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 2008, 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 Doyle Lawson, which he submitted to this site on Friday 10 October 2008.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Doyle Lawson who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Doyle Lawson
This quote was submitted on Friday 10 October 2008.
‘I’ve been a Gene Watson fan since the first time I heard ‘Love In The Hot Afternoon‘, which was written by Kent Westberry and Vincent Wesley Matthews (1940 – Saturday 22 November 2003).
He most certainly is one of the most pure country singers of all time.
There is a line in a George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) song that says, ‘This old world is full of singers, but only a few are chosen’.
Gene is surely one of the chosen’
Thank you, Doyle Lawson, for your support of Gene Watson.
‘This old world is full of singers, but only a few are chosen’ is a line from ‘Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes’, which was written by Troy Seals and Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 – Sunday 11 January 2004); the track, which was included on George Jones‘ ‘Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes’ (Epic Records, 1985), reached No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart in mid-1985.
About Doyle Lawson…
Doyle Lawson was born on Thursday 20 April 1944 in Ford Town, a part of Sullivan County, near Kingsport, Tennessee to Leonard and Minnie Lawson; Doyle Lawson has two brothers, James and Les, and one sister, Colleen.
As far back as he can remember, Doyle Lawson loved the sound of music and listened regularly to The Grand Ole Opry. The group which impressed Doyle Lawson most was Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys; Doyle felt that their music was different and more intense and that it was this type of music that he wanted to play.
Doyle Lawson’s father, mother and sister all sang gospel music and were members of trios and quartets which sang music in churches and at revivals.
When Doyle Lawson was eleven years old, he learned to play the mandolin by listening to the radio, a few records and watching the occasional television show.
When he was fourteen years old, Doyle Lawson met Jimmy Martin (Wednesday 10 August 1927 – Saturday 14 May 2005), a native of Sneedville, Tennessee where Doyle and his family had moved to in 1954. It was at this time when Doyle Lawson decided to play music for a living and made a point of learning how to play the banjo and guitar.
In February 1963, Doyle Lawson went to Nashville and got a job playing banjo with Jimmy Martin (Wednesday 10 August 1927 – Saturday 14 May 2005).
In 1966, Doyle Lawson started working wit JD Crowe in Lexington, Kentucky, first playing guitar and then later switching to mandolin.
In 1969, Doyle Lawson returned to Jimmy Martin (Wednesday 10 August 1927 – Saturday 14 May 2005) for about six months playing mandolin and singing tenor. Doyle Lawson returned to JD Crowe with whom he stayed until August 1971.
On Wednesday 1 September 1971, Doyle Lawson joined The Country Gentlemen and stayed with them until March 1979. Doyle Lawson then decided to form a band which would have a unique Doyle Lawson ‘sound’ of its own.
In 1977, Doyle Lawson saw the release of ‘Tennessee Dream’ (Rebel Records, 1977), which included the following tracks:
‘Georgia Cracker’ (written by Doyle Lawson)
‘Reminiscing’ (written by Graham Goble and Doyle Lawson)
‘Five Miles To Winchester’ (written by Doyle Lawson)
‘Happy Go Lucky’ (written by Eddie Holland, Doyle Lawson and Norman Whitfield)
‘Old Virginia Waltz’ (written by Doyle Lawson)
‘Monroe Medley’
‘Lover’s Concerto’ (written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell)
‘Picking Wild Cherries’ (written by Doyle Lawson)
‘Silver Bird’ (written by Doyle Lawson)
‘Tennessee Dream’ (written by Doyle Lawson)
‘Sunny’ (written by Bobby Hebb)
‘New River Ride’, which was written by James Dee (J.D.) Crowe (Friday 27 August 1937 – Friday 24 December 2021) and Doyle Lawson
In April 1979, Doyle Lawson formed Doyle Lawson & Foxfire, and later changed the group name to Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. With the help of group members, Terry Baucom (Monday 6 October 1952 – Thursday 7 December 2023), Jimmy Haley and Lou Reid, Doyle Lawson laid the foundation for what became the quintessential Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver ‘sound’.
