Gene Watson’s ‘A Way To Survive’ (Step One Records, 1997)

‘A Way To Survive’
Step One Records SOR-0111 (1997)

Gene Watson’s ‘A Way To Survive’ (Step One Records, 1997) was released by Step One Records on Tuesday 18 November 1997.


Gene Watson’s ‘A Way To Survive’ (Step One Records, 1997) discography information is presented on the Gene Watson Fan Site for educational purposes only and no infringement of copyright is intended.


About Gene Watson’s ‘A Way To Survive’…

Overview
Gene Watson’s ‘A Way To Survive’ (Step One Records, 1997) was Gene Watson’s fourth, and final, album for Step One Records, and was produced by Ray Pennington (Friday 22 December 1933 – Wednesday 7 October 2020).

Released in 1997, Gene Watson’s ‘A Way To Survive’ (Step One Records, 1997) included ten tracks, but only seven of these tracks were new recordings.



Gene Watson’s ‘A Way To Survive’ (Step One Records, 1997) included a re-recording of ‘Fourteen Carat Mind’, which was written by Dallas Frazier (Friday 27 October 1939 – Friday 14 January 2022) and Larry Lee Favorite (1939 – Saturday 26 May 2001), and was Gene Watson’s one and only Billboard No.1 country music hit single (in January 1982).

The original version of ‘Fourteen Carat Mind’, which was written by Dallas Frazier (Friday 27 October 1939 – Friday 14 January 2022) and Larry Lee Favorite (1939 – Saturday 26 May 2001), was included on Gene Watson’s ‘Old Loves Never Die‘ (MCA Records, 1981).

Gene Watson: 'In Other Words' (Canada: Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1992 / United States: Broadland International Records, 1992)

Gene Watson‘s ‘A Way To Survive’ (Step One Records, 1997) also included ‘Old Porch Swing’, which was written by Joe Allen and Charlie Williams (Friday 20 December 1929 – Thursday 15 October 1992), and ‘Class Reunion’ (written by Don Henry and Craig Morris), both of which were originally included on Gene Watson‘s ‘In Other Words‘ (Canada: Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1992 / United States: Broadland International Records, 1992).


‘A Way To Survive’
Step One Records SOR 0111 (1997)


1 ‘Couldn’t Love Have Picked A Better Place To Die’
Writers: Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Bucky Jones
Publishers: Sony / ATV Songs LLC dba Tree Publishing Company (BMI) / Sony / ATV Tunes LLC dba Cross Keys Publishing Company (ASCAP)

George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) recorded ‘Couldn’t Love Have Picked A Better Place To Die’, which was written by Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Bucky Jones, and included the track on ‘Still The Same Ole Me’ (Epic Records, 1981).

Dave Holladay: 'Ramona From Daytona' (Step One Records, 1987)

Dave Holladay (David Blanchette) (1958 – Tuesday 17 September 2002) recorded ‘Couldn’t Love Have Picked A Better Place To Die’, which was written by Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Bucky Jones, and included the track on ‘Ramona From Daytona’ (Step One Records, 1987).

Mickey Gilley: 'Chasing Rainbows' (Airborne Records, 1988)

Mickey Gilley
(Monday 9 March 1936 – Saturday 7 May 2022) recorded Bucky Jones’ ‘Couldn’t Love Have Picked A Better Place To Die’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016), and included the track on ‘Chasing Rainbows’ (Airborne Records, 1988).

Clinton Gregory recorded ‘Couldn’t Love Have Picked A Better Place To Die’, which was written by Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Bucky Jones, and included the track on ‘Music ‘N’ Me’ (Step One Records, 1990); the track reached No.64 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1991.

Gene Watson re-recorded ‘Couldn’t Love Have Picked A Better Place To Die’, which was written by Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Bucky Jones, and included the track on ‘Real.Country.Music‘ (Fourteen Carat Music, 2016).


