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 2006, 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 Ann J Morton, which she submitted to this site on Saturday 21 January 2006.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Ann J Morton who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Ann J Morton
This quote was submitted on Saturday 21 January 2006.
‘I have had a lot of artists record the songs that I have written, but I have to say that I was so proud that Gene Watson recorded ‘The Look In Baby’s Eyes’.
Gene’s voice on the track is awesome, and I am one of his biggest fans’
Thank you, Ann J Morton, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Ann J Morton…
Ann J Morton is a native of Oklahoma, where she sang in church at the age of three and started playing piano by ear at six.
In her early teens, Ann J Morton would often sneak out to a local dance hall, where Bob Wills (Monday 6 March 1905 – Tuesday 13 May 1975), Leon McAuliffe (Wednesday 3 January 1917 – Saturday 20 August 1988) and other Western Swing bands were playing and they would let her sit in and sing.
Later, Ann J Morton had a Saturday morning radio show on KWHN in Fort Smith, Arkansas with her brother, Jim Mundy, and then a television show every morning with their family band, which included her mother on bass, her husband Larry and her younger brother Bill.
Ann J Morton was a featured vocalist with ‘Buck Wayne’ Johnston (Hall of Fame Disc Jockey) and The Bluebonnet Playboys with legendary Floyd Tillman (Tuesday 8 December 1914 – Friday 22 August 2003) in Texas.
Ann J Morton and her husband Larry eventually moved to Nashville, where Larry played guitar for Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass, and worked in the studios as a musician and record producer, while Ann J Morton wrote songs for a publishing company, which was owned by Charley Pride (Friday 18 March 1934 – Saturday 12 December 2020).
Ann J Morton’s songs have been recorded by an acclaimed number of artists, including Charley Pride (Friday 18 March 1934 – Saturday 12 December 2020), Hank Thompson (Thursday 3 September 1925 – Tuesday 6 November 2007), Crystal Gayle, Gene Watson, Diana Trask, Red Sovine (Wednesday 17 July 1918 – Friday 4 April 1980) and Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 – Monday 14 August 2006).
Ann J Morton has recorded for Chart Records, where she was produced by Bill Walker, and for Prairie Dust Records, where she has enjoyed several award-winning singles on the Billboard country music singles chart.
Hank Thompson (Thursday 3 September 1925 – Tuesday 6 November 2007) recorded Ann J. Morton’s ‘I’ve Come Awful Close’ and included the track on ’25th Anniversary Album’ (Dot Records, 1971); the track, which reached No.11 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1972, was subsequently included on ‘Hank Thompson’s Greatest Hits, Volume 1’ (Dot Records, 1972).
Charley Pride (Friday 18 March 1934 – Saturday 12 December 2020) recorded Ann J. Morton’s ‘Time Out For Jesus’ and included the track on ‘The Incomparable Charley Pride’ (RCA Records, 1972).
Dick Curless (Thursday 17 March 1932 – Thursday 25 May 1995) recorded Ann J Morton’s ‘I’ve Come Awful Close’ and included the track on the ‘live’ album ‘Dick Curless At Wheeling Truck Drivers’ Jamboree’ (Capitol Records, 1972).
Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 – Monday 14 August 2006) recorded Ann J Morton’s ‘The Look In Baby’s Eyes’ and included the track on ‘Sweet Country Woman’ (Columbia Records, 1973).
Crystal Gayle recorded Ann J. Morton’s ‘M.R.S. Degree’ (co-written with Lavon Lile) and included the track on ‘I’ve Cried The Blue Right Out of My Eyes’ (MCA Records, 1978).
Hargus ‘Pig’ Robbins (Tuesday 18 January 1938 – Sunday 30 January 2022) recorded Ann J Morton’s ‘Unbreakable Hearts’ (co-written with Dennis Morgan) and included the track on ‘Unbreakable Hearts’ (Elektra Records, 1979).
Gene Watson recorded Ann J. Morton’s ‘The Look In Baby’s Eyes’ and included the track on ‘Between This Time & The Next Time‘ (MCA Records, 1981).
In 2005, Ann J Morton was nominated in the category ‘Female Western Swing Vocalist of The Year’ by the Academy of Western Music Association for her album ‘The Swing of Things’ (Prairie Dust Records, 2005), which included the following tracks:
‘Black & Blue Heart’
‘You Don’t Have To Be A Baby To Cry’
‘I’ll Do It ‘Cause I Love Ya’
‘No Strings Attached’
‘It’s Written All Over Your Face’
‘Blueberry Hill’
‘I Love You So Much It Hurts Me’
‘Poor Wilted Rose’
‘Twice As Much’
‘Life Long Love’
‘I Don’t Want To Take A Chance On Loving You’
‘Tainted Rose’
‘Blue, Blue Feeling’
‘Onions & Love Affairs’
Personnel involved in the recording of Ann J Morton’s ‘The Swing of Things’ (Prairie Dust Records, 2005) included the following:
Phil Baugh, Pete Wade, Chip Young, Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 – Saturday 17 April 2004), Larry Morton and Harold Bradley (Saturday 2 January 1926 – Thursday 31 January 2019) (guitars)
Weldon Myrick (Monday 10 April 1939 – Monday 2 June 2014) and Curly Chalker (steel guitar)
Chuck Sanders and Henry Strzelecki (Tuesday 8 August 1939 – Monday 29 December 2014) (bass)
Hargus ‘Pig’ Robbins (Tuesday 18 January 1938 – Sunday 30 January 2022), John Propst and Walt Cunningham (piano, keyboards)
Buddy Spicher, Johnny Gimble (Sunday 30 May 1926 – Saturday 9 May 2015), Tommy Williams, Margie Cates and Marcie Cates (fiddles)
Buddy Spicher (viola)
Hayward Bishop and Terry Waddell (drums)
Ken Deifik (harmonica)
Ray Carroll (trumpet)
Rex Peer (trombone)
Norman Ray (saxophone)
Josh Graves (Tuesday 27 September 1927 – Saturday 30 September 2006) (Dobro)
Leah Jane Berinati, Janie Fricke, Tom Brannon, Larry Keith, Yvonne Hodges, Jackie France and Sherilyn Hoffman Kramer (background vocals)
Dee White recorded Ann J. Morton’s ‘Crazy Man’ (co-written with Jim Mundy) and included the track on ‘Southern Gentleman’ (Easy Eye Sound / Warner Brothers Nashville, 2019).
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