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 Chris Jones, which he submitted to this site on Wednesday 4 October 2006.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Chris Jones who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Chris Jones
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 4 October 2006.
‘Sean, I’d be honoured to give you a quote about Gene Watson.
I’m a huge fan.
The first time I heard Gene Watson sing, I became a fan for life.
In a country music world of trends and fads, Gene Watson has always been consistent and true.
He’s an inspiration to all of us’
Thank you, Chris Jones, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Chris Jones…
Chris Jones is one of the most soulful musicians and singers in bluegrass and country music today. His powerful, original approach to traditional bluegrass, his uncompromising professionalism and his wonderful sense of humour all combine to build a strong bond with audiences around the world.
Chris Jones’ rich voice is rooted firmly in the Stanley Brothers bluegrass tradition, but with a warm, resonant country flavour.
Chris Jones’ strong rhythm and masterful lead guitar work has been influenced by George Shuffler, Larry Sparks, Tony Rice (Friday 8 June 1951 – Friday 25 December 2020) and Ron Block.
Chris Jones is also considered one of bluegrass music’s premier songwriters.
Chris Jones has performed and/or recorded with artists across a broad musical spectrum, including The Chieftains, Vassar Clements (Wednesday 25 April 1928 – Tuesday 16 August 2005), Earl Scruggs (Sunday 6 January 1924 – Wednesday 28 March 2012), Alison Krauss, Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021), Jimmy Martin (Wednesday 10 August 1927 – Saturday 14 May 2005), Laurie Lewis, and The Lynn Morris Band.
Chris Jones has been recognised by his peers with numerous awards nominations and he has consistently enjoyed the appearance of his songs in the Top 10 of the National Bluegrass Survey.
On Tuesday 2 April 1996, Chris Jones saw the release of ‘Blinded By The Rose’ (Rebel Records, 1996), which included the following tracks:
‘You Can Take Your Time’ (written by Ron Black)
‘Dark Wind of Missouri’ (written by Chris Jones and Kevin O’Morrison)
‘House of Memories’, which was written by Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016)
‘John Henry’ (traditional)
‘Will You Be There’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Blinded by the Rose’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Looks Like the Blues Got Me’ (written by John Pennell)
‘You’ll Lay It All Down’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Alone With You’ (written by Chris Jones and Paul Kramer)
‘Dark Side of the Moon’ (written by Chris Jones and Paul Kramer)
‘Georgie Buck’ (traditional)
‘Zion’s Hill’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989)
On Tuesday 22 July 1997, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers (Markie Sanders, Doug Knecht and Jesse Brock) saw the release of ‘No One But You’ (Rebel Records, 1997), which included the following tracks:
‘Ribbon of Darkness’, which was written by Gordon Lightfoot (Thursday 17 November 1938 – Sunday 1 May 2023)
‘No One But You’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘I’m Not That Good At Goodbye’, which was written by Don Williams (Saturday 27 May 1939 – Friday 8 September 2017) and Bob McDill
‘Stream of Love’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘My Baby’s Just Like Money’, which was written by Lefty Frizzell (Saturday 31 March 1928 – Saturday 19 July 1975)
‘Sweetest Love’, which was written by Carter Stanley (Thursday 27 August 1925 – Thursday 1 December 1966)
‘Only My Heart’ (written by John Pennell)
‘Model Prisoner’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Close the Door’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘In A Mansion Stands My Love’, which was written by Johnny Russell (Tuesday 23 January 1940 – Tuesday 3 July 2001)
‘Shaky Ground’ (written by Allen Jones)
‘Whispering Now’ (written by Eddie Hill)
On Tuesday 27 April 1999, Chris Jones saw the release of ‘Follow Your Heart’ (Rebel Records, 1999), which included the following tracks:
‘Follow Your Heart Back Home’, which was written by Harley Allen (Monday 23 January 1956 – Wednesday 30 March 2011) and Chris Jones
‘Nashville Blues’, which was written by Alton Delmore (Friday 25 December 1908 – Monday 8 June 1964) and Rabon Delmore (Sunday 3 December 1916 – Sunday 4 December 1952)
‘Nobody There But Me’ (written by Bruce Hornsby)
‘Bridge To Portsmouth’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Fork in The Road’ (written by Chris Jones and John Pennell)
‘Drinking From The Fountain’, which was written by Ralph Stanley (Friday 25 February 1927 – Thursday 23 June 2016)
‘Some Leavin’ Too’ (written by Chris Jones and Sally Jones)
‘(I’m So) Afraid of Losing You Again’, which was written by Dallas Frazier (Friday 27 October 1939 – Friday 14 January 2022) and Arthur Leo ‘Doodle’ Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 – Monday 4 October 1999)
‘I’m Ready if You’re Willing’ (written by Jerry Organ)
‘Train That Never Slows Down’, which was written by Harley Allen (Monday 23 January 1956 – Wednesday 30 March 2011) and Sonny Russ
‘Waltz of The Wind’, which was written by Fred Rose (Floyd Jenkins) (24 August 1898 – Wednesday 1 December 1954)
