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 2018, 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 Alecia Nugent, which she submitted to this site on Thursday 8 November 2018.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Alecia Nugent who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Alecia Nugent
This quote was submitted on Thursday 8 November 2018.
‘There’s only a handful of country legends with the ability to deliver a song the way it was intended.
With Gene Watson, there’s no denying that voice…when you hear it, you know it.
He has power and control most artists only dream of‘
Thank you, Alecia Nugent, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Alecia Nugent…
Alecia Nugent was born in Hickory Grove, Louisiana on Wednesday 5 July 1972 and is a highly acclaimed country music, Americana, and Bluegrass vocalist and musician.
Hickory Grove in Louisiana is not close to any place which is even remotely famous.
Alecia Nugent’s upbringing was saturated with the sounds of bluegrass music and gospel music.
Alecia Nugent’s father’s Southland Bluegrass Band trained her in tradition. By the time she was in her teens, Alecia Nugent was the group’s lead singer.
Alecia Nugent was schooled in the sounds of The Stanley Brothers – Carter Stanley (Thursday 27 August 1925 – Thursday 1 December 1966) and Ralph Stanley (Friday 25 February 1927 – Thursday 23 June 2016), Flatt & Scruggs – Lester Flatt (Friday 19 June 1914 – Friday 11 May 1979) & Earl Scruggs (Sunday 6 January 1924 – Wednesday 28 March 2012) – and Jimmy Martin (Wednesday 10 August 1927 – Saturday 14 May 2005), along with many other Bluegrass music masters.
Alecia Nugent also developed a taste for country music greats, including George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013), Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993), Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016), Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton.
Alecia Nugent has worked with bluegrass music legend, Carl Jackson on all of her album releases.
Carl Jackson has been a supporter of Alecia Nugent’s talent for a number of years. In 2004, when Mississippi Bluegrass promoter, Johnny Stringer, volunteered to bankroll Alecia Nugent’s first album, Alecia Nugent turned to Carl Jackson for help.
Carl Jackson had sung with Alecia Nugent at a festival fifteen years earlier and had never forgotten the sound of her extraordinary voice.
Carl Jackson’s endorsement attracted such stellar sidemen as Ronnie McCoury, Aubrey Haynie and Randy Kohrs to work on Alecia Nugent’s first album, not to mention harmony vocals by the likes of Sonya Isaacs, Rebecca Lynn Howard and Rhonda Vincent.
Alecia Nugent’s first album also attracted the attention of famed WSM disc jockey Eddie Stubbs, who became a booster. And, then, Alecia Nugent’s first album attracted the attention of Rounder Records in Nashville.
On Tuesday 9 March 2004, Alecia Nugent saw the release of her self-titled debut album, ‘Alecia Nugent’ (Rounder Records, 2004), which included the following tracks:
‘I’ll Stay Around’, which was written by Lester Flatt (Friday 19 June 1914 – Friday 11 May 1979)
‘Red, White & Blue’ (written by Carl Jackson)
‘If Your Heart Could Talk’ (written by Chris Austin and Carl Jackson)
‘My First Mistake’ (written by Larry Cordle and Larry Shell)
‘Jealous Heart’, which was written by Jenny Lou Carson (Wednesday 13 January 1915 – Saturday 16 December 1978)
‘Think of What You’ve Done’, which was written by Carter Stanley (Thursday 27 August 1925 – Thursday 1 December 1966)
‘Paper & Pen’ (written by Jerry Salley)
‘But I Do’, which was written by Tibby Edwards (Tuesday 19 March 1935 – Tuesday 21 September 1999)
‘For Love’s Sake’ (written by Chris Austin and Carl Jackson) / this track was a duet with Carl Jackson
‘You Don’t Have To Go Home’ (written by Larry Cordle, Jerry Salley and Larry Shell)
‘Blame It On The Train’ (written by Harold Pierce)
On Tuesday 28 February 2006, Alecia Nugent saw the release of her breakthrough album, ‘A Little Girl…A Big Four-Lane’ (Rounder Records, 2006), which was produced by Carl Jackson, and included the following tracks:
‘Too Good To Be True’ (written by Larry Cordle and Leslie Satcher)
Musicians
Andy Falco and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Alecia Nugent and Carl Jackson (backing vocals)
Carl Jackson (banjo)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
‘Muddy River’ (written by John Sheard)
Musicians
Andy Falco and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Carl Jackson and Rebecca Lynn Howard (backing vocals)
Carl Jackson (banjo)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Rob Ickes (Weisenborn lap steel guitar)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
‘God Knows What’, which was written by Jimbeau Hinson (Wednesday 29 October 1952 – Friday 4 March 2022)
Musicians
Andy Falco and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Carl Jackson and Cia Cherryholmes (backing vocals)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
‘A Dozen White Roses’ (written by Larry Alderman and Carl Jackson)
Musicians
Andy Falco and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Carl Jackson and Rebecca Lynn Howard (backing vocals)
Steve Sutton (banjo)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Rob Ickes (Weisenborn lap steel guitar)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
‘Where His Wheels Left The Road’, which was written by Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 – Sunday 11 January 2004) and Leslie Satcher
Musicians
Andy Falco and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Carl Jackson and Bradley Walker (backing vocals)
Carl Jackson (banjo)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Rob Ickes (Weisenborn lap steel guitar)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
