27 October 1939 – Friday 14 January 2022)
‘Drink Up & Go Home’
Ernest Tubb (Monday 9 February 1914 – Thursday 6 September 1984) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Loose Talk’ (co-written with Ann Lucas) and included the track on ‘Another Story’ (Decca Records, 1967).
Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 – Wednesday 13 February 2002) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘If The Shoe Fits’, which was co-written with Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002), and included the track on ‘Love of The Common People’ (RCA Victor Records, 1967).
In October 1967, Freddie Hart saw the release of ‘The Neon & The Rain’ (Kapp Records, 1967), which included one track, which was released as a single on the Billboard country music singles chart:
‘The Neon & The Rain’ / this track was released as a single in 1967, but it did not chart
Freddie Hart’s ‘The Neon & The Rain’ (Kapp Records, 1967) also included the following tracks:
‘My Anna Maria’
‘What Locks The Door’
‘Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings’
‘Wondering’
‘Love At First Sight’
‘Just Between You & Me’, which was written by Liz Anderson (Monday 13 January 1930 – Monday 31 October 2011)
‘Cold Hard Facts of Life’
‘When Passion Commands’
‘The Hurt Is On’
‘I Just Cry To Clear My Eyes’
‘If You Ever Want To Kill Me’
In January 1968, Freddie Hart saw the release of ‘Togetherness’ (Kapp Records, 1968), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart:
‘Togetherness’ (No.24, 1968)
Freddie Hart’s ‘Togetherness’ (Kapp Records, 1968) also included the following tracks:
‘Blue’
‘Let’s Put Our World Back Together’
‘After Loving You’
‘Slowly’
‘Let’s Pretend We’re Kids Again’
‘Only You (& You Alone)’
‘What Took You So Long’
‘Someday You’ll Call My Name’
‘No One’s Gonna Hurt You Anymore’
‘Two Perfect People’
‘Moon Girl’
Freddie Hart’s ‘Togetherness’ (Kapp Records, 1968) reached No.32 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1968.
In September 1968, Freddie Hart saw the release of ‘Born A Fool’ (Kapp Records, 1968), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart:
‘Born A Fool’ (No.21, 1968)
Freddie Hart’s ‘Born A Fool’ (Kapp Records, 1968) also included the following tracks:
‘Love Takes Care of Me’
‘Already It’s Heaven’
‘He’s Got To Catch Me First’
‘Hands of A Man’
‘Mama Tried’, which was written by Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016)
‘As Long As I Live’
‘Today I Started Loving You Again’, which was written by Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016) and Bonnie Owens (Tuesday 1 October 1929 – Monday 24 April 2006)
‘Brand New Bed of Roses’
‘Greatest Gift of All’
‘You Plus Him Minus Me’
Freddie Hart’s ‘Born A Fool’ (Kapp Records, 1968) reached No.35 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1968.
In June 1969, Freddie Hart saw the release of ‘Freddie Hart’s Greatest Hits’ (Kapp Records, 1969), which included the following tracks:
‘Together Again’, which was written by Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 – Saturday 25 March 2006) / this track was originally included on Freddie Hart’s ‘Straight From The Heart’ (Kapp Records, 1966), and was not released as a single
‘Only You (& You Alone)’, which was written by Buck Ram (Thursday 21 November 1907 – Tuesday 1 January 1991 (No.34, 1978)
‘There Goes My Everything’, which was written by Dallas Frazier (Friday 27 October 1939 – Friday 14 January 2022) / this track was originally included on Freddie Hart’s ‘A Hurtin’ Man’ (Kapp Records, 1967), and was not released as a single
‘The Key’s In The Mailbox’, which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002) (No.18, 1960)
‘Let’s Pretend We’re Kids Again’ / this track was originally included on Freddie Hart’s ‘Togetherness’ (Kapp Records, 1968), and was not released as a single
‘Hank Williams’ Guitar’ (No.23, 1965)
‘Togetherness’ (No.24, 1968)
‘Misty Blue’ / this track was originally included on Freddie Hart’s ‘A Hurtin’ Man’ (Kapp Records, 1967), and was not released as a single
‘Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings’ / this track was originally included on Freddie Hart’s ‘The Neon & The Rain’ (Kapp Records, 1967), and was not released as a single
‘The Wall’ (No.24, 1959)
‘I’ll Hold You In My Heart’ (No.63, 1967)
In 1969, Freddie Hart re-signed with Capitol Records and became a part of the Bakersfield sound by signing up with the song-writing and management company of Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 – Saturday 25 March 2006).
