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 2013, 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 Neal Coty, which he submitted to this site on Sunday 20 October 2013.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Neal Coty who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Neal Coty
This quote was submitted on Sunday 20 October 2013.
‘I love Gene, but I don’t know him personally.
I will say he is one of the greatest singers ever!’
Thank you, Neal Coty, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Neal Coty…
Neal Coty was born Neal Lee Coty and is the adopted son of dairy farmers; he grew up in rural Maryland.
Neal Coty was strongly influenced by two uncles: one who turned him on to 1970s Southern rockers, including Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers, and Uncle Buzz, who introduced Neal Coty to his deep love of traditional country music.
Neal Coty’s grandmother, who was a church organist, presented him with a guitar when he was five years old.
By the time he was eight years old, Neal Coty was writing songs and, upon hearing Jimmy Webb’s seminal ‘Wichita Lineman’, decided to spend his life performing music.
A failed attempt at beauty college led Neal Coty to the theater program at Towson State, where he began playing his pop-influenced acoustic songs on open-mic nights. One ambitious Baltimore club owner recognized the young talent and soon had Neal Coty booked as an opening act for a number of artists, including Kathy Mattea and Concrete Blonde.
Wayland Patton recorded Neal Coty’s ‘It’s Only Monday’ (written with Wayland Patton) and included the track on ‘Mother of All Heartaches’ (Kudzu Blossom Records Records, 1995).
Kim Richey recorded Neal Coty’s ‘Let The Sun Fall Down’ (co-written with Kim Richey) and included the track on ‘Kim Richey’ (Mercury Nashville Records, 1995).
Ronna Reeves recorded Neal Coty’s ‘My Heart Wasn’t In It’ (written with Pat Terry) and included the track on ‘After The Dance’ (Polygram Records, 1995); this track was released as a single in 1996, but it did not chart.
Ronna Reeves recorded Neal Coty’s ‘Collect From Wichita’, which was co-written with Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004), and included the track on ‘After The Dance’ (Polygram Records, 1995); this track was released as a single in 1996, but it did not chart.
Sawyer Brown recorded Neal Coty’s ‘Between You & Paradise’ (co-written with Mark Alan Springer) and included the track on ‘Six Days On The Road’ (Curb Records, 1997).
Neal Coty briefly tried his hand at commercial and jingle writing in Los Angeles, but found true happiness in Nashville, landing a spot on the recording roster at Mercury Records, and saw the release, on Tuesday 5 August 1997, of his debut album, ‘Chance & Circumstance’ (Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1997), which included the following tracks:
‘Tainted’, which was written by Neal Coty and Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004)
‘Chance & Circumstance’, which was written by Neal Coty and Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004)
‘Lost & Drifting’, whch was written by Neal Coty and Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004)
‘Heaven In The Dark’ (written by Neal Coty)
‘Hey, Lucy’, which was written by Neal Coty and Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004)
‘Kalifornia’, which was written by Neal Coty and Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004)
‘She’s The Girl For Me’, which was written by Neal Coty and Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004)
‘Ghost Town’, which was written by Neal Coty, Bob Hamilton and Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004)
‘Wreck of A Heart’, which was written by Neal Coty and Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004)
‘When I See Jesus (Walk Across Lake Pontchartrain)’, which was written by Neal Coty and Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004)
‘Two Boys From Creagerstown’, which was written by Neal Coty and Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004)
‘I Just Can’t Slow Down’ (written by Neal Coty)
Tyler England recorded Neal Coty’s ‘Collect From Wichita’, which was co-written with Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004), and included the track on ‘Highways & Dance Halls’ (Capitol Nashville Records, 1999).