In 1981, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘Heavenly Treasures’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1981), which included the following tracks:
‘I Dreamed of A Great Judgment Morning’
‘Gone Away’
‘Too Much To Gain To Lose’, which was written by Dottie Rambo (Friday 2 March 1934 – Sunday 11 May 2008)
‘I’m Afraid I Can’t Make it Alone’
‘I Was, I Am, I Will’
‘A Lover of The Lord’
‘Lay Your Burdens At His Feet’ (written by William McKinney)
‘My Rock’ (written by Don Bryant)
‘Jesus Walked On The Water’
‘God Sent An Angel’ (written by Leroy Drumm, Pete Goble and Doyle Lawson)
‘Jezebel’
‘I’m Gonna Be Movin’
‘When The Sun of My Life Goes Down’
In 1981, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘Rock My Soul’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1981), which included the following tracks:
‘On The Sea of Life’
‘Rock My Soul’
‘Just Over Yonder’
‘Sweet Chariot’
‘I’ll Have A New Life’
‘Angel Band’ (traditional)
‘Jesus Gave Me Water’ (written by Lucie E. Campbell)
‘The Redeemed Are Coming Home’
‘I’ve Got A Lot of Heaven’
‘Just Any Day Now’
‘River of Death’
‘Jesus I’ll Never Forget’ (traditional)
‘A Beautiful Life’
Bluegrass Album Band, which consisted of Tony Rice (Friday 8 June 1951 – Friday 25 December 2020) (guitar, vocals), James Dee (J.D.) Crowe (Friday 27 August 1937 – Friday 24 December 2021) (banjo, vocals), Doyle Lawson (mandolin, vocals), Bobby Hicks (violin), Jerry Douglas (Dobro, vocals) and Todd Philips (bass), recorded Doyle Lawson’s ‘Please Search Your Heart’ (co-written with Pete Goble), and included the track on ‘Bluegrass Album, Volume 3’ (Rounder Records, 1983).
In 1986, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘Beyond The Shadows’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1986), which included the following tracks:
‘When We Meet To Part No More’ (written by J.R. Baxter)
‘By The Side of The Road’ (written by R. Reed)
‘Babylon’s Falling’
‘Every Time I Feel The Spirit’
‘Beyond The Shadows’, which was written by Martha Carson (Saturday 19 March 1921 – Thursday 16 December 2004)
‘When The World’s On Fire’
‘When Life Is Over’ (written by R.L. Griffin)
‘Hiding From The Storm Outside’ (written by Harkins Frye)
‘The Wings of Faith’, which was written by Don Wesley Reno (Monday 21 February 1927 – Tuesday 16 October 1984)
‘The Long, Long Journey’, which was written by Jimmie Davis (11 September 1899 – Sunday 5 November 2000)
‘We’ll Sing In Gloryland’
‘My Lord Delivered Me’ (written by Byron Foust)
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver’s ‘Beyond The Shadows’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1986) featured special guests Russell Moore (guitar), Scott Vestal (banjo), Curtis Vestal (bass) and Mike Auldridge (steel guitar, Dobro).
In 2004, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver’s ‘Beyond The Shadows’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1986) was re-issued, on CD.
James Dee (J.D.) Crowe (Friday 27 August 1937 – Friday 24 December 2021) & The New South recorded Doyle Lawson’s ‘Runaround’ and included the track on ‘Straight Ahead’ (Rounder Records, 1986).