2 ‘Just In Case’
Writers: Rick Tiger and Shawn Hammonds
Publishers: Skyrock Music, ASCAP / Atwood-Tiger Creations Music, BMI


3 ‘A Way To Survive’
Writers: Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) and Moneen Carpenter
Publishers: Sony / ATV Songs LLC dba Tree Publishing Company (BMI)

Ray Price (Tuesday 12 January 1926 – Monday 16 December 2013) recorded ‘A Way To Survive’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) and Moneen Carpenter, and included the track on ‘Touch My Heart’ (Columbia Records, 1967).



Darrell McCall
recorded ‘A Way To Survive’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) and Moneen Carpenter, and included the track on ‘A Way To Survive’ (Artap Records, 1995).

Darrell McCall
‘s ‘A Way To Survive’ (Artap Records, 1995) was released, along with Darrell McCall‘s ‘All She Did Was Fall In Love’ (Artap Records, 1992), as a ‘2-for-1’ CD set, ‘A Way To Survive / All She Did Was Fall In Love’ (Heart of Texas Records, 2009).

Justin Trevino recorded ‘A Way To Survive’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) and Moneen Carpenter, and included the track on ‘Live At London Dance Hall’ (Heart of Texas Records, 2015).



Jack Scott recorded ‘A Way To Survive’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) and Moneen Carpenter,
 and included the track on ‘A Way To Survive’ (Bluelight Records, 2015).

Teea Goans: 'Swing, Shuffle & Sway' (Crosswind Corporation, 2017)

Teea Goans recorded ‘A Way To Survive’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) and Moneen Carpenter, and included the track on ‘Swing, Shuffle & Sway’ (Crosswind Corporation, 2017).


4 ‘When There’s Not A Tear Left To My Name’
Writers: Billy Troy and Bennie Boling
Publishers: Tote-A-Note Music, BMI / Killen Songs, Inc. BMI


5 ‘You Can’t Believe A Thing I Say’
Writers: Don Miller and Jamey Whiting
Publishers: Songmaker Music, ASCAP / Songpeddler Music, BMI


6 ‘Someone’s Child’
Writers: Billy Troy and Lee Bach
Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation, BMI / Randy Scruggs Music, BMI / Tote-A-Note Music, BMI

Matthews, Wright & King (Raymond Matthews, Woody Wright and Tony King): 'Power of Love' (Columbia Records, 1992)

Matthews, Wright & King (Raymond Matthews, Woody Wright and Tony King) recorded ‘Someone’s Child’ (written by Billy Troy and Lee Bach) and included the track on ‘Power of Love’ (Columbia Records, 1992).

Tim Graves: 'Walking On New Grass' (Pinecastle Records, 1997)

Tim Graves recorded ‘Someone’s Child’ (written by Billy Troy and Lee Bach) and included the track on ‘Walking On New Grass’ (Pinecastle Records, 1997).


7 ‘All Hat, No Cattle’
Writers: Lee Bach, Billy Troy and Leroy Anderson
Publishers: Tote-A-Note Music, BMI / Balzac Music, SOCAN

Liz Anderson (Monday 13 January 1930 – Monday 31 October 2011) recorded ‘All Hat, No Cattle’ (written by Lee Bach, Billy Troy and Leroy Anderson) and included the track on ‘The Cowgirl Way’ (Showboat Records, 2000).


8 ‘Fourteen Carat Mind’
Writers: Dallas Frazier (Friday 27 October 1939 – Friday 14 January 2022) and Larry Lee Favorite (1939 – Saturday 26 May 2001)
Publishers: Acuff-Rose Music, Inc.



This version of ‘Fourteen Carat Mind’, which was written by Dallas Frazier (Friday 27 October 1939 – Friday 14 January 2022) and Larry Lee Favorite (1939 – Saturday 26 May 2001), is a re-recording; the original version of this track was included on Gene Watson’s ‘Old Loves Never Die‘ (MCA Records, 1981).



Gene Watson re-recorded ‘Fourteen Carat Mind’, which was written by Dallas Frazier (Friday 27 October 1939 – Friday 14 January 2022) and Larry Lee (1939 – Saturday 26 May 2001), and included the track on ‘Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits‘ (Fourteen Carat Music, 2012).