‘Leaning On The Everlasting Arms’ (Public Domain)
On Tuesday 10 October 2000, Chris Jones saw the release of ‘Just A Drifter’ (Rebel Records, 2000), which included the following tracks:
‘Just A Town’ (written by Chris Jones and Sally Jones)
‘Cowboys Ain’t Supposed To Cry’, which was written by Arthur Leo ‘Doodle’ Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 – Monday 4 October 1999)
‘Uphill Climb’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘The Man On The Side of The Road’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021) and Dixie Hall (Saturday 26 May 1934 – Friday 16 January 2015)
‘Tonight I’m Gonna Ride’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Pretty Saro’ (traditional)
‘The Last Nail’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Witness’ (written by Chris Jones and Sally Jones)
‘Slave Rock’ (written by Irl Hees)
‘Heartaches to Forget’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘RN Breakdown’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘A Few More Years’ (traditional)
On Tuesday 27 August 2002, Chris Jones saw the release of ‘A Few Words’ (Rebel Records, 2002), which included the following tracks:
‘Dark Wind of Missouri’ (written by Chris Jones and Kevin O’Morrison)
‘Bridge To Portsmouth’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘A Few Words’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Uphill Climb’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Stream of Love’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Nelson & The Mountains’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021) and Chris Jones
‘Heartaches To Forget’ (written by Chris Jones and John Pennell)
‘Alone With You’ (written by Chris Jones and Paul Kramer)
‘Just a Town’ (written by Chris Jones and Sally Jones)
‘Wits’ End’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Model Prisoner’ (written by Chris Jones and John Pennell)
‘Too Far Down The Road’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Blinded By The Rose’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Fork in The Road’ (written by Chris Jones and John Pennell)
‘No One But You’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Witness’ (written by Chris Jones and Sally Jones)
On Tuesday 12 September 2006, Chris Jones saw the release of ‘Too Far Down The Road’ (Rebel Records, 2006), which included the following tracks:
‘She Does All That’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Lonely Comes Easy’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Waltz of Regret’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Too Hard To Say I’m Sorry’, which was written by ‘Cowboy’ Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 – Thursday 8 August 2013)
‘Chances’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Like a Hawk’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Old Fella’ (written by Jim Matt)
‘She Once Lived Here’ (written by Autry Inman)
‘Too Far Down The Road’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘After Sweet Memories’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Hero In Harlan’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
In 2009, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers saw the release of ‘Cloud of Dust’ (GMS Records, 2006), which included the following tracks:
‘The Love She Left Behind’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Cloud of Dust’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘What You Do’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘I’d Rather Love You’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Cold Lonesome Night’ (written by Stephen Mougin and Jon Weisberger)
‘One Door Away’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021)
‘Flat Creek’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Silent Goodbye’ (written by Chris Jones and Jon Weisberger)
‘Last Nail’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Draw For 5’ (written by Chris Jones and Ned Luberecki)
‘Cowboys Ain’t Supposed To Cry’, which was written by Arthur Leo ‘Doodle’ Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 – Monday 4 October 1999)
‘Come On Little Children’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Pretty Saro’ (written by Chris Jones)
‘Bluegrass Djs 1:33’ (written by Chris Jones)
On Tuesday 1 January 2013, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers saw the release of ‘Lonely Comes Easy’ (Rebel Records, 2013), which included the following tracks:
‘If That Was Love’ (written by Jon Weisberger)
‘Lonely Comes Easy’
‘You’re My Family Now’ (written by Chris Stuart and Jon Weisberger)
‘Wake Up Little Maggie’
‘Don’t Blink’ (written by Ned Luberecki)
‘One Who’s Coming After Me’ (written by Jon Weisberger)
‘Where I Am’, 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 Chris Jones
‘Too Hard To Say I’m Sorry’, which was written by ‘Cowboy’ Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 – Thursday 8 August 2013) and Jack D. Johnson
‘Barn Burner’ (written by Lisa Shaffer and Jon Weisberger)
‘Then I Close My Eyes’
‘Swine Flu In Union County’ (written by Mark Stoffel)
‘A Few More Years’ (written by Ralph Stanley)
‘Wolf Creek Pass’ (written by William D. Fries and Louis F. Davis Jr.) / this track featured guest vocals from Sierra Hull and Claire Lynch
• Visit Chris Jones’ official site at chrisjonesgrass.com