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 2014, 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 Royal Wade Kimes, which he submitted to this site on Sunday 6 April 2014.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Royal Wade Kimes who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Royal Wade Kimes
This quote was submitted on Sunday 6 April 2014.
‘I’d be glad to provide a quote.
Gene Watson is truly the ‘diamond’ overlooked by the music industry.
Yes, he has had his hits and has done quite well as a recording artist, but has not been recognised to the degree in which he deserves.
His golden vocal is like something from a story book that can only be made possible by the grace of God.
There’s another aspect to Gene that has gone without much mention, and that is his ability to pick hit songs to record.
I put him in the same league with the late Eddy Arnold (Wednesday 15 May 1918 – Thursday 8 May 2008), and the legend George Strait, in picking hit songs.
He is a gift from God for the world’s enjoyment’
Thank you, Royal Wade Kimes, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Royal Wade Kimes…
Royal Wade Kimes was born on Saturday 3 March 1951 in Chester, Arkansas.
Royal Wade Kimes worked at his father’s sawmill until his father encouraged him to move to Nashville, which he did in 1983.
Royal Wade Kimes also worked at Dude Ranch, which was owned by Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 – Tuesday 4 October 2022), and later began recording demos through the encouragement of Eddy Arnold (Wednesday 15 May 1918 – Thursday 8 May 2008).
Garth Brooks recorded Royal Wade Kimes’ ‘We Bury The Hatchet’ (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on ‘Ropin’ The Wind’ (Liberty Records, 1991).
Diamond Rio recorded Royal Wade Kimes’ ‘Calling All Hearts (Come Back Home)’ (co-written with Kent Blazy and Monty Powell) and included the track on ‘Close To The Edge’ (Arista Records, 1992).
Gene Watson recorded Royal Wade Kimes’ ‘Snake In The House’ (co-written with T.W. Hale) and included the track on ‘Uncharted Mind‘ (Step One Records, 1993); the track was released as a single in 1993, but it did not chart.
In 1996, Royal Wade Kimes signed with Asylum Records and saw the release, on Tuesday 29 October 1996, of his debut album, ‘Another Man’s Sky’ (Asylum Records, 1996), which included three tracks, which were released as singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Leave My Mama Out of This’ (written by Kent Blazy, Monty Holmes and Royal Wade Kimes) / this track was released in 1996, but it topped out in the 40s of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart
‘Another Man’s Sky’ (written by Kent Blazy and Royal Wade Kimes) / this track was released as a single in 1997, but it did not chart. The track was moving up the Billboard country music chart when the shake-up at Asylum Records began and the plug was pulled on the song; the track, however, was made into a music video.
‘Guardian Angel’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes) / this track was released in 1997, but it did not chart
The third single from Royal Wade Kimes’ ‘Another Man’s Sky’ (Asylum Records, 1996), ‘Guardian Angel’, received a positive review in Billboard Magazine, which called it ‘country music to the core’ and praised Kimes as a ‘talented songwriter’.
