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 2011, 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 Charlie Sizemore, which he submitted to this site on Wednesday 2 February 2011.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Charlie Sizemore who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Charlie Sizemore
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 2 February 2011.
‘If I could sing one song, one time, exactly like Gene Watson, I would then declare my music career an unqualified success and retire gratefully’
Thank you, Charlie Sizemore, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Charlie Sizemore…
Charlie Sizemore is a bluegrass singer, songwriter and guitarist who was raised in the Magoffin County region of Eastern Kentucky, where he was born in 1960, in a family environment where both his father and grandfather were banjo players.
Charlie Sizemore understandably grew up fascinated by mountain music and bluegrass music.
Charlie Sizemore’s first instrument was the fiddle, which he began playing at the age of six. By his teens, Charlie Sizemore was good enough on guitar to play with local favourite Lum Patton and to tour with The Goins Brothers Band.
In 1977, at only seventeen years old, the Kentuckian’s first big challenge was filling the shoes of Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) as guitarist and lead singer with Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys.
During his nine years with Ralph Stanley (Friday 25 February 1927 – Thursday 23 June 2016), between 1977 and 1986, Charlie Sizemore established a strong and credible reputation as one of the band’s top lead singers and appeared on over a dozen of Ralph Stanley’s albums.
In 1985, Charlie Sizemore saw the release of ‘Congratulations’ (Acoustic Revival Records, 1985), which included the following tracks:
‘Wild Side of Life’ (written by William Warren and Arlie Carter)
‘String Eraser & Blotter’, which was written by John A. Speca, Garner Lee Eckler (11 October 1905 – Saturday 21 March 1970) and Shorty Long (Wednesday 31 October 1923 – Friday 25 October 1991)
‘In My Time of Dying’ (traditional)
‘I See Through You’ (written by Bob Lidel and Frank Lidely)
‘Call of The Honky Tonk’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014)
‘Melody of Love’ (written by Charlie Sizemore)
‘Long Gone’, which was written by Don Wesley Reno (Monday 21 February 1927 – Tuesday 16 October 1984) and Arthur Lee ‘Red’ Smiley (Sunday 17 May 1925 – Sunday 2 January 1972)
‘Standing Room Only’, which was written by Ray Pennington (Friday 22 December 1933 – Wednesday 7 October 2020)
‘Mountain High, Mountain Low’, which was written by John Anderson and Lionel Alton Delmore (Tuesday 19 March 1940 – Monday 20 May 2002)
‘Congratulations’, which was written by Johnny Preston (Friday 18 August 1939 – Friday 4 March 2011)
‘A Little At A Time’, which was written by M.H. Malone and Ralph Stanley (Friday 25 February 1927 – Thursday 23 June 2016)
‘There’s Nothing Between Us’ (written by Charlie Sizemore)
Personnel involved in the recording of Charlie Sizemore’s ‘Congratulations’ (Acoustic Revival Records, 1985) included the following:
Guy Evans (banjo)
David Skeens (bass)
Glenn Gibson (Dobro)
John Evans (drums)
Curly Ray Cline (Wednesday 10 January 1923 – Tuesday 19 August 1997) and Stuart Duncan (fiddle)
Charlie Sizemore (guitar)
Charlie Sizemore, Ralph Stanley (Friday 25 February 1927 – Thursday 23 June 2016) and Robin Tackett Sizemore (harmony vocals)
Charlie Sizemore (lead vocals)
Stuart Duncan (mandolin)
In 1986, Charlie Sizemore formed his own group, The Charlie Sizemore Band, and returned to college at the University of Kentucky where he subsequently graduated with a degree in political science.
