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 2010, 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 Chuck Cannon, which he submitted to this site on Wednesday 20 January 2010.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Chuck Cannon who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Chuck Cannon
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 20 January 2010.
‘Gene Watson is one of the greatest country singers of all time…a pure country singer’s singer!’
Thank you, Chuck Cannon, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Chuck Cannon…
Chuck Cannon, who was born Marion C. Cannon Jr. (Chuck), grew up in the low country of Greenville, South Carolina.
Chuck Cannon’s Dad and Grandfather were both Pentecostal preachers, so his earliest musical influence was in church. Chuck Canon started singing solo in church before he was five years old.
The first music Chuck Cannon ever owned was a Beatles 45rpm single which had ‘If I Fell’ and ‘And I Love Her’.
Chuck Cannon’s Mum discovered that Chuck liked this music and she turned him onto the music of Frank Sinatra (Sunday 12 December 1915 – Thursday 14 May 1998), The Platters and Dean Martin (Thursday 7 June 1917 – Monday 25 December 1995).
The first album Chuck Cannon ever owned was ‘At Folsom Prison’ (Columbia Records, 1968) from Johnny Cash (Friday 26 February 1932 – Friday 12 September 2003); Chuck Cannon thought that it was the coolest thing he had ever heard.
Chuck Cannon listened to all types of music, including The Beatles, Temptations, Smokey Robinson, the STAX stuff, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 – Thursday 1 January 1953), Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016), Jim Croce (Sunday 10 January 1943 – Thursday 20 September 1973), Elton John, Jackson Browne and Bruce Springsteen.
When he was seventeen years old, Chuck Cannon hit the bars with his guitar and played the beach circuit for several years before moving to Nashville in 1984.
Chuck Cannon went to Belmont University and studied Music Business and Finance.
In 1988, Chuck Cannon met producer Marshall Morgan, who signed him as a staff songwriter to Taste Auction Music.
On Monday 3 September 1990, Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 – Monday 6 April 1998) saw the release of ‘Heart Over Mind’ (Epic Records, 1990); one of the included tracks was ‘Where’s The Fire’, which was written by Ron Moore and Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018).
In 1992, Chuck Cannon opened his own publishing company, Wacissa River Music, Inc.
In 2006, Chuck Cannon started Chuck Cannon Music, which covered all his new publishing and production efforts.
One of Chuck Cannon’s greatest honours was to be elected President of Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), between 2001 and 2003); he still serves on their Executive Board and Legislative Committees.
The honours Chuck Cannon’s songs have garnered include BMI’s Eight-Million-Air Award for the song ‘I Love The Way You Love Me’ (written by Chuck Cannon and Victoria Shaw), which was the Academy of Country Music’s ‘Song of The Year’ in 1993, and went on to become an international hit when Boyzone released it in Europe as a single in 1999, where it stayed at the top of the pop music singles chart for over three months.
Chuck Cannon has created an amazing catalogue of country music hit songs and here is a partial list of the artists who have enjoyed considerable success with those songs.
Trisha Yearwood recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Whisper of Your Heart’ and included the track on ‘Trisha Yearwood’ (MCA Records, 1991).
John Michael Montgomery recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘I Love The Way You Love Me’ (co-written with Victoria Shaw) and included the track on ‘Life’s A Dance’ (Atlantic Records, 1992); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for two weeks in May 1993.
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Some Kinda Good Kinda Hold On Me’ (co-written with Jimmy Alan Stewart) and included the track on ‘Toby Keith’ (Polygram Records / Mercury Records, 1993).
Dolly Parton recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Why Can’t We’ (co-written with Allen Shamblin and Austin Cunningham) and included the track on ‘Slow Dancing With The Moon’ (Columbia Records, 1993).
Larry Stewart recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘She Needs Me’ (co-written with Jimmy Alan Stewart) and included the track on ‘Down The Road’ (RCA Records, 1993).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘What A Woman Wants’ (co-written with Lari White) and included the track on ‘Lead Me Not’ (RCA Records, 1993); the track reached No.44 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1993.
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Don’t Leave Me Lonely’ (co-written with Lari White) and included the track on ‘Lead Me Not’ (RCA Records, 1993).