In July 1970, Freddie Hart saw the release of ‘The New Sounds of Freddie Hart’ (Capitol Records, 1970), which included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
‘The Whole World’s Holdin’ Hands’ (No.27, 1970)
‘One More Mountain To Climb’ (No.48, 1970)
‘If Fingerprints Showed Up On Skin’ (No.41, 1970)
Freddie Hart’s ‘The New Sounds of Freddie Hart’ (Capitol Records, 1970) also included the following tracks:
‘Without You’
‘After Being Your Lover’
‘Ten Long Years Ago’
‘I Can’t Keep My Hands Off of You’
‘Write It All In (Put It All In)’
‘Just Another Girl’
‘Fit To Be Tried’
Freddie Hart’s song ‘Togetherness’, which was a hit for him in 1968, became a Billboard Top 15 country music hit single for Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 – Saturday 25 March 2006) & Susan Raye in the summer of 1970.
Freddie Hart also scored several minor Billboard country music hit singles during 1970.
In October 1970, Freddie Hart saw the release of ‘California Grapevine’ (Capitol Records, 1970), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart:
‘California Grapevine’ (No.68, 1970)
Freddie Hart’s ‘California Grapevine’ (Capitol Records, 1970) also included the following tracks:
‘In The Arms of Love’
‘What’s Wrong With Your Head, Fred’
‘Easy Loving’ (written by Freddie Hart) (No.1 for three weeks in September / October 1971) / this track, which was first recorded in the summer of 1969, also reached No.17 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1971
‘That Hurtin’ Feeling’
‘House of Sand’
‘Brother Bluebird’
‘My Tears Are Overdue’
‘Lover’s Leap’
‘Big Bad Wolf’
Freddie Hart’s ‘California Grapevine’ (Capitol Records, 1970) reached No.23 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1970.
Released in the summer of 1971, Freddie Hart’s ‘Easy Loving’ rapidly began climbing the Billboard charts; by September 1971, it was at the top of the Billboard country music singles chart (No.1 for three weeks in September / October 1971) and reached No.17 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1971.
Freddie Hart’s ‘Easy Loving’ was also played on adult contemporary radio stations, earning a position on Billboard’s Easy Listening survey.
‘Easy Loving’ ultimately won Freddie Hart numerous awards from both the Academy of Country Music (ACM) and the Country Music Association (CMA). The song sold over one million copies and was awarded a ‘Gold’ record by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in November 1971.
The album of the same name, ‘Easy Loving’ (Capitol Records, 1971), also achieved ‘Gold’ status and the song also won a Grammy Award for Freddie Hart.
Freddie Hart’s ‘Easy Loving’ (Capitol Records, 1971), which was released in August 1971, also included the following tracks:
‘House of Sand’
‘Without You’
‘If Fingerprints Showed Up On Skin’ (No.41, 1970)
‘One More Mountain To Climb’ (No.48, 1970)
‘Write It All In (Put It All In)’
‘That Hurtin’ Feeling’
‘Whole World Holding Hands’
‘In The Arms of Love’
‘California Grapevine’ (No.68, 1970)
Freddie Hart’s ‘Easy Loving’ (Capitol Records, 1971) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1971, and No.37 on the Billboard Top 100 Albums Chart in 1971.
Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 – Tuesday 4 October 2022) & Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Easy Loving’ and included the track on ‘Lead Me On’ (MCA Records, 1971).
Eddy Arnold (Wednesday 15 May 1918 – Thursday 8 May 2008) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Easy Loving’ and included the track on ‘Loving Her Was Easier’ (RCA Victor Records, 1971).
Ferlin Husky (Thursday 3 December 1925 – Thursday 17 March 2011) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Easy Loving’ and included the track on ‘Just Plain Lonely’ (Capitol Records, 1972).