In 1989, Charlie Sizemore saw the release of ‘Call of The Honky Tonk’ (Rutabaga Records, 1989), which included the following tracks:
‘Call of The Honky Tonk’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014)
‘There’s Nothing Between Us’ (written by Charlie Sizemore)
‘String Eraser & Blotter’, which was written by John A. Speca, Garner Lee Eckler (11 October 1905 – Saturday 21 March 1970) and Shorty Long (Wednesday 31 October 1923 – Friday 25 October 1991)
‘Melody of Love’ (written by Charlie Sizemore)
‘Mountain High, Mountain Low’, which was written by John Anderson and Lionel Alton Delmore (Tuesday 19 March 1940 – Monday 20 May 2002)
‘In My Time of Dying’ (traditional)
‘Congratulations’, which was written by Johnny Preston (Friday 18 August 1939 – Friday 4 March 2011)
‘Standing Room Only’, which was written by Ray Pennington (Friday 22 December 1933 – Wednesday 7 October 2020)
‘Long Gone’, which was written by Don Wesley Reno (Monday 21 February 1927 – Tuesday 16 October 1984) and Arthur Lee ‘Red’ Smiley (Sunday 17 May 1925 – Sunday 2 January 1972)
‘I See Through You’ (written by Bob Lidel and Frank Lidely)
‘A Little At A Time’, which was written by M.H. Malone and Ralph Stanley (Friday 25 February 1927 – Thursday 23 June 2016)
‘Wild Side of Life’ (written by William Warren and Arlie Carter)
On Thursday 25 August 1994, Charlie Sizemore saw the release of ‘Back Home’ (Rebel Records, 1994), which included the following tracks:
‘Who Cares’ (written by Bill Cheatham and David Kent)
‘Time Can’t Take Your Memory Away’ (written by Charlie Sizemore)
‘Roller Coaster Run’, which was written by Hugh Prestwood (Thursday 2 April 1942 – Sunday 22 September 2024)
‘Walking Home In The Rain’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014)
‘A Dream Where A Memory Used To Be’ (written by David Kent and Charlie Sizemore)
‘I’m Really Gone’ (written by Nolan Hall and Charlie Sizemore)
‘Watering Poison Ivy’ (written by David Kent)
‘Back Home’ (written by Charlie Sizemore)
‘You Never Know Until You Cry’ (written by Charlie Sizemore)
‘Once More From The Bottom’ (written by David Kent and Charlie Sizemore)
‘Nothing Happening Every Minute’, which was written by Pat Alger and Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014)
‘Thy Burdens are Greater Than Mine’, which was written by Pee Wee King (Wednesday 18 February 1914 – Tuesday 7 March 2000)
On Tuesday 27 February 1996, The Charlie Sizemore Band saw the release of ‘In My View’ (Rebel Records, 1996), which included the following tracks:
‘That’s How I Got To Memphis’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Made In The Shade (If The Tree Don’t Fall)’, which was written by Jimmy Martin (Wednesday 10 August 1927 – Saturday 14 May 2005) and Charlie Sizemore
‘Louisiana Red Dirt Highway’ (written by Vernon Rust)
‘Let Me Love You One More Time’, which was written by Ralph Stanley (Friday 25 February 1927 – Thursday 23 June 2016)
‘I Know The Way To You By Heart’ (written by Tony Laiolo)
‘Bristlecone Pine’, which was written by Hugh Prestwood (Thursday 2 April 1942 – Sunday 22 September 2024)
‘I Want My Rib Back’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Fred Koller
‘In My View’ (written by Mel Besher and Charlie Sizemore)
‘Ricket’s Reel’ (traditional)
‘Watching My World Go Down’ (written by Patti Clements Craft and Pamela Brown Hayes)
‘What You Go Thru’ (written by Mel Besher)
‘Are You Waiting Just For Me’, which was written by Ernest Tubb (Monday 9 February 1914 – Thursday 6 September 1984)
‘Keep Me From Blowin’ Away’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014)
Relocating to Nashville, Charlie Sizemore worked as a songwriter for Paul Craft Music (Paul Craft: Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014), and interned at a Nashville law firm while attending law school.
Ralph Stanley (Friday 25 February 1927 – Thursday 23 June 2016), Jimmy Martin (Wednesday 10 August 1927 – Saturday 14 May 2005), Doyle Lawson, Dry Branch Fire Squad, and Del Reeves (Thursday 14 July 1932 – Monday 1 January 2007) are among the artists who have recorded Charlie Sizemore songs over the years.