John Wiggins & Audrey Wiggins recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘She’s In The Bedroom Crying’ (co-written with Jimmy Alan Stewart) and included the track on ‘John & Audrey Wiggins’ (Polygram Records, 1994).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘That’s My Baby’ (co-written with Lari White) and included the track on ‘Wishes’ (RCA Records, 1994); the track reached No.10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1994.
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Wishes’ (co-written with Lari White) and included the track on ‘Wishes’ (RCA Records, 1994).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘That’s How You Know (When You’re In Love)’ (co-written with Lari White) and included the track on ‘Wishes’ (RCA Records, 1994); the track, which featured harmony vocals from Hal Ketchum (Thursday 9 April 1953 – Monday 23 November 2020), reached No.10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1995.
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘It’s Love’ (co-written with Lari White) and included the track on ‘Wishes’ (RCA Records, 1994).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘If You Only Knew’ (co-written with Lari White) and included the track on ‘Wishes’ (RCA Records, 1994).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Next To Love’ (co-written with Lari White) and included the track on ‘Don’t Fence Me In’ (RCA Records, 1996).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Something Blue’ (co-written with Lari White) and included the track on ‘Don’t Fence Me In’ (RCA Records, 1996).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Do It Again’ (co-written with Lari White) and included the track on ‘Don’t Fence Me In’ (RCA Records, 1996).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Me Too’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Blue Moon’ (A&M Records, 1996); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in early 1997.
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘The Lonely’, which was co-written with Mark Jones and Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018), and included the track on ‘Blue Moon’ (A&M Records, 1996).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘We Were In Love’ (co-written with Allen Shamblin) and included the track on ‘Dream Walking’ (Mercury Records, 1997); the track reached No.2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1997.
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Dream Walking’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Dream Walking’ (Mercury Records, 1997); the track reached No.5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1998.
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Jacky Don Tucker (Play By The Rules)’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Dream Walking’ (Mercury Records, 1997).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Tired’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Dream Walking’ (Mercury Records, 1997).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Yet’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Dream Walking’ (Mercury Records, 1997).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘That’s What You Do’ (co-written with Austin Cunningham) and included the track on ‘Stepping Stone’ (Lyric Street Records, 1998).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘You Can’t Go Home Again (Flies On The Butter)’ (co-written with Austin Cunningham and Allen Shamblin) and included the track on ‘Stepping Stone’ (Lyric Street Records, 1998).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘This Is Love’ (co-written with Lari White and Austin Cunningham) and included the track on ‘Stepping Stone’ (Lyric Street Records, 1998).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Tired’, which was co-written with Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024), and included the track on ‘Stepping Stone’ (Lyric Street Records, 1998).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Look Homeward Angel’ (co-written with Allen Shamblin) and included the track on ‘Stepping Stone’ (Lyric Street Records, 1998).
Ricky Van Shelton recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘She Needs Me’ (co-written with Jimmy Alan Stewart) and included the track on ‘Making Plans’ (Vanguard Records, 1998).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Getcha Some’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Greatest Hits, Volume One’ (Mercury Records, 1998); the track reached No.18 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1998.
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘If A Man Answers’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Greatest Hits, Volume One’ (Mercury Records, 1998); the track reached No.44 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1999.
Lonestar recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Saturday Night’ (co-written with Jimmy Alan Stewart) and included the track on ‘Lonely Grill’ (BNA Records, 1999).
Sawyer Brown recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘I’m In Love Wth Her’ (co-written with Allen Shamblin) and included the track on ‘Drive Me Wild’ (Curb Records, 1999); the track reached No.47 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1999.
Sawyer Brown recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘It All Comes Down To Love’ and included the track on ‘Drive Me Wild’ (Curb Records, 1999).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘When Love Fades’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘How Do You Like Me Now’ (DreamWorks Records, 1999); the track reached No.44 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1999.
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘How Do You Like Me Now’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘How Do You Like Me Now’ (DreamWorks Records, 1999); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for five weeks in March / April 2000, and reached No.31 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 2000.
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Blue Bedroom’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘How Do You Like Me Now’ (DreamWorks Records, 1999).
Shane Minor recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Slave To The Habit’, which was co-written with Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) and Kostas, and included the track on ‘Shane Minor’ (Mercury Records, 1999); the track reached No.20 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1999.
Mark Wills recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Because I Love You’ (co-written with Skip Ewing) and included the track on ‘Permanently’ (Mercury Records, 2000).