Following the success of ‘Easy Loving’, Freddie Hart and his backup band, The Heartbeats, enjoyed a string of Billboard Top 5 country music hit singles, including the following:
‘My Hang-Up Is You’ (written by Freddie Hart) (No.1 for six weeks in March / April 1972)
‘Bless Your Heart’ (written by Freddie Hart and Jack Lebsock) (No.1 for two weeks in August 1972)
‘Got The All-overs For You’ (written by Freddie Hart) (No.1 for three weeks in December 1972)
‘Super Kind of Woman’ (written by Jack Lebsock) (No.1 for one week in April 1973)
‘Trip To Heaven’ (written by Freddie Hart) (No.1 for one week in August 1973)
‘Hang In There Girl’ (written by Freddie Hart) (No.2, 1974)
‘The Want-To’s’ (written by Freddie Hart) (No.3, 1974)
‘My Woman’s Man’, which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 – Wednesday 25 May 2005) and George Richey (Saturday 30 November 1935 – Saturday 31 July 2010) (No.3, 1974)
‘The First Time’ (written by Jack Grayson) (No.2, 1975)
‘I’d Like To Sleep ‘Til I Get Over You’, which was written by Roger D. Bowling (Sunday 3 December 1944 – Sunday 26 December 1982) (No.5, 1975)
‘The Warm Side of You’ (written by Freddie Hart) (No.6, 1975)
Freddie Hart had been referred to, by many country music fans, as ‘The Heart & Soul of Country Music’.
With the success of ‘Easy Loving’ and other songs which he had written, plus a popular concert attraction on the road, Freddie Hart became independently wealthy and owned a song-writing company, a school for the blind, and a trucking company, along with a chain of martial arts studios – his hobby was as a master of karate.
Jack Barlow (Sunday 18 May 1924 – Friday 29 July 2011) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Easy Loving’ and included the track on ‘Catch The Wind’ (Dot Records, 1972).
Bob Luman (Thursday 15 April 1937 – Wednesday 27 December 1978) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Easy Loving’ and included the track on ‘Lonely Women Make Good Lovers’ (Epic Records, 1972).
Charlie Rich (Wednesday 14 December 1932 – Tuesday 25 July 1995) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘I’m Not Going Hungry Anymore’ and included the track on ‘Behind Closed Doors’ (Epic Records, 1973).
Charlie Rich (Wednesday 14 December 1932 – Tuesday 25 July 1995) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Too Many Teardrops’ and included the track on ‘There Won’t Be Anymore’ (RCA Victor Records, 1974).
Charlie Rich (Wednesday 14 December 1932 – Tuesday 25 July 1995) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Too Many Teardrops’ and included the track on ‘Too Many Teardrops’ (RCA Camden Records, 1975).
Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 – Friday 20 March 2020) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘While The Feeling’s Good’, which was co-written with Roger D. Bowling (Sunday 3 December 1944 – Sunday 26 December 1982), and included the track on ‘Love Lifted Me’ (United Artists Records, 1976).
By 1976, Freddie Hart continued to enjoy major Billboard country music hit singles, although his streak of Top 10 singles were replaced by Top 20 and Top 30 singles, which included the following:
‘You Are The Song Inside of Me’ (No.11, 1976)
‘That Look In Her Eyes’ (No.11, 1976)
‘Thank God She’s Mine’ (No.11, 1977)
‘The Pleasure’s Been All Mine’ (No.13, 1977)
‘Toe To Toe’ (No.21, 1978)
‘Wasn’t It Easy Baby’ (No.28, 1979)
Freddie Hart’s last Billboard Top 10 country music hit single was ‘Why Lovers Turn To Strangers’, which reached No.8 in 1977.
George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) & Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 – Monday 6 April 1998) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘We Could’, which was co-written with Felice Bryant (Wednesday 7 August 1925 – Tuesday 22 April 2003), and included the track on ‘Together Again’ (Epic Records, 1980).
In 1980, Freddie Hart signed with Sunbird Records, where he immediately scored a Billboard Top 20 country music hit single with ‘Sure Thing’, which reached No.15.
Freddie Hart followed this up with three Billboard Top 40 country music hit singles; ‘Roses Are Red’ (No.33, 1980), ‘You’re Crazy, Man’ (No.31, 1981) and ‘You Were There’ (No.38, 1981).
The release of these tracks, ‘Roses Are Red’ (No.33, 1980), ‘You’re Crazy, Man’ (No.31, 1981) and ‘You Were There’ (No.38, 1981), ended Freddie Hart’s days as a major country music artist.
BJ Thomas (Friday 7 August 1942 – Saturday 29 May 2021) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘While The Feeling’s Good’, which was co-written with Roger D. Bowling (Sunday 3 December 1944 – Sunday 26 December 1982), and included the track on ‘Some Love Songs Never Lie’ (MCA Records, 1981).