On Tuesday 23 April 2002, Charlie Sizemore saw the release of ‘The Story is…The Songs of Tom T. Hall’ (Rebel Records, 2002), a fourteen-track album, which extolled the virtues of Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021), a man revered within country music circles and widely regarded as ‘The Storyteller’.
Charlie Sizemore’s ‘The Story is…The Songs of Tom T. Hall’ (Rebel Records, 2002) included fourteen of Tom T. Hall‘s finest songs, including the following:
‘Mama’s Got The Catfish Blues’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘I’ll Never Do Better Than You’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘I Washed My Face In The Morning Dew’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Pamela Brown’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘I Flew Over Our House Last Night’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Waiting On The Other Shoe To Fall’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Kentucky In The Morning’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Old Dogs, Children & Watermelon Wine’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Ballad of Forty Dollars’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Margie’s At The Lincoln Park Inn’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Turn It On, Turn It On, Turn It On’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Another Town’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘The Year That Clayton Delaney Died’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Me & Jesus’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
After graduating, Charlie Sizemore went into private practice as an attorney, but he continued to work, record and tour with The Charlie Sizemore Band, which consisted of Matt DeSpain (Dobro), Danny Barnes (mandolin), Wayne Fields (Monday 1 September 1952 – Friday 21 March 2008) (banjo) and John Pennell (bass).
In 2007, Charlie Sizemore made his debut on the prestigious Rounder Records label with the release, on Tuesday 14 August 2007, of ‘Good News’ (Rounder Records, 2007); the album, which Charlie Sizemore co-produced with Buddy Cannon, caused Charlie Sizemore’s fan base to rejoice and cheer his re-emergence on record after a five year hiatus.
Charlie Sizemore’s ‘Good News’ (Rounder Records, 2007) was a stellar collection of all that’s good about Bluegrass and country music, and included the following exquisite tracks:
‘I’ve Fallen & I Can’t Get Up’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014) and David Kent
‘I Won’t Be Far From Here’ (written by Buddy Cannon and Charlie Sizemore)
‘Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart’, which was written by Hugh Prestwood (Thursday 2 April 1942 – Sunday 22 September 2024)
‘Devil on a Plow’, which was written by Harley Allen (Monday 23 January 1956 – Wednesday 30 March 2011) and John Pennell
‘Alison’s Band’ (written by Buddy Cannon and Charlie Sizemore)
‘Whiskey Willie’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Blame It On Vern’ (written by Jeff Barbra)
‘No Blues Is Good News’, which was written by Eddie Noack (Tuesday 29 April 1930 – Sunday 5 February 1978)
‘The Less That I Drink’ (written by Buddy Cannon and Charlie Sizemore)
‘Mama, Turn Aloosa My Soul’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014)
‘The Silver Bugle’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021), Dixie Hall (Saturday 26 May 1934 – Friday 16 January 2015) and Charlie Sizemore
‘Hey Moon’
‘My Dying Day’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) and Craig Martin
‘Good News When I Die’ (written by Matt DeSpain)
On Tuesday 15 February 2011, Charlie Sizemore saw the release of a bluegrass and country music project, ‘Heartache Looking For A Home’ (Rounder Records, 2011), which included the following tracks:
‘Down In The Quarter’
‘Red Wicked Wine’ (written by John Preston)
‘No Lawyers In Heaven’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014) and Billy Edd Wheeler
‘Heartache Looking For A Home’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014)
‘Feelin’ Like El Paso’ (written by Keith Nixon and John Pennell)
‘Slow Goin’, which was written by Shawn Camp and Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014)
‘Walking The Floor Over Me’ (written by Alan Jackson and Don Sampson)
‘I Don’t Remember Loving You’, which was written by Bobby Braddock and Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002)
‘Poor Rambler’
‘Ashley Judd’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014)
‘Fords of Pittman’ (written by Matt DeSpain)
‘Pay No Attention To Alice’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Going To Georgia’
‘Crossing Over Into The Valley’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014) and Barbara Martin
• Visit Charlie Sizemore’s official site at charliesizemore.wordpress.com