9 ‘Old Porch Swing’
Writers: Joe Allen and Charlie Williams (Friday 20 December 1929 – Thursday 15 October 1992)
Publishers: Joe Allen Music, BMI / Green Harbor Music, BMI

Gene Watson: 'In Other Words' (Canada: Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1992 / United States: Broadland International Records, 1992)

This version of ‘Old Porch Swing’, which was written by Joe Allen and Charlie Williams (Friday 20 December 1929 – Thursday 15 October 1992), was originally included on Gene Watson‘s ‘In Other Words‘ (Canada: Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1992 / United States: Broadland International Records, 1992).


10 ‘Class Reunion’
Writers: Don Henry and Craig Morris
Publishers: Sony / ATV Tunes LLC dba Cross Keys Publishing Company (ASCAP)

Gene Watson: 'In Other Words' (Canada: Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1992 / United States: Broadland International Records, 1992)

This version of ‘Class Reunion’ (written by Don Henry and Craig Morris) was originally included on Gene Watson‘s ‘In Other Words‘ (Canada: Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1992 / United States: Broadland International Records, 1992).


• Read a Country Music People review of Gene Watson’s ‘A Way to Survive‘ (Step One Records, 1997)

The review, which was written by Chris Bolton, was published in the February 1998 issue of the United Kingdom monthly publication Country Music People.


All tracks on Gene Watson’s ‘A Way To Survive’ (Step One Records, 1997) were produced by Ray Pennington (Friday 22 December 1933 – Wednesday 7 October 2020), with the exception of ‘Old Porch Swing’, which was written by Joe Allen and Charlie Williams (Friday 20 December 1929 – Thursday 15 October 1992), and ‘Class Reunion’ (written by Don Henry and Craig Morris), both of which were produced by Gary Buck (Thursday 21 March 1940 – Tuesday 14 October 2003) in December 1991 / February 1992.

Gene Watson’s ‘A Way To Survive’ (Step One Records, 1997) was recorded at Oak Valley Studio, Nashville (Recording Engineer: Kevin McManus).

Mastering: John Eberle, Nashville Record Productions.

Gene Watson: 'In Other Words' (Canada: Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1992 / United States: Broadland International Records, 1992)

Gene Watson‘s ‘In Other Words‘ (Canada: Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1992 / United States: Broadland International Records, 1992) was produced by Gary Buck (Thursday 21 March 1940 – Tuesday 14 October 2003); the Recording Engineer was Les Ladd and the studio used was Reflections in Nashville.

The Mastering was undertaken by Denny Purcell, Georgetown Masters. The recording sessions for Gene Watson‘s ‘In Other Words‘ (Canada: Mercury Records / Polygram Records, 1992 / United States: Broadland International Records, 1992) took place at Reflections in Nashville between December 1991 and February 1992.




‘A Way To Survive’
Step One Records SOR 0111 (1997)

Musician Credits
(‘A Way To Survive’)
Steel Guitar: Buddy Emmons (Wednesday 27 January 1937 – Wednesday 29 July 2015)
Bass Guitar: David Smith
Drums: Jerry Kroon
Keyboards: Dirk Johnson
Fiddle: Aubrey Haynie
Lead Guitar: Gregg Galbraith
Acoustic Guitar: Bobby All (passed away on Thursday 19 March 2009) and Kevin Williams
Background Vocalists: Margie Cates, Jennifer O’Brien and John Wesley Ryles

Musician Credits
(‘In Other Words‘)
Acoustic Guitar: Leo Jackson (Monday 22 October 1934 – Sunday 4 May 2008)
Lead Guitar: Gregg Galbraith
Piano: Hargus ‘Pig’ Robbins (Tuesday 18 January 1938 – Sunday 30 January 2022)
Bass Guitar: David Smith
Fiddle: Rob Hajacos
Steel Guitar: Buddy Emmons (Wednesday 27 January 1937 – Wednesday 29 July 2015)
Drums: Lonnie Williams
Harmonica: T.J. Clay
Background Singers: Ronny Light, Jennifer O’Brien and Margie Cates