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 during 2026, 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 Bennie Boling, which he submitted to this site on Saturday 4 April 2026.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Bennie Boling who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Bennie Boling
This quote was submitted on Saturday 4 April 2026.
‘Gene Watson was one of the reasons I fell in love with country music.
His sound and the way he always conducted himself was truly inspiring.
I met Gene through a mutual friend, Billy Troy.
Having Gene record one of my songs was the highlight of my musical career as a writer’
Thank you, Bennie Boling, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Bennie Boling…
Bennie Boling, who hails from Seymour, Tennessee started his musical career at the age of 15, picking banjo on Bonnie Lou & Buster’s Smokey Mountain Hayride in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Bennie Boling also worked on their local television show on WATE out of Knoxville, Tennessee.
Bennie Boling, along with his old friend, Tim Graves, started the band, Cherokee in 1982.
It was also in 1982 when Cherokee became the official World’s Fair Bluegrass Band in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Following a move to Nashville, Bennie Boling worked as bass player for Mike Scott & The All American Band.
In 1993, Bennie Boling hooked up with another East Tennessee friend, Steve Kaufman, three-time winner of the National Flatpicking Championships in Winfield, Kansas, to help put together Steve Kaufman’s four hour Bluegrass banjo workout for Homespun Tapes.
During the early to mid-1990s, Bennie Boling became a staff writer for the legendary Buddy Killen (), and later with Cal IV Entertainment.
Bennie Boling has had several of his songs recorded by an acclaimed number of country music artists, including Gene Watson, Jeannie Seely (Saturday 6 July 1940 – Friday 1 August 2025), The Oak Ridge Boys, and many others.
Bennie Boling also built, and set up, resophonic guitars for Gibson Guitars for five years, and also worked in quality control for Gibson at the OAI plant.
For the past 10 years, Bennie Boling has been working at Huber Banjos, where he is responsible for a number of tasks around the shop, including buffing, plating, assembly, CNC operation and, as Steve Huber describes it, serving as shop humorist.
Bennie Boling’s performing credits also include guitar player for Billy Troy, and a 4-year run as banjo player for the award winning Bluegrass/Gospel band, The Farm Hands Quartet, where he was nominated three times for the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music Association (SPBGMA) ‘Banjo Player of The Year’.
In 2016, 40 Horse Mule was formed, and was the brainchild of Bennie Boling, who played bass; also in the band were Billy Troy (on guitar and vocals) and Steve Huber (on banjo).
The band name comes from a line in a Bennie Boling song describing a tractor ‘…with his ol’ 40 horse Ford Mule’.
In 2017, 40 Horse Mule saw the release of their first single, ‘Hell, Fire & Brimstone’ (written by Bennie Boling).
In 2018, 40 Horse Mule saw the release of their second single, ‘Jack, The Tobacco Farmer’, a song, which included their band name, 40 Horse Mule.
Bennie Boling Compositions
Larry Mercey recorded Bennie Boling’s ‘Wild West Show’ (co-written with Billy Troy and Lee Bach) and included the track on ‘Let’s Deal Again’ (Holbourne Distributing Company Limited, 1994); the track reached No.66 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1994.
Gene Watson recorded Bennie Boling’s ‘When There’s Not A Tear Left To My Name’ (co-written with Billy Troy) and included the track on ‘A Way To Survive‘ (Step One Records, 1997).
Billy Troy recorded Bennie Boling’s ‘When There’s Not A Tear Left To My Name’ (co-written with Billy Troy) and included the track on ‘Broken Moon’ (OMS Records, 2000).
Jeannie Seely (Saturday 6 July 1940 – Friday 1 August 2025) recorded Bennie Boling’s ‘Fast Movin’ Train’ (co-written with Billy Troy) and included the track on ‘Life’s Highway’ (OMS Records, 2003).
The Oak Ridge Boys recorded Bennie Boling’s ‘Train, Train’ (co-written with Dusty Drake and Jerry Vandiver) and included the track on ‘The Journey’ (Word Distribution / Spring Hill Records, 2004).
Tim Graves & Cherokee recorded Bennie Boling’s ‘Hearts Don’t Break Even’ (co-written with Gerald Smith and Lance Miller) and included the track on ‘Prodigal Son’ (Lamon Records, 2007).
Tim Graves & Cherokee recorded Bennie Boling’s ‘Hell, Fire & Brimstone’ and included the track on ‘Prodigal Son’ (Lamon Records, 2007).
The Farm Hands – Tim Graves (resophonic guitar, vocals), Bennie Boling (banjo), Keith Tew (guitar, vocals) and Daryl Mosley (bass, vocals) recorded Bennie Boling’s ‘He’s Got An Answer For Everything’, which was co-written with Jim McBride (Monday 28 April 1947 – Wednesday 7 January 2026) and included the track on ‘Better Than I Deserve’ (Pinecastle Records, 2014).
The Farm Hands – Tim Graves (resophonic guitar, vocals), Bennie Boling (banjo), Keith Tew (guitar, vocals) and Daryl Mosley (bass, vocals) recorded Bennie Boling’s ‘Farm Country’ and included the track on ‘Better Than I Deserve’ (Pinecastle Records, 2014).
• Visit 40 Horse Mule‘s official site
• Find Bennie Boling on Facebook