As Neal Coty’s popularity grew, so too did his songwriting skills, which were showcased on ‘Legacy’ (Mercury Nashville Records / Uptown Records / Universal Records, 2001), which was released on Tuesday 6 March 2001, and included the following tracks:
‘Right Down Through The Middle of Us’ (written by Neal Coty and John Scott Sherrill) / this track featured Eddie Bayers, Neal Coty, Dan Dugmore, John Jorgenson, Randy McCormick, John D. Willis and Glenn Wort
‘You’re All That’ (written by Neal Coty and Jimmy Melton) / this track featured Eddie Bayers, Neal Coty, Eric Darken, John Kelton, Brent Mason, John D. Willis and Glenn Wort
‘You Got Lucky’, which was written by Mike Campbell and Tom Petty (Thomas Earl Petty) (Friday 20 October 1950 – Monday 2 October 2017) / this track featured Eddie Bayers, Neal Coty, Dan Dugmore, Paul Franklin, John Jorgenson, John Kelton, John D. Willis and Glenn Wort
‘Breathing’ (written by Rob Crosby and Philip White) / the track featured Neal Coty, Paul Franklin, Paul Leim, Brent Mason, Gary Prim, John D. Willis and Glenn Wort
‘Legacy’ (written by Neal Coty) / this track featured Neal Coty, Paul Franklin, Paul Leim, Brent Mason, Gary Prim, John D. Willis and Glenn Wort
‘Sad Eyes’ (written by Bruce Springsteen) / this track featured Eddie Bayers, Neal Coty, Eric Darken, Dan Dugmore, Brent Mason, Randy McCormick, John D. Willis and Glenn Wort
‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough’ (written by Mickey Cates) / this track featured Neal Coty, Paul Franklin, Owen Hale, Brent Mason, Gary Prim, John Wesley Ryles and Glenn Wort
‘Black Heart of Texas’ (written by Neal Coty) / this track featured Eddie Bayers, Neal Coty, Eric Darken, Dan Dugmore, John Kelton, Brent Mason, Randy McCormick, John D. Willis and Glenn Wort
‘Can’t Change My Love’ (written by Neal Coty and Gary Harrison) / this track featured Eddie Bayers, Dan Dugmore, Paul Franklin, John Kelton, Brent Mason, Chuck Tilley, Kenny Vaughan and John D. Willis
‘South Texas Night’ (written by Neal Coty) / this track featured Eddie Bayers, Neal Coty, Eric Darken, Paul Franklin, Brent Mason, Randy McCormick, Kenny Vaughan, John D. Willis and Glenn Wort
‘The Worst Way’ (written by Neal Coty) / this track featured Eddie Bayers, Neal Coty, Eric Darken, Paul Franklin, John Kelton, Gary Prim and Glenn Wort
South65 (Lance Leslie, Brent Parker, Stephen Parker, Jerimy Koeltzow and Doug Urie) recorded Neal Coty’s ‘All I Ever Did’, which was co-written with Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004), and included the track on ‘Dream Large’ (Atlantic Nashville Records, 2001).
On Tuesday 21 May 2002, Mark Chesnutt saw the release of ‘Mark Chesnutt’ (Columbia Records, 2002); one of the included tracks was ‘She Was’ (written by Neal Coty and Jimmy Melton), which reached No.11 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 2002.
Mark Chesnutt‘s self-titled album, ‘Mark Chesnutt’ (Columbia Records, 2002), also included ‘Population Minus One’ (written by Neil Thrasher, Wendell Mobley and Kent Blazy) and ‘I Drew Me’ (written by Casey Beathard and Dean Dillon).
On Tuesday 4 February 2003, Blake Shelton saw the release of ‘The Dreamer’ (Warner Bros. Nashville Records, 2003); one of the included tracks was ‘Playboys of The South Western World’, which was written by Randy VanWarmer (Wednesday 30 March 1955 – Monday 12 January 2004) and Neal Coty, and reached No.20 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 2003.
Blake Shelton’s ‘The Dreamer’ (Warner Bros. Nashville Records, 2003) also included ‘Heavy Lifting’ (written by Boyd Houston Robert, George Teren and Rivers Rutherford), ‘The Baby’, which was written by Harley Allen (Monday 23 January 1956 – Wednesday 30 March 2011) and Michael White, ‘Asphalt Cowboy’ (written by Jeff Stevens and Kenny West) and ‘In My Heaven’ (written by Rivers Rutherford and Bobby Pinson).