In 1988, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘I’ll Wander Back Someday’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1988), which included the following tracks:
‘A White Rose’ (traditional)
‘Trust Each Other’, which was written by Ralph Stanley (Friday 25 February 1927 – Thursday 23 June 2016)
‘One Way Train’ (traditional)
‘Dreaming’ (written by Kim Richmond and Poly Styrene)
‘I’ll Wander Back Someday’ (written by Bill Clifton)
‘Let Us Travel On’, which was written by Charlie Louvin (Thursday 7 July 1927 – Wednesday 26 January 2011) and Ira Louvin (Monday 21 April 1924 – Sunday 20 June 1965)
‘Out On The Ocean’
‘Too Late’, which was written by Jimmy Wakely (Monday 16 February 1914 – Thursday 23 September 1982)
‘That’s How I Can Count On You’ (written by Shorty Long and Bob Newman)
‘Devil’s Little Angel’ (written by Daniel Kelley)
‘Our Last Goodbye’, which was written by Nick DeCaro and Carter Stanley (Thursday 27 August 1925 – Thursday 1 December 1966)
‘What A Wonderful Saviour Is He’
In 1988, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘Hymn Time In The Country’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1988), which included the following tracks:
‘Sail On Toward Home’
‘I Know Who Holds Tomorrow’ (written by Ira F. Stanphill)
‘Paradise Is Waiting’
‘John, The Revelator’ (written by Rusty Goodman) (traditional)
‘O’ershadowed By His Love’ (traditional)
‘Lord, I Want To Go To Heaven’
‘Hallelujah’ (written by M. Jones)
‘His Eye Is On The Sparrow’ (traditional)
‘I’m Winging My Way Back Home’ (written by J.B. Coats and James B. Coats)
‘He Will Pilot Me’ (written by Clifton Bailey)
‘Lord To Know I Have You’ (written by Julius Hemphill)
‘I Can See The Lights of Home’
In 1988, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘Heaven’s Joy Awaits’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1988), which included the following tracks:
‘Lord, I’ve Been A Hard Working Pilgrim’, which was written by Albert Edward Brumley (Sunday 29 October 1905 – Tuesday 15 November 1977)
‘I Know I’ll Feel At Home’
‘Climbing Up The Mountain’ (traditional)
‘Heaven’s Joy Awaits’ (written by Vep Ellis)
‘Will Someone Be Waiting’
‘Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone’ (traditional)
‘Help Me, Lord, To Stand’ (written by Brian Faust)
‘Ezekiel Saw The Wheel’ (written by Rex Nelon Singers)
‘Beyond The Sunset For Me’ (traditional)
‘Won’t It Be A Happy Meeting’
‘Let Me Go Home’
‘How Long’ (traditional)
In 1989, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘I Heard The Angels Singing’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1989), which included the following tracks:
‘The Holy City’ (written by Eddie ‘Guitar’ Burns)
‘Stormy Waters’
‘The Little Mountain Church’ (written by Carl Jackson and Jim Rushing)
‘In The Shelter of His Arms’ (written by Ray Heady)
‘I Heard The Angels Singing’ (traditional)
‘He’s My Guide’
‘The Little White Church’ (traditional)
‘The City Where Comes No Strife’
‘Rock of Ages, Hide Thou Me’ (traditional)
‘I Won’t Have To Cross Jordan Alone’ (written by Charles E. Durham and Tom Ramsey)
‘That New Jerusalem’ (traditional)
‘That Home Far Away’ (written by Ruby Rakes)
In 1990, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘My Heart Is Yours’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1990), which included the following tracks:
‘All In My Love For You’, which was written by John Hartford (Thursday 30 December 1937 – Monday 4 June 2001)
‘Still Got A Crush On You’ (written by Dean Dillon and Paul Overstreet)
‘Move To The Top of The Mountain’ (written by Bill Carver)
‘I Don’t Care’, which was written by Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 – Saturday 25 March 2006)
‘My Heart Is Yours’ (written by Randall Hylton)
‘Dreaming of You’ (written by R. Moore)
‘Look For Me & I’ll Be There’
‘A Date With An Angel’
‘Now There’s You’ (written by Rick Peoples)
‘Between Us’ (written by L. Anderson and Michael Brook)
‘I’m Satisfied With You’, which was written by Fred Rose (Floyd Jenkins) (24 August 1898 – Wednesday 1 December 1954)
‘We Were Made For Each Other’, which was written by Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 – Saturday 25 March 2006)
In 1992, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘Treasures Money Can’t Buy’ (Music Mill Records, 1992), which included the following tracks:
‘You’ve Been An Inspiration To Me’
‘Treasures That Money Can’t Buy’
‘Journey To The Son’
‘No Other Fountain’
‘He Must Have Loved Me A Lot’
‘Buckle of The Bible Belt’
‘Angel Unaware’
‘It’s Alright’, which was written by Bob Marley (Tuesday 6 February 1945 – Monday 11 May 1981)
‘Praising The Risen Lamb’
‘He Satisfies’
‘Just A Little Talk With Jesus’ (written by Cleavant Derricks)
‘Somewhere In Heaven’
In 1994, Doyle Lawson’s father passed away, but his mother still lives in Kingsport, Tennessee.