Collin Raye recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Landing In Love’ (co-written with Chuck Jones) and included the track on ‘Tracks’ (Epic Records, 2000).
Brad Paisley recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Too Country’ (co-written with Bill Anderson) and included the track on ‘Part II’ (Arista Records, 2001).
Lonestar recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘I Want To Be The One’, which was co-written with Gary Nicholson and Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018), and included the track on ‘I’m Already There’ (BNA Records, 2001).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Pull My Chain’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Pull My Chain’ (DreamWorks Records, 2001).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘The Sha La La Song’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Pull My Chain’ (DreamWorks Records, 2001).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘You Didn’t Have As Much To Lose’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Pull My Chain’ (DreamWorks Records, 2001).
LeAnn Rimes recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Why Can’t We’ (co-written with Austin Cunningham and Allen Shamblin) and included the track on ‘God Bless America’ (Curb Records, 2001).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Good To Go To Mexico’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Unleashed’ (DreamWorks Records, 2002).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Huckleberry’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Unleashed’ (DreamWorks Records, 2002).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘American Soldier’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Shock’n Y’all’ (Dreamworks Records, 2003); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart for three weeks in February / March 2004.
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘If I Was Jesus’ (co-written with Phil Madeira) and included the track on ‘Shock’n Y’all’ (Dreamworks Records, 2003).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Time For Me To Ride’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Shock’n Y’all’ (Dreamworks Records, 2003).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Sweet’ (co-written with Toby Keith and Scotty Emerick) and included the track on ‘Shock’n Y’all’ (Dreamworks Records, 2003).
Wynonna recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Heaven Help Me’ (co-written with James Dean Hicks) and included the track on ‘What The World Needs Now Is Love’ (Asylum Records / Curb Records, 2003).
Wynonna recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘It All Comes Down To Love’ and included the track on ‘What The World Needs Now Is Love’ (Asylum Records / Curb Records, 2003).
Wynonna recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Flies On The Butter (You Can’t Go Home Again)’ (co-written with Austin Cunningham and Allen Shamblin) and included the track on ‘What The World Needs Now Is Love’ (Asylum Records / Curb Records, 2003); this track was a duet with Naomi Judd (Friday 11 January 1946 – Saturday 30 April 2022).
Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 – Friday 20 March 2020) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Listen To The Rain’ (co-written with Billy Dean) and included the track on ‘Back To The Well’ (Dreamcatcher Records, 2003).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Groove With Me, Baby’ (co-written with Jeff Steele and Lari White) and included the track on ‘Green Eyed Soul’ (Skinny White Girl Records, 2004).
Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Loved Right’ (co-written with Lari White) and included the track on ‘Green Eyed Soul’ (Skinny White Girl Records, 2004).
Willie Nelson recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Tired’, which was co-written with Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024), and included the track on ‘It Always Will Be’ (Lost Highway Records, 2004).
Billy Dean recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘This Is The Life’ (co-written with Billy Dean) and included the track on ‘Let Them Be Little’ (Curb Records, 2005).
Billy Dean recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘I’m In Love With You’ (co-written with Billy Dean) and included the track on ‘Let Them Be Little’ (Curb Records, 2005).
Billy Dean recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Slow Motion’ (co-written with Billy Dean and Chuck Jones) and included the track on ‘Let Them Be Little’ (Curb Records, 2005).
Billy Dean recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Good Love Gone Bad’ (co-written with Billy Dean and Stephanie Paisley) and included the track on ‘Let Them Be Little’ (Curb Records, 2005).
Toby Keith (Saturday 8 July 1961 – Monday 5 February 2024) recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘I Got It Bad’ (co-written with Toby Keith) and included the track on ‘Honkytonk University’ (Dreamworks Records, 2005).
Randy Houser recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Strange’ (co-written with Chuck Jones) and included the track on ‘Anything Goes’ (Universal South Records, 2008).
Sarah Buxton recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘Space’, which was co-written with Sarah Buxton and Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018), and included the track on ‘Sarah Buxton’ (Lyric Street Records, 2010).
Danny Gokey recorded Chuck Cannon’s ‘I Will Not Say Goodbye’, which was co-written with Lari White (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) and Vicky McGehee, and included the track on ‘My Best Days’ (RCA Nashville Records, 2010); the track reached No.32 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in August 2010.
• Visit Chuck Cannon’s official site at chuckcannon.com