Royal Wade Kimes’ ‘Another Man’s Sky’ (Asylum Records, 1996) also included the following tracks:
‘Head Turnin’ Look’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes and Shaye Smith)
”S’ On My Chest’ (written by Richard Fagan and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Courage of Daniel’ (written by Kent Blazy, Royal Wade Kimes and Monty Powell)
‘Has Anybody In Here Seen My Wife’ (written by Kent Blazy, Shelby Kennedy and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘A Lie’ (written by Kent Blazy and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Wal-Mart Special’ (written by Kent Blazy and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Toenail Painted Babe’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Stay Tuned’ (written by Kent Blazy, Royal Wade Kimes and David Wills)
Following Royal Wade Kimes departure from Asylum Records, he began recording for his own record label, Wonderment Records, in 2000, when he saw the release of ‘Hangin’ Around The Moon’ (Wonderment Records, 2000), which included the following tracks:
‘On The Border’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Ride’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Smile Through A Tear, Part 1’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Lonesome Drifter’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Box Cars & Barb Wire’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘100 Years Too Late’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes) / this track featured guest vocals from Karen Angela Moore
‘Boogie Woogie’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Two More Seconds’ (written by Bob Eggers and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Hangin’ Around The Moon’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes and Mike Noble)
‘Slow Death’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Saddle On The Wall’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes and Shaye Smith)
‘One Heck of A Gift’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Hey, Ralph’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
On Tuesday 3 September 2002, Royal Wade Kimes saw the release of ‘A Dyin’ Breed’ (Wonderment Records, 2002), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart:
‘Mile High Honey’ (written by Larry Crowley and Royal Wade Kimes) (No.60 in early January 2004)
Royal Wade Kimes’ ‘A Dyin’ Breed’ (Wonderment Records, 2002) also included the following tracks:
‘A Dyin’ Breed’ (written by Kent Blazy and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Puttin’ On’ (written by Larry Crowley and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Ball & Chain’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Señorita’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘There Ain’t Enough Miles’ (written by Larry Holden and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Night Birds’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes) / this track featured guest vocals from Garth Brooks
‘Boogie Man’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Gun Slinger’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Good Guys’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Where Have All The Cowboys Gone’, which was written by Royal Wade Kimes and Sheb Wooley (Sunday 10 April 1921 – Tuesday 16 September 2003)
On Tuesday 18 May 2004, Royal Wade Kimes saw the release of ‘Cowboy Cool’ (Wonderment Records, 2004), which included the following tracks:
‘Ponies’ (written by Jeffrey Hawthorne Bullock)
‘Modern Day Drover’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Cowboys Only Cry In The Rain’ (written by Bill Frazier and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Wild Love’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Feelin’ Stud’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘The White Horse’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Ruth Ann’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Lost Soul Lookin’ For A Grave’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘The Shooting Star’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Lonesome Cowboy’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘I’m A Cowboy’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’
Johnny Bush (Sunday 17 February 1935 – Friday 16 October 2020) recorded Royal Wade Kimes’ ‘Leave My Mama Out of This’ (co-written with Monty Holmes and Kent Blazy) and included the track on ‘Honky Tonic’ (BGM Records, 2004).
On Tuesday 4 October 2005, Royal Wade Kimes saw the release of ‘Snow’ (Wonderment Records, 2005), a seasonal release, which included the following tracks:
‘White Christmas’
‘What Child Is This?’ (written by William Chatterton Dix)
‘Pretty Paper’ (written by Willie Nelson)
‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’, which was written by John Frederick Coots (2 May 1897 – Monday 8 April 1985) and James Lamont ‘Haven’ Gillespie (6 February 1888 – Friday 14 March 1975)
‘Silent Night’, which was written by Franz Xaver Gruber (25 November 1787 – 7 June 1863) and Joseph Mohr (11 December 1792 – 4 December 1848)
‘Blue Christmas’
‘Silver Bells’
‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’ (written by Kim Gannon)
‘Away In A Manger’ (written by William James Kirkpatrick)
‘Mistletoe’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
On Tuesday 25 July 2006, Royal Wade Kimes saw the release of ‘Strikin’ Matches’ (Wonderment Records, 2006), which included the following tracks:
‘Come To Dance’ (written by L. Parker)
‘Faster Gun’
‘No Use’ (written by Larry Crowley)
‘Strikin’ Matches In The Rain’
‘Look Out Your Window’
‘Jacob’s Well’
‘Dancin’ With You Again’ (written by Larry Holden)
‘The Stranger And Clyde’
‘Showdown’ (written by Steve Ward)