‘I Cried All The Way To Kentucky’, which was written by Dixie Hall (Saturday 26 May 1934 – Friday 16 January 2015) and Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
Musicians
Andy Falco (acoustic guitar)
Carl Jackson and Rebecca Lynn Howard (backing vocals)
Carl Jackson (banjo)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
‘When It Comes Down To Us (It’s All Up To You)’ (written by Carl Jackson) / this track was a duet with Bradley Walker
Musicians
Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar, backing vocals)
Carl Jackson (banjo)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Bradley Walker (duet vocals)
‘You’ve Still Got It’ (written by John Pennell and Jerry Salley)
Musicians
Andy Falco and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Alison Krauss and Carl Jackson (backing vocals)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
‘Breaking New Ground’ (written by Carl Jackson and Jerry Salley)
Musicians
Andy Falco and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Alecia Nugent and Carl Jackson (backing vocals)
Steve Sutton (banjo)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
‘It Won’t Be Me’ (written by Roger Brown)
Musicians
Andy Falco and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Darren Nicholson and Jennifer Strickland (backing vocals)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
‘Letter From Home’ (written by Carl Jackson and Jennifer McCarter)
Musicians
Andy Falco and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Carl Jackson and Cia Cherryholmes (backing vocals)
Steve Sutton (banjo)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
‘Somewhere Else To Fall’ (written by Morgane Hayes, Liz Rose and Jerry Salley)
Musicians
Andy Falco and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Carl Jackson and Bradley Walker (backing vocals)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
‘Meet Me In Heaven Someday’ (written by Ronnie Bowman and Carl Jackson)
Musicians
Andy Falco and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Carl Jackson, Doyle Lawson, Jamie Dailey and Shelton Feazell (backing vocals)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
When Alecia Nugent showcased the tunes from her ‘A Little Girl…A Big Four-Lane’ (Rounder Records, 2006) album, in Nashville, she was proclaimed a ‘hillbilly goddess’ by Nashville music critic, Robert K. Oermann; that off-hand nickname was transformed into the title track of her third Rounder Records album.
On Tuesday 12 September 2006, Bradley Walker saw the release of his debut album, ‘Highway of Dreams’ (Rounder Records, 2006), which was produced by Carl Jackson, and included the following tracks:
‘Life Or Love’, which was written by Harley Allen (Monday 23 January 1956 – Wednesday 30 March 2011) and Gary Cotton
Musicians
Clay Hess (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Ron Block (banjo)
Randy Kohrs (Dobro)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
Carl Jackson and Rhonda Vincent (background vocals)
‘When I’m Hurtin’ (written by Larry Cordle and Larry Shell)
Musicians
Clay Hess and Andy Falco (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Ron Block (banjo)
Randy Kohrs (Dobro)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
Larry Cordle and Rhonda Vincent (background vocals)
‘Love’s Tombstone’ (written by Carl Jackson and Jenny Yates)
Musicians
Clay Hess and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Ron Block (banjo)
Randy Kohrs (Dobro)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
Larry Cordle and Rhonda Vincent (background vocals)
‘Payin’ Your Dues’ (written by Chris Austin and Carl Jackson)
Musicians
Clay Hess and Andy Falco (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Ron Stewart (banjo)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Russell Moore (background vocals)
‘If I Hadn’t Reached For The Stars’ (written by Carl Jackson)
Musicians
Clay Hess and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
Vince Gill and Sonya Isaacs (background vocals)
‘Price of Admission’ (written by Glenn Garrett and Craig Market)
Musicians
Clay Hess (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Ron Block (banjo)
Randy Kohrs (Dobro)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddle)
Carl Jackson and Alecia Nugent (background vocals)
‘He Carried Her Memory’ (written by Jim McBride and Jerry Salley)
Musicians
Clay Hess (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddles)
Jerry Salley and Alecia Nugent (background vocals)
‘A Little Change’ (written by Carl Jackson, Mike Ward and Jared Ashley)
Musicians
Clay Hess and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
Carl Jackson and Sonya Isaacs (background vocals)
‘Lost At Sea’ (written by Shawn Camp)
Musicians
Clay Hess and Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
Carl Jackson and Cia Cherryholmes (background vocals)
‘Shoulda Took That Train’ (written by Mike Ward and Ken Williams)
Musicians
Clay Hess (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Ron Stewart (banjo)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
Vince Gill (background vocals)
‘I Never Go Around Mirrors’, which was written by Lefty Frizzell (Saturday 31 March 1928 – Saturday 19 July 1975) and Sanger D. ‘Whitey’ Shafer (Wednesday 24 October 1934 – Saturday 12 January 2019)
Musicians
Clay Hess (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Randy Kohrs (Dobro)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
Brandon Hickman and Alecia Nugent (background vocals)
‘We Know Where He Is’ (written by Shawn Camp and Buddy Cannon)
Musicians
Clay Hess (acoustic guitar)
Kevin Grantt (bass)
Tony Creasman (drums)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Jim Van Cleve (fiddles)
Carl Jackson and Cia Cherryholmes (background vocals)
In 2008, Alecia Nugent performed in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada as part of ‘Bluegrass Sundays Winter Concert Series’.