Roger D. Bowling (Sunday 3 December 1944 – Sunday 26 December 1982) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘While The Feeling’s Good’ (co-written with Roger D. Bowling) and included the track on ‘Then I’ll Stop Loving You’ (NSD Records, 1984).
In 1985 and 1987, Freddie Hart enjoyed a couple of minor hits on El Dorado Records and 5th Avenue Records, with his last hit being ‘The Best Love I Ever Had’ in 1987, which reached No.77.
Rosie Flores recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Lovin’ In Vain’ and included the track on ‘Rosie Flores’ (American Beat Records / Reprise Records, 1987).
Kate Brislin & Katy Moffatt recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘It Takes One To Know One’, which was co-written with Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002), and included the track on ‘Sleepness Nights’ (Rounder Records, 1996).
In 1998, Deke Dickerson recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Snatch It & Grab It’ and included the track on ‘Number One Hit Record!’ (Hightone Records, 1998); the track was subsequently included on ‘My Name Is Deke’ (Hightone Records, 2005).
John Prine (Thursday 10 October 1946 – Tuesday 7 April 2020) recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Loose Talk’ (co-written with Ann Lucas) and included the track on ‘In Spite of Ourselves’ (Oh Boy Records, 1999); the track featured guest vocals from Connie Smith.
In 2001, Freddie Hart received a further honour when he was inducted into Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
Freddie Hart retained a large following in Europe and the United States, where he continued to perform at music festivals, universities, churches and industry events.
Freddie Hart appeared on many American television shows over the years, including ‘Hee Haw’, ‘Grand Ole Opry’, ‘Nashville Now’, ‘The Mike Douglas Show’, ‘The Dinah Shore Show’, and ‘The George Jones Show’, along with ‘Country’s Family Reunion’ and ‘The Marty Stuart Show’.
During the 2000’s, Freddie Hart continued to write and record Gospel Music.
Freddie Hart received numerous awards and achieved several No.1 songs in the Gospel field.
In 2004, Freddie Hart was inducted into The Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.
On Tuesday 21 April 2009, Jesse Winchester (Wednesday 17 May 1944 – Friday 11 April 2014) saw the release of ‘Love Filling Station’ (Appleseed Recordings, 2009); one of the included tracks was Freddie Hart’s ‘Loose Talk’ (co-written with Ann Lucas), which featured guest vocals from Claire Lynch.
Lorrie Morgan recorded Freddie Hart’s ‘Easy Loving’ and included the track on ‘A Moment In Time’ (Country Crossing Records, 2009); the track was a duet with Raul Malo.
In 2017, Freddie Hart performed in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and received the Hall of Fame award from The North American Country Music Associations International.
In early 2018, Freddie Hart called David Frizzell and asked David to produce an album for him, which turned out to be Freddie Hart’s final recording.
In March 2018, Freddie Hart performed for the last time on The Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree as a special guest to David Frizzell. Freddie Hart sang a new song he had written and just recorded about Lefty Frizzell (Saturday 31 March 1928 – Saturday 19 July 1975), which was called ‘Lefty’.
In April 2018, Freddie Hart recorded his final album, ‘God Bless You’ (Nashville America Records, 2018). The project, which was produced by fellow country music legend, David Frizzell, included eleven newly-written Gospel songs, along with a remake of his signature song, ‘Easy Loving (written by Freddie Hart).
Freddie Hart heard the mix of the first single and he called it ‘beautiful’. The song, ‘This Time of Year’, was a Christmas song, and was released in November 2018, with the release of a Gospel album, ‘God Bless You’ (Nashville America Records, 2018), taking place in early 2019.
On Saturday 27 October 2018, Freddie Hart, who was known to millions of country music fans the world over as ‘Mr. Easy Lovin’, passed away in Burbank, California.
In addition to many brothers and sisters, Freddie Hart was survived by Ginger, his wife of sixty-one years, along with his sons Freddie Junior, Andy, Joe and Victor.
Freddie Hart’s funeral took place on Tuesday 6 November 2018 at Valhalla Memorial Park, 10621 Victory Boulevard, North Hollywood, California; 1:00pm – 2:00pm at the chapel, and 2:30pm at the graveside.
• Visit Freddie Hart’s official site at freddiehart.com