In 1995, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘Never Walk Away’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1995), which included the following tracks:
‘Sweet Rosie Jones’, which was written by Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 – Saturday 25 March 2006)
‘I’ve Kissed You My Last Time’, which was written by Bill Carlisle (Saturday 19 December 1908 – Monday 17 March 2003) and Virginia Suber
‘Jealous’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014)
‘I Can’t Be Your Fool’, which was written by Carl Jackson and Glenn Sutton (Tuesday 28 September 1937 – Tuesday 17 April 2007)
‘Let Me Live Again’ (written by Buster Turner)
‘I Never Once Stopped Loving You’, which was written by Bill Anderson and Jan Howard (Friday 13 March 1929 – Saturday 28 March 2020)
‘In The Gravel Yard’
‘I Could Never Walk Away (From ,You Darlin’)’ (written by Joe Issacs)
‘I’ll Never Complain’
‘Falling Falling Falling’, which was written by Bud Deckelman and Joseph Denton ‘Jay’ Miller (Friday 5 May 1922 – Saturday 23 March 1996)
‘Back In My Baby’s Arms Again’, which was written by Dallas Frazier (Friday 27 October 1939 – Friday 14 January 2022) and Arthur Leo Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 – Monday 4 October 1999)
‘Ancient History’, which was written by Paul Craft (Friday 12 August 1938 – Saturday 18 October 2014)
‘Senses’, which was written by Glen Campbell (Wednesday 22 April 1936 – Tuesday 8 August 2017) and Jeannie Seely
‘Your Crazy Heart’, which was written by Hylo Brown (Thursday 20 April 1922 – Friday 17 January 2003)
On Tuesday 20 February 1996, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘There’s A Light Guiding Me’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1996), which included the following tracks:
‘Since Jesus Came Into My Heart’ (written by Charles H. Gabriel)
‘Let Me Tell You About Jesus’ (written by Steve Gulley and Doyle Lawson)
‘There Is A God’
‘I’m A Weary Pilgrim’, which was written by Alton Delmore (Friday 25 December 1908 – Monday 8 June 1964)
‘I’m Going To Heaven’ (written by Charles B. Wycuff)
‘The Beautiful Altar of Prayer’ (written by Buster Turner)
‘Who’ll Be A Witness’ (traditional)
‘There’s A Light Guiding Me’, which was written by John Newton (24 July 1725 – 21 December 1807)
‘Earth’s Greatest Loss’ (written by Edgar Osburne)
‘I Need My Savior All The Time’ (written by Loy E. Foust)
‘The Arm of God’, which was written by Alton Delmore (Friday 25 December 1908 – Monday 8 June 1964)
‘The Lifeboat’ (traditional)
‘Calling To That Other Shore’, which was written by Alton Delmore (Friday 25 December 1908 – Monday 8 June 1964)
‘There’s Fire Down Yonder’ (traditional)
Bluegrass Album Band, which consisted of Tony Rice (Friday 8 June 1951 – Friday 25 December 2020) (guitar), James Dee (J.D.) Crowe (Friday 27 August 1937 – Friday 24 December 2021) (banjo), Doyle Lawson (mandolin), Vassar Clements (Wednesday 25 April 1928 – Tuesday 16 August 2005) (fiddle), Bobby Hicks (fiddle), Jerry Douglas (Dobro) and Todd Philips (bass), recorded Doyle Lawson’s ‘Misty Morning’ and included the track on ‘Bluegrass Album, Volume 6 – Bluegrass Instrumentals’ (Rounder Records, 1996).