On Tuesday 11 March 2003, Craig Morgan saw the release of ‘I Love It’ (Broken Bow Records, 2003), which included ‘Every Friday Afternoon’ (written by Neal Coty and Jimmy Melton) (No.25, 2003).
Craig Morgan’s ‘I Love It’ (Broken Bow Records, 2003) also included ‘Look At Us’ (written by Larry Bastian, Buddy Cannon and Craig Morgan) and ‘What You Do To Me’ (written by Steve Dean and Wil Nance).
Hank Williams Jr. recorded Neal Coty’s ‘I’m One of You’ (co-written with Jimmy Melton) and included the track on ‘I’m One of You’ (Curb Records, 2003).
Mark Chesnutt recorded Neal Coty’s ‘Mama’s House’ (co-written with Jimmy Melton) and included the track on ‘Savin’ The Honky Tonk’ (Vivaton Records, 2004).
Heartland (Jason Albert, Craig Anderson, Todd Anderson, Chuck Crawford, Mike Myerson and Keith West) recorded Neal Coty’s ‘Too Country’ (co-written with Jon Henderson) and included the track on ‘I Loved Her First’ (Lofton Creek Records, 2006).
On Tuesday 11 September 2007, Flynnville Train (Brian Flynn, Brent Flynn, Joseph Shreve and Tommy Bales) saw the release of their self-titled debut album, ‘Flynnville Train’ (Showdog Records, 2007); one of the included tracks was ‘Last Good Time’ (written by Neal Coty and Craig Wiseman), which reached No.47 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2007.
Steve Azar recorded Neal Coty’s ‘Still Tryin’ To Find My Way Around’ (co-written with Steve Azar and Philip B. White) and included the track on ‘Indianola’ (Dang Records, 2008).
Steve Azar recorded Neal Coty’s ‘The Coach’, which was co-written with Steve Azar and Arthur John Masaracchia (known professionally as AJ Masters) (Wednesday 20 December 1950 – Monday 12 January 2015), and included the track on ‘Indianola’ (Dang Records, 2008).
Zona Jones recorded Neal Coty’s ‘Drinking’ (co-written with John Scott Sherrill and John Sherrill) and included the track on ‘Prove Me Right’ (Rocky Comfort Records, 2009).
Joe Nichols recorded Neal Coty’s ‘We All Go Home’ (co-written with Jimmy Melton and Michael Mobley) and included the track on ‘Old Things New’ (Universal South Records, 2009).
Rodney Atkins recorded Neal Coty’s ‘Tell A Country Boy’ (co-written with Jon Henderson) and included the track on ‘It’s America’ (Curb Records, 2009).
Dean Brody recorded Neal Coty’s ‘This Ain’t The Same Town (That I Painted Red)’ (co-written with Jim Collins and Jimmy Melton) and included the track on ‘Dean Brody’ (Broken Bow Records, 2009).
In July 2009, Heartland, a country music band from Huntsville, Alabama consisting of Jason Albert (lead vocals), Craig Anderson (rhythm guitar), Todd Anderson (drums), Chuck Crawford (fiddle, background vocals), Mike Myerson (lead guitar) and Keith West (bass guitar, background vocals), signed with Permian Records, and saw the release of the single ‘Mustache’ (written by Neal Coty); the single, however, did not chart on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart.
On Monday 24 May 2010, James Wesley saw the release, on Broken Bow Records, of the single, ‘Real’ (written by Neal Coty and Jimmy Melton), which reached No.22 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart; the album on which the track was due to be included, entitled ‘Real’, was never released.
Joe Nichols recorded Neal Coty’s ‘Billy Graham’s Bible’ (co-written with Chris DuBois and Jimmy Melton) and included the track on ‘Crickets’ (Red Bow Records, 2013).
• Neal Coty