‘Bad Luck Is Gone’ (written by Russ Roberts)
‘Danny Play’ / this track featured guest vocals from Danny Davis
‘Don’t Look Now’
‘I’ve Got Your Back’
On Tuesday 22 January 2008, Royal Wade Kimes saw the release of ‘How The West Was Sung’ (Wonderment Records, 2008), which included the following tracks:
‘Faster Gun’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Jacob’s Well’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘The Stranger And Clyde’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Ponies’
‘Night Birds’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes) / this track featured guest vocals from Garth Brooks
‘Lonesome Cowboy’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Shooting Star’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘The White Horse’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘On The Border’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Senorita’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Ride’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Boogie Man’ (writtenn by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘A Dyin’ Breed’ (written by Kent Blazy and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Where Have All The Cowboys Gone’, which was written by Royal Wade Kimes and Sheb Wooley (Sunday 10 April 1921 – Tuesday 16 September 2003)
‘Apache Kid’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘I Come To Dance’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
On Tuesday 18 August 2009, Royal Wade Kimes saw the release of ‘White Light’ (Wonderment Records, 2009), which included the following tracks:
‘He Had To Die’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Ole J.C.’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Heavenly Eyes’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘I Will Give You Rest’ (written by Daniel Johnson)
‘Hold On’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Desperate Men’ (written by Kent Blazy and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Paint Me A Mountain’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘When The Saints Go Marching In’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Flower In The Wind’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘In My Time Of Dyin’ (written by Blind Willie Johnson)
‘Look Out Your Window’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Dancin’ With You Again’ (written by Larry Holden and Royal Wade Kimes)
In 2010, Royal Wade Kimes saw the release of ‘Hats Off: A Tribute To Eddy Arnold’ (Wonderment Records, 2014), which included the following tracks:
‘Here Comes Heaven’ (written by Joy Johnston and Bob Tubert)
‘I Wanna Go With You’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010)
‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye’, which was written by John D. Loudermilk (Saturday 31 March 1934 – Wednesday 21 September 2016)
‘Make The World Go Away’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010)
‘Anytime’ (written by Huberl Lawson)
‘Turn The World Around’, which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 – Wednesday 25 May 2005)
‘What’s He Doin’ In My World’, which was written by Carl Belew (Tuesday 21 April 1931 – Wednesday 31 October 1990), Eddie Bush and Billy Joe Moore
‘Velvet Night’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘I Walk Alone’ (written by Herbert Wilson)
‘The Other Side Of Lonely’ (written by Bobby Sykes and Wayne Walker)
In 2011, Royal Wade Kimes saw the release of ‘Crossing The Roads’ (Wonderment Records, 2011), which included the following tracks:
‘Five Hundred Miles Away From Home’ (written by Bobby Bare, Hedy West and Charley Williams)
‘Penny Love You’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Butterflies In Heaven’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Cold Country’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘I’m An Ole Song’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘In The Eyes’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘One Shot’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes and Rick Seratte)
‘Mr. Songman’ (written by Donnie Sumner)
‘Ever Day Blue’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘1969’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Another Man’s Sky’ (written by Kent Blazy and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Amazing Grace’
‘In My Land’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
In 2012, Royal Wade Kimes saw the release of ‘A Proud Land’ (Wonderment Records, 2012), which included the following tracks:
‘Ride The Wagon Johnny’ (written by Kent Blazy and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Dixie Burns’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘I’m Going Home’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘White Flag’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Is It The Name Jesse James’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘The Legend Of Jesse And Zee’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Mornin’ Dew’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Northfield Town’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘It Don’t Get Any Better Than This’ (written by Daniel Johnson and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Have Mercy’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Wagon Train’ (written by Larry Crowley, Ryan Crowley and Royal Wade Kimes)
‘Run Wild’ (written by Royal Wade Kimes)
Royal Wade Kimes is known as ‘The Nashville Outlaw’ because he took on the giants of the country music industry and won; he also collected two Will Rogers Awards and was named ‘Best Living Solo Musician’.
• Visit Royal Wade Kimes’ official site at thegentlemanoutlaw.com