Bluegrass Album Band, which consisted of Tony Rice (Friday 8 June 1951 – Friday 25 December 2020) (guitar), James Dee (J.D.) Crowe (Friday 27 August 1937 – Friday 24 December 2021) (banjo), Doyle Lawson (mandolin), Vassar Clements (Wednesday 25 April 1928 – Tuesday 16 August 2005) (fiddle), Bobby Hicks (fiddle), Jerry Douglas (Dobro) and Todd Philips (bass), recorded Doyle Lawson’s ‘North Country Waltz’ and included the track on ‘Bluegrass Album, Volume 6 – Bluegrass Instrumentals’ (Rounder Records, 1996).
On Tuesday 20 May 1997, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver saw the release of ‘Kept & Protected’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1997), which included the following tracks:
‘I Have Found The Way’
‘Did You Think To Pray?’
‘I’ll Trade The Old Cross (For A Crown)’ (written by Johnson Oatman Jr.)
‘My Lord Is Writing All The Time’ (traditional)
‘I’m Not Afraid of Tomorrow’
‘Kept & Protected By God’s Love’ (written by Paul Humphrey)
‘The Glory Land Way’ (written by J.S. Torbelt)
‘Let My Life Be A Light’ (written by J.R. Varner)
‘Lord, I’m Ready To Go’ (written by Johnny Masters)
‘The Vision’ (written by Paul Humphrey)
‘Heaven’s My Next Exit’ (written by Troy Pennie)
‘The New Jerusalem’ (written by Minnie Cooper and Jim Earnes)
‘You Are My Hiding Place’ (traditional)
‘We’ll Go Home Together On The Cloud’ (written by Paul Humphrey)
Further album releases from Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver included the following:
• ‘Gospel Radio Gems’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1998)
• ‘Winding Through Life’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1999)
• ‘Just Over In Heaven’ (Sugar Hill Records, 2000)
• ‘Gospel Parade’ (Sugar Hill Records, 2001)
• ‘The Hard Game of Love’ (Sugar Hill Records, 2002)
• ‘Hallelujah In My Heart’ (Music Mill Records, 2003)
• ‘Thank God’ (Crossroads / Music Box Recordings, 2003)
• ‘You Gotta Dig A Little Deeper’ (Rounder Records, 2005)
• ‘He Lives In Me’ (Crossroads / Music Box Recordings, 2006)
• ‘More Behind The Picture Than The Wall’ (Rounder Records, 2007)
• ‘Lonely Street’ (Rounder Records, 2009)
• ‘Drive Time’ (Mountain Home Records, 2011)
• ‘Sing Me A Song About Jesus’ (Mountain Home Records, 2012)
• ‘Roads Well Traveled’ (Mountain Home Records, 2013)
Tony Rice (Friday 8 June 1951 – Friday 25 December 2020) recorded Doyle Lawson’s ‘Misty Morning’ and included the track on ‘58957: The Guitar Collection’ (Rounder Records, 2003).
The Malpass Brothers (Christopher Malpass and Taylor Dunn) recorded Doyle Lawson’s ‘I’ve Got Her On My Mind Again’ (co-written with Paul Humphrey) and included the track on ‘Lonely Street’ (Billy Jam Records / Orchard / Malpass Records, 2023); the album was produced by Ben Isaacs and Doyle Lawson.
Doyle Lawson and his wife Suzanne (they were married on Saturday 24 June 1978) have one son (Robbie) and two daughters (Suzi and Kristi).
Doyle Lawson collects western memorabilia of Roy Rogers (Sunday 5 November 1911 – Monday 6 July 1998) and Gene Autry (Sunday 29 September 1907 – Friday 2 October 1998), and enjoys looking at old cars.
And he has been hosting the Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Festival in Denton, North Carolina for more years than he cares to remember.
• Visit Doyle Lawson’s official site at doylelawson.com