In 2009, Alecia Nugent was nominated for IBMA ‘Female Vocalist of The Year’.
On Tuesday 24 March 2009, Alecia Nugent saw the release of ‘Hillbilly Goddess’ (Rounder Records, 2009), which was produced by Carl Jackson, and included the following tracks:
‘Wrecking The Train’ (written by Mike Ward, Lonnie Levelle and Amanda Williams)
‘Don’t Tell Me’ (written by Buddy Miller and Julie Miller) / this track featured guest vocalist Bradley Walker
‘Hillbilly Goddess’ (written by Alecia Nugent, Carl Jackson and Sonya Kelly) / this track featured James Dee (J.D.) Crowe (Friday 27 August 1937 – Friday 24 December 2021) on banjo
‘Just Another Alice’ (written by Don Goodman and Ladd Smith) / this track featured guest vocalist Valerie Storey
‘The Last Greyhound’ (written by Tim Stafford and Craig Market)
‘Cryin’ All The Way To The Bank’ (written by Carl Jackson and Rebecca Lynn Howard)
‘Dyin’ To Hold Her Again’ (written by Jerry Salley and Joanie Keller-Johnson) / this track featured harmony vocals from Bradley Walker and Carl Jackson
‘Nugent Family Band’, which was written by Alecia Nugent, Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021) and Dixie Hall (Saturday 26 May 1934 – Friday 16 January 2015)
‘Wishin’ Hard’ (written by Tim O’Brien)
‘The Writing’s All Over The Wall’ (written by Larry Cordle and Connie Leigh) / this track was a duet with Bradley Walker
‘Already Home’ (written by Tanya Leah and Gregory Lynch) / this track featured guest vocalist Sonya Isaacs
Personnel involved in the recording of Alecia Nugent’s ‘Hillbilly Goddess’ (Rounder Records, 2009) included duet partner Bradley Walker, Andy Leftwich, Tim Stafford, Rob Ickes, Adam Steffey, producer Carl Jackson, James Dee (J.D.) Crowe (Friday 27 August 1937 – Friday 24 December 2021), members of Ricky Skaggs’ Kentucky Thunder, Blue Highway, The Dan Tyminski Band, and The Infamous Stringdusters.
On Friday 18 September 2020, Alecia Nugent saw the release of ‘The Old Side of Town’ (Hillbilly Goddess, 2020), which was produced by Keith Stegall, and included the following tracks:
‘The Old Side of Town’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘I Might Have One Too’ (written by Erin Enderlin and Larry Cordle)
‘They Don’t Make ‘Em Like My Daddy Anymore’ (written by Alecia Nugent and Carl Jackson)
‘Way Too Young For Wings’ (written by Alecia Nugent, J. Leblanc, J. Stegall and Brent Maher)
‘Tell Fort Worth I Said Hello’ (written by Erin Enderlin, Larry Cordle and Kevin Denney)
‘The Other Woman’ (written by Brandy Clark and Mark Stephen Jones)
‘Too Bad You’re No Good’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014) and C. Holmes
‘Sad Song’ (written by Alecia Nugent, Roger Murrah and Keith Stegall)
‘I Thought He’d Never Leave’ (written by Alecia Nugent, Roger Murrah and Keith Stegall)
Personnel involved in the recording of Alecia Nugent’s ‘The Old Side of Town’ (Hillbilly Goddess, 2020) included the following:
Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Tommy Harden (drums)
Bobby Terry (acoustic guitar)
Gary Prim (keyboards)
Jimmie Lee Sloas (bass)
Stuart Duncan (fiddle, mandolin)
Rob Ickes (Dobro)
Paul Franklin and Dan Dugmore (steel guitar)
Wes Hightower (background vocals)
Alecia Nugent’s ‘The Old Side of Town’ (Hillbilly Goddess, 2020) was recorded at The Castle Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, The Sound Station, and Wedgewood Sound in Nashville.
• Visit Alecia Nugent’s official site at alecianugent.com
• Like Alecia Nugent on Facebook